High-throughput atmospheric water harvesting system with patterned surfaces and evaporative cooling

Overview

Atmospheric water harvesting offers a promising path to produce drinking water in arid and water-scarce regions where conventional water supplies are limited. This technology combines laser-processed surfaces with engineered wetting patterns and a solar-powered evaporative cooler to capture water directly from ambient air. The approach is inspired by desert beetles, whose shell patterns of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions enable efficient droplet nucleation and rapid water release.

The proposed system integrates these bio-inspired patterned surfaces into the heat exchanger of a solar-powered evaporative cooler. The cooled metallic plate condenses moisture from the surrounding air, while the surface patterns accelerate droplet formation and shedding. The combined effect is designed to significantly increase water collection rates compared with conventional flat or randomly patterned surfaces, with a target output of approximately 1000 gallons of water at a projected cost of $35-45.

Technical specifications

Core technology:

• Laser processing methods that selectively transform material surfaces into either superhydrophilic or superhydrophobic states
• Direct patterning of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions onto metallic plates used in evaporative cooler heat exchangers

How it works:

• Hydrophilic regions promote efficient nucleation and growth of water droplets on the cooled surface
• Surrounding hydrophobic regions enable quick droplet release, minimizing re-evaporation losses
• The cooled plate condenses atmospheric moisture, and the patterned surface enhances collection efficiency
• A solar-powered evaporative cooler provides the cooling energy required for condensation

Design and testing plans:

• Optimization of hydrophilic and hydrophobic pattern size, shape, and spacing for maximum water collection
• Integration of the patterned plate with a solar-powered evaporative cooler assembly
• Performance evaluation across varying ambient temperature and humidity conditions
• Estimation of the levelized cost of water production under different operating scenarios

Technology readiness level

The underlying laser processing technology for creating superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic surfaces has been developed and validated in the principal investigator's laboratory. Extensive prior studies have demonstrated significantly enhanced water harvesting performance using laser-processed patterned surfaces compared with regular or alternatively patterned surfaces.

The current project advances the technology toward a fully integrated, high-throughput system by combining the patterned surface with a solar-powered evaporative cooler. Future validation will focus on optimizing pattern geometry, demonstrating integration with the cooler, and characterizing performance across diverse environmental conditions to establish the levelized cost of water.