Modular Atmospheric Water Generator Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water production apparatuses from atmospheric air are inflexible to changes in demand, require significant labor and customization, and are cumbersome for transportation due to their voluminous design, leading to increased production and transportation costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular apparatus comprising interconnected parallelepiped modules with a condensation unit and refrigerating unit, optimized for efficient layout and production capacity, featuring a ventilator, heat exchangers, and a purification unit, allowing for flexible configuration and reduced assembly and transportation costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a voluminous casing is used to accommodate all production units, then the apparatus can contain all necessary components for water production, but the apparatus becomes cumbersome for transportation and requires more labor for assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is divided into separate modular units (condensation unit, refrigerating unit, purification unit) that can be manufactured independently and assembled later. This segmentation reduces the complexity of manufacturing a single large casing and allows for more efficient transportation and assembly of smaller, standardized modules.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the apparatus is designed with fixed dimensions, then the production units can be rationally arranged, but the apparatus cannot adapt to changes in water production demand
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus employs modular units with standardized dimensions that can be dynamically assembled in different configurations. This allows the system to adapt to varying water production demands by adding or removing modules, while maintaining rational internal layouts within each standardized module.
3Productivity
If customised design is used for each apparatus, then the production units can be optimally arranged, but the production costs and amortisement costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The modular units are designed with universal standardized dimensions and interfaces that can serve multiple functions and be assembled in various configurations. This universality allows for optimized water production efficiency through rational arrangement while reducing production costs by using standardized, mass-producible modules rather than custom-designed components.
4Ease of operation
If the apparatus is designed as a single integrated unit, then the layout can be optimised, but the transportation to difficult locations becomes particularly complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is segmented into separate modular units that can be transported independently to difficult locations using standard transportation methods. Each module maintains its own optimized internal layout, and the modules are subsequently assembled on-site, thus achieving both transportation ease and layout optimization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modular design enables efficient water production with reduced production and transportation costs, improved labor efficiency, and enhanced flexibility to meet varying demand levels while maintaining a compact and rational layout.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator contained in the first module, in which evaporator the coolant fluid evaporates so as to cool the air flow internally of the condensation unit
Implementation Method 2
a condensation unit, located internally of the first module so as to intercept the air flow, and a collecting tub located inferiorly of the condensation unit for collecting the condensation water that is separating from the air flow
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger defining an evaporator for a cooling fluid circulating in an appropriate refrigerating circuit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A modular apparatus (10) for water production from atmospheric air comprises: a first parallelepiped module (200) provided with an inlet opening (21) for moist air, an outlet opening (22) of the dehumidified air, a ventilator (23), configured such as to force an air flow to cross an internal volume of the first module (200) from the inlet opening (21) to the outlet opening (22), a condensation unit (20), located internally of the first module (200) so as to intercept the air flow, and a collecting tub (291, 292, 293) located inferiorly of the condensation unit (20) for collecting the condensation water that is separating from the air flow; and a second parallelepiped module (300) in which a refrigerating unit (30) is contained provided with at least a portion of a refrigerating circuit (31) in which a refrigerating fluid circulates and an evaporator in which the refrigerating liquid evaporates so as to cool the air flow internally of the condensation unit (20); where the first module (200) and the second module (300) are fixed to one another at a respective interconnecting fact and where the second module (300) exhibits a side of the interconnecting face having a width (W) equal to twice a width (W/2) of a side of the interconnecting face of the first module (200).