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Article
Fog Water Collection Effectiveness: Mesh Intercomparisons
Aerosol and Air Quality Research (2018)
  • Daniel Fernandez, California State University, Monterey Bay
  • Alicia Torregrosa
  • Peter Weiss-Penzias, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Bong June Zhang
  • Deckard Sorensen
  • Robert Cohen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Gareth McKinley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Justin Kleingartner, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Andrew Oliphant, San Francisco State University
  • Matthew Bowman
Abstract
To explore fog water harvesting potential in California, we conducted long-term measurements involving three types of mesh using standard fog collectors (SFC). Volumetric fog water measurements from SFCs and wind data were collected and recorded in 15-minute intervals over three summertime fog seasons (2014–2016) at four California sites. SFCs were deployed with: standard 1.00 m2 double-layer 35% shade coefficient Raschel; stainless steel mesh coated with the MIT-14 hydrophobic formulation; and FogHa-Tin, a German manufactured, 3-dimensional spacer fabric deployed in two orientations. Analysis of 3419 volumetric samples from all sites showed strong relationships between mesh efficiency and wind speed. Raschel mesh collected 160% more fog water than FogHa-Tin at wind speeds less than 1 m s–1 and 45% less for wind speeds greater than 5 m s–1. MIT-14 coated stainless-steel mesh collected more fog water than Raschel mesh at all wind speeds. At low wind speeds of < 1 m s–1 the coated stainless steel mesh collected 3% more and at wind speeds of 4–5 m s–1, it collected 41% more. FogHa-Tin collected 5% more fog water when the warp of the weave was oriented vertically, per manufacturer specification, than when the warp of the weave was oriented horizontally. Time series measurements of three distinct mesh across similar wind regimes revealed inconsistent lags in fog water collection and inconsistent performance. Since such differences occurred under similar wind-speed regimes, we conclude that other factors play important roles in mesh performance, including in-situ fog event and aerosol dynamics that affect droplet-size spectra and droplet-to-mesh surface interactions.
Keywords
  • Fog mesh,
  • Fog water collection efficiency,
  • Raschel mesh,
  • Hydrophobic coating
Publication Date
2018
DOI
10.4209/aaqr.2017.01.0040
Citation Information
Daniel Fernandez, Alicia Torregrosa, Peter Weiss-Penzias, Bong June Zhang, et al.. "Fog Water Collection Effectiveness: Mesh Intercomparisons" Aerosol and Air Quality Research Vol. 18 Iss. 1 (2018) p. 270 - 283
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/daniel-fernandez/1/