Overview
- MIT researchers report using high-frequency ultrasound to mechanically release moisture from atmospheric water-harvesting sorbents.
- In controlled tests on quarter-sized samples, the device dried materials in minutes rather than the tens of minutes or hours typical of thermal release.
- The team estimates about a 45-fold efficiency gain over solar-thermal extraction under comparable conditions.
- The prototype centers on a flat ceramic vibrating ring with an outer ring of tiny nozzles that guide shaken-out droplets into collectors.
- The study, published in Nature Communications on November 18, outlines a concept for a solar-powered, window-scale system while noting open challenges in scaling, energy use, durability, and real-world performance.