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Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
Published on: February 5, 2020
Symbiotic heat sharing in MOF-based atmospheric water generators for battery thermal management and sorbent
Weicheng Chen1,2,3, Mingyun Luo3,4, Yuxuan Tan3
1School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract:
Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) is limited by the high energy demand for sorbent regeneration, while battery thermal management dissipates substantial low-grade heat unused. Here, we propose a thermally symbiotic architecture integrating these systems. Battery discharge waste heat regenerates a MOF-303 sorbent layer via desorption, while the sorption process passively stabilizes battery temperature. The sorbent's regeneration enthalpy aligns with the battery's thermal output, triggering desorption under -12 to -20 A discharge. Within 46 min, the MOF exceeds 50 °C, releasing vapor for condensation in a sealed setup. Concurrently, sorption extracts heat from the battery, reducing peak temperatures by ~10 °C. Notably, this integrated system achieves a water production rate of 1.39 g g-1 day-1, a 117% increase over solar-driven counterparts. Finite-element simulations validate the heat transfer dynamics and identify key thermal efficiency parameters. This work establishes a closed-loop thermal cycle that repurposes energy-storage waste heat to power AWH, enabling sorbent regeneration without solar heating. The strategy offers a pathway to enhance thermal efficiency across various energy and environmental systems through internal heat recovery.
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