MOBILE WATER PRODUCTION BY EXTRACTION OF ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE IN DESICCANTS

A HIGH-EFFICIENCY ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE COLLECTION SYSTEM (AMCS) IS PROPOSED THAT USES A LIQUID DESICCANT TO EXTRACT WATER VAPOR FROM THE AIR. A STREAM OF POTABLE WATER IS RECOVERED FROM THE DESICCANT IN A SIMPLE BOILER. THE EFFICIENCY OF THE AMCS IS GREATLY IMPROVED BY USING AN ENGINE-DRIVEN COMPRESSOR TO RAISE THE PRESSURE OF THE STEAM FROM THE BOILER TO A LEVEL AT WHICH THE HEAT OF CONDENSATION CAN BE TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE BOILER. AT LOW AMBIENT RELATIVE HUMIDITIES, THE AMCS WOULD USE A SOLID DESICCANT TO FIRST CONCENTRATE THE WATER VAPOR BEFORE COLLECTING IT IN THE LIQUID DESICCANT ABSORBER. BASED ON EXISTING LIQUID-DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIERS,AN AMCS THAT PRODUCES 375 LB/HR AT AN EFFICIENCY OF 16 GAL/GAL-FUEL WHEN AMBIENT HUMIDITES ARE MODERATE CAN BE EASILY CONTAINED IN AN ISO 8X8X20 ENCLOSURE AND WOULD WEIGH ABOUT 4600 LB. A VERY LOW AMBIENT HUMIDITIES (5%), WATER YIELDS WOULD BE 7 GAL/GAL-FUEL, BUT THE CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM WOULD DROP TO AROUND 100 LB/HR. AN EXPERIENCED TEAM HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED FOR THIS REPORT, WHICH INCLUDES DR. ANDREW LOWENSTEIN--AN EXPERIENCED RESEARCHER IN THE FIELD OF LIQUID-DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIERS--AND MR. WILLIAM GRIFFITHS--CHIEF ENGINEER AT KATHABAR, THE NATION'S LEADING MANUFACTURER OF LIQUID DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIERS.