Publication

Abstract : The availability of potable water is one of the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century. This problem is more acute in arid, semi-arid regions, and population centers because of the continuous dropping of groundwater levels and increasing pollution of surface water bodies. In this regard, atmospheric water harvesting (AWH), i.e., cooling of the ambient air for moisture condensation is a promising alternative. AWH allows us to obtain clean drinking water in regions geographically far away from the sea, rivers, and other water bodies. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop relevant off-grid and environmentally friendly AWH systems. Here, we investigate the potential of a biomass gasifier-powered adsorption refrigeration system for AWH. We develop a thermodynamic model to estimate the water harvesting performance of this adsorption-based AWH system. Ambient climate conditions and crop residue availability in various developing countries are considered to quantify the AWH potential of this system. We show that the proposed AWH system can satisfy the potable water requirement (drinking and cooking) of around 19, 16, 12, 4, and 7% of the populations in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and India, respectively.