Journal of Water Process Engineering 53 (2023) 103728 Available online 19 April 2023 2214-7144/© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd. A comprehensive review on atmospheric water harvesting technologies: From thermodynamic concepts to mechanism and process development Hasan Nikkhah a, b , Wan Mujiburahman Bin Wan Azmi a , Ali Nikkhah c , Amir Mohammad Najaf d , Mohsen Mesbahi Babaei e , Chua Siew Fen a , Alireza Nouri a , Abdul Wahab Mohammad a, f , Ang Wei Lun a , Ng law Yong g , Ebrahim Mahmoudi a, * a Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia b Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA c Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA d Department of Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran e School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran f Chemical and Water Desalination Engineering Program, College of Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates g Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia A R T I C L E INFO Keywords: Atmospheric water harvesting Heat pump Membrane Solid-sorbent Solar cell Active and passive systems ABSTRACT Water scarcity is one of the most challenging problems that the world has ever faced. There are numerous methods to remedy the water crises. One is using atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) to provide water. So far, there is much research on the subject of AWH. However, there is still a lack of establishing an extensive com- parison between different technologies and methods used to harvest atmospheric water. In this review, we provide details on the thermodynamic performance of the AWH system. The systems are categorized into both active and passive systems. Heat pumps, membranes, thermoelectric solar systems, and adsorption systems are some atmospheric harvesting technologies that will be thoroughly discussed. Based on the comparison that had been made, it was found that TEC systems are the best for small applications. In contrast, systems such as vapour recompression can meet great demands as they can be integrated with different types of energy, such as natural gas and biogas. Solar systems as passive systems can also be coupled with active systems to boost the effciency of vapour recompression systems and reduce energy consumption. Furthermore, this review will focus on recent development for each category, the utilization of different advanced materials, and the prospect and challenges associated with AWH. 1. Introduction The boundary between life and death is defned by access to safe drinking water [1]. However, water scarcity is becoming a severe issue in different parts of the world despite the fact that water covers 70 % of our planet's surface, but only 2.5 % of it is freshwater [2]. According to reports, over four billion people face water scarcity for at least one month annually [3]. Besides, it is shown that if present water con- sumption trends continue, India, China, France, and the United States, might be left without safe drinking water by 2040 [2]. The two main reasons for the water stress crisis are climate change and rapid popu- lation growth, and it is estimated that more people will be living in water-stressed areas by 2050 [4]. Lots of efforts have been made to fnd a remedy for freshwater pro- duction. Desalination technologies like reverse osmosis, membrane and thermal desalination have been used to mass produce fresh water and reduce the water scarcity problem [5]. Still, they are very energy- intensive and expensive technologies. Moreover, most locations without fresh water are in underdeveloped countries with limited access to intense energy, which can power the systems [6,7]. In addition, it is well recognized that potable water processes such as multi-stage fashing, multi-effect distillation, and reverse osmosis generate consid- erable concentrated effuent that has a negative impact on the ecosystem and marine life [8]. As a result, current research is focused on fnding more accessible and economical methods of freshwater production while upgrading existing approaches [6]. * Corresponding author. E-mail address: mahmoudi.ebi@ukm.edu.my (E. Mahmoudi). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Water Process Engineering journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jwpe https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2023.103728 Received 25 January 2023; Received in revised form 4 April 2023; Accepted 10 April 2023