Electrophoretic Water Extractor

To address the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) need for a high-density water recovery subsystem for advanced fuel cell systems (FCSs) that operates on logistic fuel, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposed and developed a new Electrophoretic Water Extractor (EWE) system. In Phase I, we assembled a proof-of-concept prototype that was tested in an in-house designed testbed to show repeatable H^2O extraction capability, thus demonstrating the first-ever use of electrophoresis to recover water vapor from reformate stream without the need for phase change. These results enabled POC to attract partners willing to support Phase II/III commercialization. Modeling and simulations (M&S) further indicated that an optimized prototype meeting solicitation requirements is not only feasible but is practical to implement within the scope of Phase II. Building on these results, POC will conduct electrophoretic process optimization and system integration to develop a fully functional EWE system prototype that will meet the U.S. Navy’s requirement of >40% efficiency, 35 W/L volume density, 75 W/kg gravimetric density, and >95% output water vapor purity, while operating at 7 atm and >350 degrees C.