Heliyon (Jul 2022)
A multi-perspective analysis of microclimate dynamics for air-based solar hydrogen production
Abstract
Navigating the microclimatic environment for the optimal control of water-from-air devices could be a challenge. An example of such a device is an air-based solar hydrogen production device. Such a device promises the ability for off-grid, easily deployable and modular hydrogen production for on-site consumption. Novel analysis techniques, such as wavelet transform coherence analysis, could assist in better understanding the microclimate in which air-based hydrogen production devices might function. The analysis becomes complicated when a system is evaluated at the microclimatic level, especially when it is considered that the performance of air-based solar hydrogen devices are not only dependent on solar radiation, but also on humidity levels in the air. To get a grasp of the interactions that take place within a microclimatic system, a two-tiered approach is presented. It has been shown that relative humidity and temperature is stratified close to the ground, and that the stratification undergoes an inversion twice per day. A possible link between absolute humidity and wind direction is observed and humidity rallies are identified. Using microclimate monitoring and wavelet transform coherence analysis, an attempt is made to disentangle microclimatic variables by pointing out regions of high coherence and regions of low coherence between different variables. It is furthermore suggested that the propagation direction of a humidification process within the microclimate can be determined by considering the phase angle between relative humidity timeseries at different heights above the ground, using wavelet transform coherence analysis. It has been demonstrated that wavelet transform coherence analysis, in conjunction with a comprehensive microclimate monitoring process, could support the understanding of the complex processes that occur within the microclimatic environment and therefore support the management of water-from-air systems. In this regard a management framework is also presented.
