Research on the influence of conical micro array chip parameters on fog water collection

Abstract Conducting research on water collection based on the bionic cactus conical spine structure holds significant importance for arid regions, the key parameters of conical micro array chip (CMAC) affecting the contact area between the micro cones and the fog determine the fog water collection. However, the influence of the conical arrays parameters including cone angle and arrangement on water collection is rarely studied. We present research on the influence of CMAC parameters on fog water collection. The CMACs with different parameters including the cone apex angle and arrangement pattern were designed, and the experiments of the fog water collection were conducted. The experiments explored the impact of arrangement patterns, cone apex angle, the distance and orientation of the CMAC relative to the fog flow, and the surface properties (hydrophilic and hydrophobic) of the CMAC on fog water collection efficiency. Through these experiments, the law of influence of key parameters of the conical arrays on fog water collection efficiency was obtained. The experiments indicate the CMAC with large cone apex angle, hexagonal arrangement and hydrophilic surface has a better water collection efficiency. Further, this research can be beneficial to the advancement and application of water collection devices in arid environments.