Atmospheric water generation systems and methods using electrostatic nucleation of water vapor in air

An atmospheric water generation (AWG) system, the AWG system comprising:

• a nucleation chamber having an outer shell defining an inner volume, the nucleation chamber comprising:
• a first inlet through the outer shell of the nucleation chamber to direct a volume of a gas into a cyclonic pathway in the inner volume of the nucleation chamber;
• at least one electrospray nozzle positioned within the inner volume of the nucleation chamber, wherein the at least one electrospray nozzle is configured to disperse a nucleation initiator into the inner volume of the nucleation chamber to cause nucleation of water droplets from water vapor in the volume of gas about one or more particles or droplets of the nucleation initiator to form an aqueous product;
• and
• an aqueous product outlet disposed through the outer shell of the nucleation chamber, wherein the aqueous product outlet is configured to direct at least a portion of the aqueous product out of the nucleation chamber;
• a separation module in fluidic communication with the aqueous product outlet of the nucleation chamber, the separation module being configured to separate the aqueous product into a retentate and an aqueous filtrate, the retentate comprising at least a portion of the nucleation initiator.

A method for atmospheric water generation (AWG), the method comprising:

• communicating a volume of a gas into an inner volume of a nucleation chamber such that the volume of the gas travels along a cyclonic pathway within the inner volume of the nucleation chamber;
• dispersing, using at least one electrospray nozzle positioned within the inner volume of the nucleation chamber, while the volume of the gas travels along the cyclonic pathway within the inner volume of the nucleation chamber, a nucleation initiator into the inner volume of the nucleation chamber, to cause nucleation of water droplets from water vapor in the volume of the gas about one or more particles or droplets of the nucleation initiator, thereby forming an aqueous product and a volume of dehumidified gas;
• communicating the volume of the dehumidified gas out of the nucleation chamber through a first outlet of the nucleation chamber;
• communicating the aqueous product out of the nucleation chamber through a second outlet of the nucleation chamber;
• separating the aqueous product, using a separation module, after the aqueous product is communicated out of the nucleation chamber, into a retentate and an aqueous filtrate, the retentate comprising at least a portion of the nucleation initiator.