Drinking the Air: My First Dive into Atmospheric Water Capture

Vinesh k -

For my first week of research, I dove into the world of atmospheric water capture by reading Master’s student Mona Rafat’s thesis. I studied her work to build a strong foundation for my own research/cost analysis. Under the guidance of Professor Sinha, Rafat explores different sorbents, their absorption capabilities, and the various form factors that influence performance. I analyzed her findings, giving me a clearer picture of how atmospheric water capture systems function on a fundamental level.

My focus, however, extends beyond lab results. I’m developing a life cycle cost analysis to determine whether these water capture technologies are not just effective but also economically viable. How much energy do they consume? What are the material costs over time? Can they realistically scale for widespread use? These are the questions I aim to answer as I move forward with my project.

I started to answer these by developing the base equation for my analysis, which you can see below.

This equation serves as a starting point for quantifying the trade-offs between material investment, energy use, and long-term output. The denominator—total water desorbed over a system’s lifetime—is particularly crucial because it highlights efficiency as a key factor in reducing costs. A sorbent that lasts longer and releases more water per cycle can significantly lower the cost per liter, making the technology more feasible for real-world applications.

Next, I’ll be refining this equation by incorporating real-world data on different sorbent materials, energy consumption under varying conditions, and potential maintenance costs. Stay tuned for more updates as I refine my analysis!

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    joaquin_s
    Hey Vinesh, it sounds great how much work you are putting in at the most basic level of the project to really get a good understanding of what you will need to do in the future. Though, I was wondering what the process of coming up with the equation was. Did you use something as a basis for it, or did you come up with it entirely on your own? I'm interested in hearing more about your project as time goes on, as it sounds like it could be really helpful, especially here in Arizona.
    February 26, 2025 at 10:17 am - Reply
    sidd_s
    Vinesh, I really like this idea, as it's something that will be really useful here in Arizona. However, with every great innovation, there are some downsides. What are some of the negative factors that you have seen from this method of obtaining water?
    February 26, 2025 at 1:41 pm - Reply
    nico_l
    Vinesh, this looks like really good progress, and I am excited to see what is to come in the following weeks. I am curious as what a sorbent is, as I don't think I have heard that word before. I do want to see what the most efficient model of capture technology, and if it will be widespread like you said.
    February 26, 2025 at 2:43 pm - Reply
    mj_j
    Hey Vinesh! This is a big project you are undertaking, and I can't wait to hear about further updates as to how you were able to obtain real-world data. My question is: Where/how did you first hear about Mona Rafat's work? Did you just find her while searching up background information? Did your advisor tell you about her work? Curious as to where you found out about her.
    February 26, 2025 at 3:36 pm - Reply
    vinesh_k
    Hi Sidd! Good question. There are two downsides to this method of water harvesting: 1) scale and 2) cost. These systems can't provide water on too large of a scale and are more apt for smaller use-cases. The second, cost, is why I'm conducting this analysis. If these systems are too expensive, they can't be implemented in under-served regions globally, which are oftentimes the places that need this technology the most.
    March 10, 2025 at 1:11 pm - Reply
    vinesh_k
    Hi MJ! Yes, she was a student of the professor I'm working with.
    March 10, 2025 at 1:12 pm - Reply
    vinesh_k
    Hi Joaquin! I did a literature review on other techno-economic analyses for atmospheric water capture and found that equation was the base for a lot of the cost models.
    March 10, 2025 at 1:12 pm - Reply

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