SYNOPSIS
“Fog water harvesting”
DIPLOMA IN ELECTRONICS AND TELCOMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
AFFILIATED TO MSBTE
Submitted By
Purvaj Raju Wade 23211000357
Parth Mangesh Konde 23211000358
Ayaan Ravindranath Gachi 23211000365
Sanskar Deepak Phalke 23211000366
Ishan Niratker 23211000368
Under the Guidance of
Mrs. S.J. Getme
Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering
Pimpri Chinchwad Polytechnic, Pune – 411018
2025-26
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ABSTRACT
Water scarcity is one of the most significant challenges faced in arid and semi-
arid regions. Traditional fog nets have been used for centuries to capture moisture
from fog, but they remain highly inefficient, with only 2–10% collection rates.
This project explores an innovative approach to fog water harvesting by using
high-voltage electrostatics to charge fog droplets and direct them toward a
grounded collector mesh. Laboratory tests demonstrated that this method could
collect up to 20 times more water than passive systems, with 40–45 mL of water
generated in 5 minutes using minimal energy input. The proposed system is
compact, scalable, and energy-efficient — up to eight times more efficient than
commercial dehumidifiers — and holds strong potential for applications in
sustainable agriculture and drinking water generation in fog-rich but water-scarce
regions.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to
everyone who supported and guided us throughout the successful completion of
this project, Fog Water Harvesting.
First and foremost, we express our sincere thanks to our project guide Ms. S.J.
Getme for her continuous guidance, valuable suggestions, and encouragement
throughout the course of this work.
We are also deeply thankful to Prof. A.V. Raipure , Head of the Department of
Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, for his motivation and
support, which inspired us to complete this project successfully.
Our sincere gratitude is also extended to Dr. V.S. Byakod, Principal, for her
constant encouragement and for providing the necessary resources and facilities
required for the execution of this work.
Finally, we wish to express our appreciation to all researchers, engineers, and
innovators whose work on fog harvesting and electrostatic condensation inspired
this project. Their contributions laid the foundation on which this project was
conceptualized and developed.
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PROBLEM STATEMENT
Water scarcity is one of the most critical challenges of the 21st century, especially
in arid and semi-arid regions where rainfall is scarce and groundwater resources
are rapidly depleting. Traditional fog harvesting methods, such as passive mesh
nets, have been used to collect atmospheric moisture, but they suffer from very
low efficiency (only 2–10% collection rates).
This inefficiency limits their ability to provide a significant, reliable water source
for drinking or irrigation. Moreover, conventional dehumidifiers and atmospheric
water generators consume large amounts of electricity, making them unsuitable
for remote or low-resource areas.
Therefore, there is a pressing need for a low-cost, energy-efficient, and scalable
solution that can actively harvest water from fog with higher efficiency, minimal
power consumption, and suitability for deployment in remote, fog-rich regions.
This project aims to address these challenges through an electrostatic fog water
harvesting system that uses high-voltage charging to dramatically increase the
rate of droplet capture and water yield.
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INTRODUCTION
Water scarcity is one of the most significant challenges faced in arid and semi-
arid regions worldwide, posing a serious threat to agriculture, livelihoods, and
human survival. Traditional fog nets have been used for centuries to capture
moisture from fog, but they remain highly inefficient, typically achieving only 2–
10% water collection rates. This inefficiency limits their ability to serve as a
practical solution for large-scale water generation.
This project explores an innovative approach to fog water harvesting by using
high-voltage electrostatics to charge fog droplets and direct them toward a
grounded collector mesh. By introducing a high-voltage potential difference
between a charged emitter and a grounded metal screen, fog droplets are ionized
and rapidly accelerated toward the collector surface, where they coalesce into
liquid water.
Laboratory tests demonstrated that this electrostatic method can collect up to 20
times more water than passive systems, with 40–45 mL of water generated in just
5 minutes under controlled conditions, using minimal energy input. The prototype
system operates on low power (≈39 W) and was found to be eight times more
efficient than a conventional dehumidifier of similar power rating.
The system is compact, scalable, and energy-efficient, making it suitable for
remote or off-grid applications when powered by solar energy. Potential
applications include sustainable agriculture, where the system could provide
much-needed irrigation water in fog-prone arid regions, and drinking water
generation for communities with limited freshwater access.
Future work involves field testing in fog-rich deserts such as the Atacama Desert
in Chile, optimizing emitter geometry for maximum efficiency, and exploring
modular designs for large-scale agricultural implementation. This approach could
become a game-changing, eco-friendly solution to mitigate global water scarcity
challenges.
