Experimental investigation of solar powered water production from atmospheric air by using composite desiccant material “CaCl2/saw wood”

• SGDBS (solar glass desiccant box type system) has been used as an experimental setup.
• Six samples of composite desiccant material CaCl2/saw wood have been prepared.
• 180 ml/kg/day of water can be produced by using the composite desiccant material.
• For 500 ml/m2/day, 2.8 kg of the composite desiccant material are required.

New composite material for storage and production of water from atmospheric air has been investigated experimentally. Experiments have been performed in the Indian climatic condition at NIT Kurukshetra, India [29° 58′ (latitude) North and 76° 53′ (longitude) East] in the month of October. Three numbers of newly designed solar glass desiccant box type system (SGDBS) having a capture area 0.36 m2 each, have been used. The design parameters for the water production are height of glass from desiccant bed at 0.22 m, inclination in angle at 30°, effective thickness of glass at 3 mm and number of glazing as single. It is found that water production rate depends upon the concentration of CaCl2 in the saw wood. Maximum quantity of water production by the composite material having 60% concentration is 180 ml/kg/day.

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