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Harvesting of Condensate Water from Air Conditioners in Large Institutions as a Sustainable Resource

Author

Listed:
  • Amr Elbrashy

    (Horus University-Egypt (HUE))

  • Kambiz Vafai

    (University of California)

  • Abdullah Elshennawy

    (Horus University-Egypt (HUE))

  • Manar Ayman

    (Horus University-Egypt (HUE))

  • Ahmed Elgebaly

    (Horus University-Egypt (HUE))

  • Maher Rashad

    (Tanta University)

Abstract

The presented study aligns with global sustainability goals by integrating water harvesting with energy-efficient transactions. Infrastructure and energy in buildings are worth attention to tackle water scarcity and energy consumption management. This research highlights the dual benefits of enhancing water sustainability while optimizing energy use in air conditioning (AC) systems. The methodology includes investigating the potential of harnessing condensate water produced by a network of 113 AC units and a surface area of 3000 m2. All data have been collected and evaluated at the faculty of engineering at Horus University in New Damietta, Egypt. The greatest cumulative amount of water produced for one day was 51.24 L in June, 51.56 L in July, 55.65 L in August, and 53.32 L in September. By multiplying the average amount by the number of AC units in the building, the daily water production records 5977.7 L/day, approximately 6 m3. Although this number of air conditioners consumes 236 kW to operate, the operating cost is not considered since water is a byproduct. Therefore, the main cost can be represented by maintenance, renewal, and water treatment when used for drinking. Also, using this water in other applications without treatment, such as irrigation, cleaning, practical experiments, and engineering applications, provides a great return on investment. Graphical Abstract

Suggested Citation

  • Amr Elbrashy & Kambiz Vafai & Abdullah Elshennawy & Manar Ayman & Ahmed Elgebaly & Maher Rashad, 2025. "Harvesting of Condensate Water from Air Conditioners in Large Institutions as a Sustainable Resource," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 39(10), pages 5289-5312, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:39:y:2025:i:10:d:10.1007_s11269-025-04203-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-025-04203-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nashwa A. Shaaban & David K. Stevens, 2025. "Transforming Complex Water Quality Monitoring Data into Water Quality Indices," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 39(8), pages 3883-3899, June.
    2. Abdullah A. Elshennawy & Magdy Y. Abdelaal & Ahmed M. Hamed & Mohamed M. Awad, 2023. "Evaluating Mesh Geometry and Shade Coefficient for Fog Harvesting Collectors," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(15), pages 6107-6126, December.
    3. Chan, Lok Shun, 2023. "Numerical study on the thermal performance of water flow window fed with air-conditioning condensate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PB).
    4. Anna Magrini & Lucia Cattani & Marco Cartesegna & Lorenza Magnani, 2017. "Water Production from Air Conditioning Systems: Some Evaluations about a Sustainable Use of Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-17, July.
    5. Pradeep Kumar Mishra & Rashmi Dwivedi, 2025. "Soft Computing Techniques for Rainfall-Runoff Modeling and Analysis in River Basin," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 39(8), pages 3859-3881, June.
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