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WORKING PRINCIPLE
The working principle of the system is based on electrostatic attraction and
controlled droplet motion. When a thin wire emitter is energized with a high-
voltage direct current (DC), it creates a strong electric field around it. This electric
field ionizes the surrounding air, producing charged particles that transfer charge
to the microscopic fog droplets passing near the emitter.
Once charged, the fog droplets become positively charged and experience an
electrostatic force that accelerates them toward a grounded metal mesh placed a
short distance away. The potential difference between the emitter and the mesh
ensures that the droplets move quickly and efficiently, minimizing water loss.
Upon reaching the mesh, the following process occurs:
Droplet Coalescence: Charged droplets collide and merge with each other,
forming larger water droplets on the surface of the mesh.
Film Formation: As more droplets accumulate, they create a thin water film
that grows continuously.
Gravity-Driven Dripping: Once the droplets reach a critical size, they
become heavy enough to overcome surface tension and drip into a
collection tray placed below.
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SYSTEM INFORMATION
The system consists of two main elements:
Emitter: A thin wire or electrode that is energized with a high-voltage DC
source. It ionizes the surrounding air and imparts a positive charge to the
fog droplets passing nearby.
Collector Mesh: A grounded metal grid that creates an electric field with
respect to the emitter. The positively charged droplets are attracted toward
the mesh, where they accumulate and condense into liquid water.
When fog passes through this system, the charged water droplets are rapidly
pulled toward the collector grid, where they accumulate, merge into larger
droplets, and eventually drip down as usable water.
Additional Key Features:
Optimized Geometry: The emitter and mesh can be arranged in various
shapes (linear wires, grids, or vertical stakes) to maximize fog interception.
Scalable Design: The system can be deployed as single units or in parallel
arrays, covering large areas for higher water yield.
Lightweight Construction: Using thin wires and lightweight mesh makes
the setup easy to install over agricultural fields.
Energy-Efficient Operation: Requires very low current even at high
voltage, allowing it to run on solar or battery power.
Portable Setup: The entire system can be mounted on stakes or frames that
are easy to transport and deploy in remote areas.
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TESTING METHODOLOGY
1. Without Power:
o Fog was allowed to pass through the mesh naturally, simulating a
traditional passive fog net.
o The goal of this test was to measure how much water, if any, would
condense on the collector grid without any external influence.
o This served as a baseline measurement to compare the
improvement offered by the powered system.
2. With Power:
o High voltage was applied to the emitter wire, charging the fog
droplets and creating an electrostatic field that directed them toward
the grounded collector mesh.
o The fog droplets were observed as they accelerated toward the mesh,
condensed, and dripped down into the collection tray.
o The total volume of water collected was measured after a fixed time
interval.
Additional Details:
Controlled Conditions: Both tests were conducted under the same fog
density, environmental temperature, and duration (5 minutes) to ensure a
fair, single-variable comparison.
Observation and Documentation: Visual observations were recorded to
compare the rate of fog clearing, speed of condensation, and water droplet
formation.
Measurement: The amount of water collected during each test was
measured using a graduated container for accuracy.
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FUTURE SCOPE
Future Scope:
Field Testing: The next step would be to conduct field trials in regions with
dense coastal fog (e.g., desert coasts, hilly regions) to validate real-world
performance.
Design Optimization: Research can focus on improving emitter geometry
and mesh materials to maximize droplet capture efficiency.
Automation: Integration with sensors and IoT-based control systems to
start and stop the device automatically depending on fog density.
Hybrid Systems: Combining fog harvesting with rainwater harvesting and
atmospheric water generators for a more comprehensive water solution.
Cost Reduction: Large-scale production could make the system more
affordable and accessible for rural communities.
Energy Storage Integration: Using solar panels with battery backup to
ensure round-the-clock operation.
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REFERENCES
1. Park, K. & Lee, D. (2021). Electrostatic Fog Collection Systems: A Review
of Principles and Applications. Journal of Environmental Engineering,
147(6), 04021034.
2. Fessehaye, M. et al. (2014). Fog-Water Collection for Community
Applications in Eritrea. Water Resources Research, 50(6), 3851–3860.
3. Schemenauer, R. & Cereceda, P. (1994). Fog Collection’s Role in Water
Planning for Developing Countries. Natural Resources Forum, 18(2), 91–
100.
4. D. Beysens (2018). Dew and Fog Collection: Principles and Applications.
CRC Press.
5. World Health Organization (WHO) (2023). Guidelines for Drinking-Water
Quality. Retrieved from: [Link]
6. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (2022).
Atmospheric Water Resources Research. Retrieved from:
[Link]
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