Multi-stage adsorber device and uses thereof for chilling and/or atmospheric water harvesting

A multi-stage adsorber device, comprising:

• a plurality of adsorption stages distributed in sequence, each adsorption stage including an adsorber coupled to an adjacent vapor chamber, wherein the adsorber of each following adsorption stage is thermally coupled to the vapor chamber of a preceding adsorption stage via a heat transfer structure;
• a heating stage thermally coupled to a first one of the adsorption stages to selectively provide thermal energy to the adsorbers;
• a cooling stage thermally coupled to a final one of the adsorption stages to selectively cause condensation of desorbed vapor in the vapor chambers;
• and
• a cooling circuit having a first cooling section to cause circulation of a cooling fluid through the cooling stage and a second cooling section to cause selective circulation of the cooling fluid through each of the adsorbers,
• wherein, during a desorption cycle of the multi-stage adsorber device, the heating stage is activated to induce vapor desorption in the adsorbers resulting in desorbed vapor flowing from each adsorber into the adjacent vapor chamber,
• wherein each heat transfer structure is configured to cause condensation of the desorbed vapor along a surface of the heat transfer structure, during the desorption cycle of the multi-stage adsorber device, such that latent heat resulting from the condensation of the desorbed vapor is transferred to the adsorber of the following adsorption stage,
• wherein, during an adsorption cycle of the multi-stage adsorber device, the heating stage is deactivated to allow vapor adsorption into the adsorbers,
• wherein the cooling circuit is configured to cause circulation of the cooling fluid only through the first cooling section during the desorption cycle of the multi-stage adsorber device,
• and wherein the cooling circuit is further configured to cause circulation of the cooling fluid through both the first and second cooling sections during the adsorption cycle of the multi-stage adsorber device.

A method of carrying out multi-stage adsorption comprising the following steps:

• (a) providing at least one multi-stage adsorption module designed to operate in alternate desorption and adsorption cycles, the multi-stage adsorption module including two or more successive adsorption stages each comprising an adsorber coupled to an adjacent vapor chamber, wherein the adsorber of each following adsorption stage is thermally coupled to the vapor chamber of a preceding adsorption stage via a heat transfer structure;
• (b) operating the multi-stage adsorption module in the desorption cycle by supplying thermal energy to the adsorber of at least a first one of the adsorption stages to induce vapor desorption and taking thermal energy away from the adsorber of a final one of the adsorption stages to cause condensation of desorbed vapor, whereby desorbed vapor is released by each adsorber and flows to each adjacent vapor chamber where it condenses along a surface of each heat transfer structure, thereby releasing latent heat that is transferred to the adsorber of each following adsorption stage to sustain vapor desorption;
• and
• (c) operating the multi-stage adsorption module in the adsorption cycle by ceasing all supply of thermal energy to the adsorber of the first one of the adsorption stages and taking thermal energy away from the adsorbers of all adsorption stages to cool the adsorbers and sustain adsorption.

An evaporator, comprising:

• a heat exchanger structure configured to allow transfer of heat from a heat source;
• a porous wick structure thermally coupled to the heat exchanger structure, which porous wick structure is configured to be wettable by a liquid cooling medium;
• and
• a coolant dispensing system configured to wet the porous wick structure by means of the liquid cooling medium,
• wherein the porous wick structure is structured to be partly exposed to vapor flow to cause part of the liquid cooling medium to evaporate,
• and wherein the heat exchanger structure is structured to include a plurality of channels to channel a warm fluid acting as the heat source.