Super-Fast Fog Collector Based on Self-Driven Jet of Mini Fog Droplets.

Abstract

Freshwater scarcity crisis threatens human life and economic security. Collecting water from the fog seems to be an effective method to defuse this crisis. Nonetheless, the existing fog collection methods have the limitations of the low fog collection rate and efficiency because of their gravity-based droplet shedding. Here, the aforementioned limitations are resolved by proposing a new fog collection method based on the self-driven jet phenomenon of the mini fog droplets. A prototype fog collector (PFC) composed of a square container that is filled with water is first designed. Both sides of the PFC are superhydrophobic but covered with superhydrophilic pore array. The mini fog droplets touching the side wall are easily captured and spontaneously and rapidly penetrate into the pores to form jellyfish-like jets, which greatly increases the droplet shedding frequency, guaranteeing a higher fog collection rate and efficiency compared with the existing fog collection methods. Based on this, a more practical super-fast fog collector is finally successfully designed and fabricated which is assembled by several PFCs. This work is hoping to resolve the water crisis in some arid but foggy regions.