Design and development of potassium formate based atmospheric water harvester

Potassium formate, the potassium salt of formic acid, is an inexpensive, non-corrosive, non-toxic, and bio-degradable desiccant that has not been considered thus far in atmospheric water harvesting applications.ster is proposed that utilizes an aqueous solution of potassium formate as the medium for moisture absorption during the night when the ambient relative humidity is high, and desorption of absorbed moisture from the desiccant solution during the day using solar energy. A simple prototype was constructed that was able to extract 1.9 L of water.m(-2) of solar area.day(-1) with a moisture uptake of 0.34 kg(water).kg(salt)(-1) at 25 degrees C and 79% RH and 0.29 kg(water).kg(salt)(-1) at 25 degrees C and 65% RH. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Potassium formate, a cost-effective, non-toxic, and biodegradable desiccant, has potential applications in atmospheric water harvesting. By using an aqueous solution of potassium formate to absorb moisture at night and desorb it during the day using solar energy, efficient water extraction can be achieved.