Hardware Architecture-Driven Efficiency Improvement of Sorption-Based Atmospheric Water Harvesting Using Model-Based Systems Engineering and SysML

Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) performance depends on the integration of heat and mass transfer, condensation, and cycle operation, yet improvements in individual components do not necessarily translate into higher net water production or lower energy consumption. This study develops a requirements-driven framework using model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) to connect SAWH performance objectives with operating strategies, hardware architecture, and verification planning. With the sorbent bed treated as a black box, the framework establishes traceability across requirements, behavioral and structural models, and a three-dimensional design. The resulting architecture addresses coupled losses associated with airflow distribution, thermal interaction, mode switching, vapor transport, and condensate collection. The design analysis makes explicit the trade-offs between loss reduction, auxiliary energy demand, cycle duration, and operational complexity, providing the rationale for selecting a baseline configuration. A coupled-bed extension is also proposed to reuse adsorption exhaust for condenser cooling and share bed-cooling functions between alternating modules. The principal contribution is a systematic connection between performance requirements, physical design choices, and the measurements needed to evaluate them, providing a basis for prototype development and comparison of alternative SAWH configurations.