Innovative Atmospheric Water Harvesting: Addressing Water Scarcity with a Sustainable Solution

Introduction

As the global population continues to grow, the demand for clean, accessible water becomes increasingly critical. Many regions around the world face severe water shortages due to climate change, overpopulation, and inadequate infrastructure. Traditional methods of water collection, such as groundwater extraction and desalination, are often expensive and environmentally taxing. Our patented atmospheric water harvesting system offers an innovative and sustainable solution to water scarcity by capturing water directly from the atmosphere, providing an eco-friendly and reliable source of drinking water even in the most arid regions.

The Global Water Crisis and the Need for New Solutions

Water scarcity is a global issue affecting millions of people, especially in regions prone to drought or with limited access to freshwater resources. Traditional solutions, like desalination or long-distance water transport, are costly, energy-intensive, and often unsustainable in the long term. In areas with inadequate water infrastructure, the lack of access to clean drinking water leads to severe health, economic, and social challenges. For industries ranging from agriculture to disaster relief, finding efficient, scalable, and sustainable solutions to provide water is essential.

This increasing pressure highlights the need for alternative methods that can sustainably source clean water without depleting natural resources or harming the environment.

A Game-Changing Technology for Water Harvesting

Our patented atmospheric water harvesting system represents a leap forward in sustainable water sourcing. By extracting moisture from the air, this system provides a reliable, off-grid solution for obtaining fresh, potable water. It works by using condensation and moisture-capture technologies to collect water vapor from the atmosphere, which is then filtered and purified for use. Whether deployed in arid environments, urban areas with strained water infrastructure, or regions recovering from natural disasters, this technology ensures access to clean water without relying on existing water systems.

The flexibility of the system allows it to be used in various settings, from residential applications to large-scale operations in agriculture, humanitarian aid, or industrial processes. With its low energy requirements and minimal environmental impact, this technology is a sustainable alternative to conventional water extraction methods.

Key Benefits

Sustainable Water Sourcing: Extracts water from the air, providing an eco-friendly solution to water scarcity without depleting natural resources.
Broad Applications: Can be utilized in residential, agricultural, industrial, or disaster relief scenarios.
Energy Efficient: Operates with low energy requirements, making it suitable for off-grid locations or regions with limited infrastructure.
Scalable Technology: Flexible design allows for adaptation to various settings, from small homes to large agricultural operations.

A Vital Solution to the Global Water Crisis

Licensing this atmospheric water harvesting system offers companies and industries a cutting-edge tool to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: water scarcity. This innovative technology provides a sustainable and versatile solution that can be deployed across diverse environments, ensuring access to clean water wherever it is needed most.

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Abstract
Claims

Disclosed herein are improved soils for use in agriculture and other fields. The improved soils include atmospheric water harvesting networks which more efficiently hydrate the soil, reducing the need for external water inputs in germination and growth stages.

1. A modified soil composition comprising:

a) water harvesting material comprising an interpenetrating network comprising:

i) a hygroscopic polymer; and

ii) a thermoresponsive water storage polymer; and

b) a soil.

2–3. (canceled)

4. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the hygroscopic polymer comprises a polypyrrole, polyaniline, polycarbazole, polyindole, polyazepine or a copolymer thereof.

5–6. (canceled)

7. The modified soil composition of claim 3, wherein the hygroscopic polymer is doped at doping level of at least 0.010 holes per monomer.

8. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the hygroscopic polymer comprises poly(pyrrole), poly(aniline), or a mixture thereof.

9. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the hygroscopic polymer has a Mw less than about 500,000.

10. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoresponsive water storage polymer is characterized by a Lower Critical Solution Temperature between about 30-65° C., or

11–14. (canceled)

15. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoresponsive water storage polymer comprises a poly(N-alkylacrylamide), a poly(N,N-dialkylacrylamide), or a mixture thereof.

16–17. (canceled)

18. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoresponsive water storage polymer is derived from one or more monomers comprising N-isopropylacrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, or N,N-diethylacrylamide.

19. (canceled)

20. The modified soil composition of claim 18, wherein the thermoresponsive water storage is further derived from at least one crosslinking monomer.

21–22. (canceled)

23. The modified soil composition of claim 20, wherein the crosslinking monomer comprises N,N-methylenebisacrylamide, N,N-ethylenebisacrylamide, N,N-propylenebisacrylamide, N-allylacrylamide or N,N-diallylacrylamide, or a mixture thereof.

24. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the ratio of hygroscopic polymer to thermoresponsive water storage polymer is from about 1:0.05-1:1.

25. (canceled)

26. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the soil has a particle size from 0.5-2.0 mm prior to combination with the water harvesting polymer network.

27. The modified soil composition of claim 1, further comprising mulch, topsoil, hydroponics, gravel, compost, wood fibers, peat, forest bark, straw, loam, clay aggregate, or particulate plastic.

28. The modified soil composition of claim 1, wherein the water harvesting polymer network is present in an amount from 1-50% by weight, relative to the total weight of the modified soil composition.

29. The modified soil composition of claim 1, having a soil assembly structure with an average particle size from 1 μm to 1 cm.

30. (canceled)

31. A method of preparing a modified soil composition comprising combining a water harvesting polymer network with a soil, wherein the water harvesting polymer network comprises

i) a hygroscopic polymer; and

ii) a thermoresponsive water storage polymer.

32–40. (canceled)

41. A method of improving an agricultural field, comprising adding the modified soil composition of claim 1 to the agricultural field.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the modified soil composition is added to the field at a rate of 0.1-1,000 lb/ft², 1-100 lb/ft², 5-100 lb/ft², 5-50 lb/ft², 5-25 lb/ft², 10-100 lb/ft², 10-50 lb/ft², 10-25 lb/ft², 25-100 lb/ft², 50-100 lb/ft², or 100-500 lb/ft².

43. The method of germinating a seed, comprising contacting the seed with the modified soil composition according to claim 1.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the seed is a fruit seed, vegetable seed, nut seed, ornamental plant seed, a forage seed, a field crop seed, or a tree seed.

Title

Atmospheric water harvesting system

Inventor(s)

Guihua YuFei ZhaoXingyi Zhou

Assignee(s)

University of Texas System

Patent #

20230365865

Patent Date

November 16, 2023