Autonomous water source

• US 20050044862A1
• Filed: 05/04/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jan Vetrovec, Katerina Vetrovec
• Original Assignee: Jan Vetrovec, Katerina Vetrovec
• Inventors: Vetrovec, Katerina, Vetrovec, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/93
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 29/00 Root feeders; Injecting fertilisers into the roots
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0066 Dome shaped condensation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/261 by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/265 by refrigeration (condensation)
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/14 using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 3/28 from humid air condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation

Abstract

An autonomous water source (AWS) for extracting water from ambient air and delivering it to a plant to support growth. The system is based on an adsorption-desorption-condensation (ADC) cycle using a sorption material to extract moisture from ambient air and condensing the water vapor driven off from the sorption material by subsequent heating and followed by condensation. Liquid condensate produced in this process on the condenser is collected and delivered by gravity to a plant to reduce thermal stress and to support growth. The invention provides a sustainable source of irrigation water for agriculture and forestry, including areas where no water resources exist or are not economically viable. It can be tailored in size, and therefore, output capacity, reflecting the desired water requirements of a particular application, and can be used to replace most agricultural situations now reliant on surface water drip feed systems. The device is simple, rugged, invulnerable to rain, snow, and freezing conditions, and can be designed to last for many years without service as there are few moving parts and power required for operation is provided by sunlight.

Claims

1. An autonomous water source apparatus for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

a housing;

a closure to selectively open said housing to communicate with outside atmosphere or restrict said housing from said outside atmosphere;

a sorption medium in said housing;

a condenser cooled by rejecting heat for condensing water vapor released from said sorption medium producing liquid water, said condenser rejecting heat to an external environment;

a heat transfer element for heating said sorption medium;

a passageway for delivering condensed liquid water to the exterior of said housing;

said sorption medium and said condenser constructed and arranged for communication therebetween by a closed-loop convective air flow inside said housing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said heat transfer element is a face sheet made of transparent material for transporting solar radiation to heat said sorption medium.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said sorption medium is located under said face sheet to receive said solar radiation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said heat transfer element is an opaque material in a good thermal communication with said sorption medium for absorbing solar radiation and conducting heat into said sorption medium.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said heat transfer element is an electric heater in good thermal communication with said sorption medium.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sorption medium formed of a packed bed.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sorption medium is provided in granular form having grain sizes in the range of approximately 0.050 to 0.250 inch.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sorption medium is selected from the group comprising;

Type 3A zeolite, Type 4A zeolite, silica gel, activated alumina, and carbon molecular sieve.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sorption medium consists essentially of calcium chloride.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said transparent sheet is dyed a color that enhances absorption in the solar radiation band to heat said sorption medium.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sorption medium is provided in trays having at least one wall made of porous material permeable to air and water vapor.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said porous material is selected from the group comprising;

perforated plastic, expanded plastic, perforated metal, expanded metal, perforated ceramic, wire mesh, screen, molded plastic screen, and fiberglass screen.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said wall made of porous material has openings smaller than the grain size of said sorption medium.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said wall made of porous material is constructed in a corrugated V-shape.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a flow separator providing a physical and thermal barrier between warmer and cooler portions of said closed-loop convective flow in said housing.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said condenser is constructed to reject heat to ambient air in the atmosphere outside said housing.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 including electric fan for directing atmospheric air outside said housing to cool said condenser.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said condenser is constructed to reject heat into the ground.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a phase change medium in thermal communication with said condenser;

said phase change medium having a phase transition temperature in the range from about 20 to about 40 degrees Centigrade.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said closure is operated by an actuator selected from a group comprising;

electric solenoid, electric gear motor, and thermal actuator.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1 including an electric fan for inducing atmospheric air into said housing.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said passageway for delivery of said condensed liquid water includes a delivery system for delivery of water to a plant.

23. An apparatus for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

a housing having an upper wall and a lower wall;

a closure to selectively open said housing to communicate with outside atmosphere or restrict said housing from said outside atmosphere;

a sorption medium in the interior of said housing;

said sorption medium absorbing water vapor from atmospheric air at about ambient temperature, and releasing absorbed water vapor at above-ambient temperature;

a condenser rejecting heat to ambient air for condensing water vapor released by said sorption medium to produce liquid water, said condenser forming said lower wall of said housing;

a transparent face sheet for transporting solar radiation into said housing for heating of said sorption medium;

said face sheet forming said upper wall of said housing; and

a passageway for delivering of condensed liquid water to the exterior of said housing;

said sorption material being located under said face sheet; and

said sorption medium and said condenser constructed and arranged for thermal communication there between by a closed-loop convective flow of air inside said housing.

