Sttr phase I: modular, efficient, and low-cost solid-liquid atmospheric water harvesting system

The National Science Foundation awarded Wavr Technologies, Inc. $305,000 on October 1, 2026, under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) to develop a modular, energy-efficient atmospheric water harvesting system.

The project runs through September 30, 2027, with performance at Wavr Technologies' Las Vegas, Nevada facility. As a Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I award, the work focuses on designing a novel liquid-desiccant architecture that simultaneously captures water from air and converts it to potable water using mechanical vapor compression and heat recycling. The core innovation involves two technologies: a high-surface-area mass exchanger built from a hydrogel and rigid-polymer composite membrane, and a thermal distillation process intended to reduce energy consumption by an order of magnitude compared to existing atmospheric water harvesting systems. The project will test how polymer composite structure, hydrogel chemistry, desiccant flow, and exchanger geometry affect water capture performance across varying temperature, humidity, and airflow conditions. If successful, the system could supply water-stressed communities and water-intensive industries—including manufacturing and cooling operations—with low-cost, locally produced water while enhancing resilience against supply disruptions.

Abstract

The broader/commercial impact of this small business technology transfer (STTR) phase I project lies in creating a reliable, energy-efficient method to produce clean water from air. The project addresses a critical question: can an atmospheric water harvesting system operate year-round in the driest climates while using far less energy than current technologies? IT will test a novel capture device using GEL materials and explore converting captured water into potable water with vapor compressors. If successful, this technology could provide water-stressed communities with a constant, local water source, supply industries with water-positive cooling and high-quality water for manufacturing and enhance resilience against natural or man-made disruptions. The project aims to deliver a modular, rapid, and efficient atmospheric water harvesting system that is significantly lower in cost than existing solutions and scalable for broad deployment. This project carries high technical risk by developing two new technologies based on a novel liquid-desiccant architecture, a scalable platform that enables simultaneous air-water capture and thermal distillation?a major departure from current methods. The first technology is a high-surface-area mass exchanger made of a hydrogel and rigid-polymer composite membrane. Optimizing material properties and geometry to achieve high water mass flux could significantly reduce system footprint and cost. The second is a thermal distillation process that converts liquid-desiccant water into freshwater using mechanical vapor compression and heat recycling, potentially reducing energy use by an order of magnitude versus current systems. To DE-risk capture, the project will study how polymer composite structure, hydrogel chemistry, desiccant flow, and exchanger geometry affect mass flux under varying temperature, humidity, and airflow. Small unit-cell tests will guide scalable designs. To DE-risk distillation, a flow loop with vacuum boiling, compressors, and heat exchangers will be tested across desiccant concentrations, measuring heat transfer, transient responses, and specific energy use to refine system design. Finally, data-driven and experimentally validated process models will predict system performance and uptime under different weather conditions, enabling technoeconomic assessment from phase I to commercial deployment. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.