October 14, 2019

Pulling Water From The Air

Listen Later

2 minutes

A couple of years ago, we reported on the early development of a device that harvests water from the air that even works in the low humidity environment of a desert. Since then, the researchers from UC Berkeley have continued to improve the device and it is now 10 times better than it was two years ago.

The harvester is based on a porous water-absorbing material called a

metal-organic framework, or MOF. The

latest version can pull more than five cups of water from low-humidity air per

day for every kilogram of the improved MOF material and that is more than

enough water to sustain a person. The

harvester cycles around the clock and is powered by solar panels and a battery.

Previous techniques for condensing water from air at low humidity

required cooling down the air to temperatures below freezing, which is not

economically practical. The MOF-based

device does not require any cooling.

The Berkeley researchers have formed a startup company – Water

Harvester, Inc. – which is now testing and will soon market a device the size

of a microwave oven that can supply 7 to 10 liters of water per day, which is

enough drinking and cooking water for two or three adults.

An even larger version of the harvester, which would be the size of a

small refrigerator, would provide 200 to 250 liters of water per day, enough

for a household to drink, cook, and shower.

The new company envisions a village-scale harvester that would produce

20,000 liters per day, still running off of solar panels and a battery.

Water Harvester believes the water needs for many people can come out

of the thin air.

**********

Web Links

Water harvester makes it easy to quench your thirst in the desert

Photo courtesy of Grant Glover (University of South Alabama) via UC Berkeley.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

...more

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Earth Wise

By Randy Simon

4.7

1515 ratings

October 14, 2019

Pulling Water From The Air

Listen Later

2 minutes

A couple of years ago, we reported on the early development of a device that harvests water from the air that even works in the low humidity environment of a desert. Since then, the researchers from UC Berkeley have continued to improve the device and it is now 10 times better than it was two years ago.

The harvester is based on a porous water-absorbing material called a

metal-organic framework, or MOF. The

latest version can pull more than five cups of water from low-humidity air per

day for every kilogram of the improved MOF material and that is more than

enough water to sustain a person. The

harvester cycles around the clock and is powered by solar panels and a battery.

Previous techniques for condensing water from air at low humidity

required cooling down the air to temperatures below freezing, which is not

economically practical. The MOF-based

device does not require any cooling.

The Berkeley researchers have formed a startup company – Water

Harvester, Inc. – which is now testing and will soon market a device the size

of a microwave oven that can supply 7 to 10 liters of water per day, which is

enough drinking and cooking water for two or three adults.

An even larger version of the harvester, which would be the size of a

small refrigerator, would provide 200 to 250 liters of water per day, enough

for a household to drink, cook, and shower.

The new company envisions a village-scale harvester that would produce

20,000 liters per day, still running off of solar panels and a battery.

Water Harvester believes the water needs for many people can come out

of the thin air.

**********

Web Links

Water harvester makes it easy to quench your thirst in the desert

Photo courtesy of Grant Glover (University of South Alabama) via UC Berkeley.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

...more