24. An apparatus for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

a housing having an upper wall and a lower wall;

a closure to selectively open said housing to communicate with outside atmosphere or restrict said housing from said outside atmosphere;

a sorption medium in the interior of said housing;

said sorption medium for absorbing water vapor from atmospheric air at about ambient temperature, and releasing absorbed water vapor at above-ambient temperature;

a condenser rejecting heat to ambient air for condensing water vapor released by said sorption medium to produce liquid water, said condenser forming said lower wall of said housing;

a heat transfer element forming an upper wall of said housing for absorption of solar radiation, said heat transfer element being in a good thermal communication with said sorption medium;

a passageway for-delivering condensed liquid water to the exterior of said housing; and

said sorption medium and said condenser constructed and arranged for thermal communication there between by a closed-loop convective flow of air inside said housing.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said heat transfer element further includes a dark color coating for improved absorption of solar radiation.

26. An apparatus for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

a housing having an upper wall and a lower wall;

a closure to selectively open said housing to communicate with outside atmosphere or restrict said housing from said outside atmosphere;

a sorption medium in said housing;

a condenser cooled by rejecting heat to the environment outside of said housing for condensing water vapor released by said sorption medium to produce liquid water, said condenser forming said lower wall of said housing;

a transparent face sheet forming an upper wall of said housing for transporting solar radiation into said housing for heating of said sorption medium, said face sheet forming said upper wall of said housing;

a heat transfer element for absorption of solar radiation;

said heat transfer element being in good thermal communication with said sorption medium;

a passageway for delivering condensed liquid water to the exterior of said housing;

said sorption material being located under said transparent face sheet with said heat transfer element there between; and

said sorption medium and said condenser constructed and arranged for thermal communication there between by a closed-loop convective flow of air inside said housing.

27. Apparatus for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

a housing;

a closure to selectively open said housing to communicate with outside atmosphere or restrict said housing from said outside atmosphere;

a sorption medium in said housing;

a condenser cooled by rejecting heat for condensing water vapor released from said sorption medium to produce liquid water;

an electric heating element in a good thermal communication for heating said sorption medium;

a passageway for delivering condensed liquid water to the exterior of said housing;

said sorption medium and said condenser constructed and arranged for thermal communication there between by a closed-loop convective flow of air inside said housing.

28. Apparatus for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

a housing having an upper wall and a lower wall;

a closure to selectively open said housing to communicate with outside atmosphere or restrict said housing from said outside atmosphere;

a sorption medium in said housing;

a transparent face sheet for transporting solar radiation into said housing for heating of said sorption medium, said face sheet forming said upper wall of said housing, said face sheet constructed to condense said water vapor released by said sorption medium to produce liquid water, said transparent face sheet being cooled by rejecting heat to ambient outside of said housing;

a flow separator located under said face sheet and separated by a gap having a width in the range of about 5 to about 50 millimeters;

a passageway for delivering condensed liquid to the exterior of said housing;

said sorption material being located under said flow separator; and

said sorption medium and said face sheet constructed and arranged for thermal communication there between by a closed-loop convective flow of air inside said housing.

31. The method of claim 28 in which contacting said high-water-vapor-content air with said colder body comprises contacting said high-water-vapor-content air with a condenser cooled to below the dew point of said high-water-vapor-content air.

32. The method of claim 28 in which said step of heating comprises heating provided by solar radiation.

33. The method of claim 28 in which said step of heating comprises heating provided by electric heating.

34. The method of claim 28 in which said colder body is cooled by ambient atmospheric air.

35. The method of claim 28 in which said colder body is cooled in real time by ambient atmospheric air.

36. The method of claim 28 in which said colder body rejects heat into a phase change medium.

37. The method of claim 28 in which said sorption medium rejects heat of sorption primarily into atmospheric air.

29. An apparatus for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

a housing;

a closure for selectively admitting air from outside atmosphere into said housing;

a sorption medium located in the interior of said housing;

a condenser for condensing water vapor released by said sorption medium to produce liquid water;

a heat source for transporting energy into said sorption medium for heating therof;

a passageway for delivering condensed liquid water to the exterior of said housing;

said sorption medium and said means for condensing capable of thermal communication there between by a closed-loop convective flow of air.

30. A method of extracting water vapor from atmospheric air to produce liquid water comprising;

exposing sorption medium to atmospheric air until it is substantially saturated with water;

isolating said sorption medium from ambient air;

heating said sorption medium to release water vapor into air in its proximity to create high-water-vapor-content air;

flowing said high-water-vapor-content air to a colder body;

contacting said high-water-vapor-content air with said colder body to condense water therefrom and create reduced-water-vapor-content air;

flowing said reduced-water-vapor-content air into the proximity of said sorption medium;

promoting a natural convection flow of air carrying high-water-vapor-content air from said sorption medium to said colder body and returning reduced-water-vapor-content air into the proximity of said sorption medium;

continuing said natural convection flow until substantial portion of the water content from said sorption medium is transferred to said colder body;

collecting said water content transferred to said colder body.