Compact, Low-Power Water Harvester

We propose to develop a compact, lightweight system for extracting water vapor from the atmosphere and producing high-quality drinking water. Our microchannel water extractor (MWX) system uses Creare’s innovative, additive manufacturing techniques and high-capacity metal oxide framework (MOF) sorbents to build an extremely compact heat and mass exchanger for efficient sorption of water vapor from air. We demonstrated feasibility in Phase I by producing MOF coatings that were compatible with compact heat and mass exchange structures, and by measuring the cyclic sorption capacity of the coatings. In the Phase I Option, we will produce a concept design for the atmospheric water extraction system and demonstrate production of potable water compliant with TBMED-577. In Phase II, we will (1) complete the detailed fluid, thermal, and mechanical design of the MWX; (2) fabricate components and assemble the MWX; and (3) measure performance and demonstrate operation across a range of simulated use environments.