SORPTION-BASED ATMOSPHERIC WATER HARVESTING DEVICE

• US 20180171604A1
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Kim, Hyunho, Yang, Sungwoo, Narayanan, Shankar, Umans, Ari Samuel, Wang, Evelyn N., Rao, Sameer R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/36 involving ionic interaction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/204 Metal organic frameworks (MOF's)
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/80 Water
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/06 Polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40098 with other heating means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/80 Employing electric, magnetic, electromagnetic or wave energy, or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0003 by using heat-exchange surfaces for indirect contact between gases or vapours and the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0015 Plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/006 with evaporation or distillation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/261 by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/103 comprising silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/226 Coordination polymers, e.g. metal-organic frameworks [MOF], zeolitic imidazolate frameworks [ZIF] preparation of metal complexes containing carboxylic acid moieties C07C51/418; MOF's per se C07F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28047 Gels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3204 Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3236 containing metal, other than zeolites, e.g. oxides, hydroxides, sulphides or salts
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3238 containing any type of zeolite
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/324 containing free carbon, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/288 using composite sorbents, e.g. coated, impregnated, multi-layered
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/001 Build in apparatus for autonomous on board water supply and wastewater treatment (e.g. for aircrafts, cruiseships, oil drilling platforms, railway trains, space stations)
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/32 : Details relating to UV-irradiation devices
• 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 20/00 : Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use

Abstract

A water-harvesting system can operate with a material that can take up and release water with minimum energy requirements and powered by low-grade energy sources, such as sunlight, in order to potentially allow its deployment into households, especially those located in sunny regions. A water-harvesting method and system can include vapor adsorption using a porous metal-organic framework. In certain embodiments, the porous metal-organic framework can include metal-organic framework in ambient air with low relative humidity, typical of the levels found in most dry regions of the world.

Claims

1. A water-harvesting system comprising:

an adsorbent layer including a material; and

a condenser adjacent to the adsorbent layer.

2. The water-harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent layer further comprises a binder.

3. The water-harvesting system of claim 2, wherein the binder is porous.

4. The water-harvesting system of claim 3, wherein the material is infiltrated in the binder.

5. The water-harvesting system of claim 2, wherein the binder includes copper.

6. The water-harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a heatsink.

7. The water-harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a coating on the adsorbent layer.

8. The water-harvesting system of claim 7, wherein the coating is optically transparent and thermally insulating.

9. The water-harvesting system of claim 7, wherein the coating is an aerogel.

10. The water-harvesting system of claim 7, wherein the coating is absorptive for solar irradiation.

11. The water-harvesting system of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure containing the adsorbent layer and the condenser.

12. The water-harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the material is a metal-organic framework, a silica gel, a zeolite, a carbon fiber, a hydroscopic salt, or combinations thereof.

13. The water-harvesting system of claim 12, wherein the metal-organic framework includes zirconium (Zr).

14. The water-harvesting system of claim 13, wherein the metal-organic framework includes MOF-801 (Zr₆O₄(OH)₄(fumarate)₆).

15. The water-harvesting system of claim 12, wherein the metal-organic framework includes cobalt (Co).

16. The water-harvesting system of claim 13, wherein the metal-organic framework includes Co₂Cl₂BTDD.

17. The water-harvesting system of claim 12, wherein a packing porosity of the metal-organic framework is between 0.5 and 0.9.

18. The water-harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the system is powered by solar irradiance, waste or biomass.

19. The water-harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent layer includes a plurality of stacks.

20. A method of water-harvesting comprising:

absorbing water from ambient atmosphere using a water-harvesting system comprising;

an adsorbent layer including a material; and

a condenser adjacent to the adsorbent layer;

applying energy to the water-harvesting system to desorb vapor; and

collecting water with the condenser.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising dissipating heat from the condenser through a heat sink.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the heat sink is a passive heat sink.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein applying energy includes supplying solar irradiance.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the adsorbent layer includes a plurality of stacks.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the energy is supplied by combustion of waste or biomass.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the material forms a metal-organic framework, a silica gel, a zeolite, a carbon fiber, a hydroscopic salt, or combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising an enclosure containing the adsorbent layer and the condenser.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the enclosure is opened during dark periods for water adsorption and the enclosure is closed during light periods for water production.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the vapor diffuses from the adsorbent layer to the condenser following a concentration gradient.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the vapor diffuses from the adsorbent layer to the condenser through buoyancy-assisted transport.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the condenser is maintained at ambient temperature.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the ambient atmosphere has a relative humidity of less than 30%.

33. A method of making a water-harvesting system comprising:

preparing an adsorbent layer including a material including a metal and an organic linker;

infiltraining the material into a binder;

adding a coating on the adsorbent layer; and

including a condenser in the system adjacent to the adsorbent layer.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the method further comprises housing the adsorbent layer and the condenser in an enclosure.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the method further comprising including a heat sink in the system.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the material forms a metal-organic framework, a silica gel, a zeolite, a carbon fiber, a hydroscopic salt, or combinations thereof.