Create Pure Drinking Water from Air

How would it be if you could just carry a device in your pocket that would give you instant pure drinking water whenever you want without any available water source nearby?

For centuries this idea has fascinated many around the world and people have come up with meshes or other mechanical devices that could trap the moisture in the air so that it could be stored for future use. In these instances, however no additional power or fuel was used.

Water is a scarce resource in most parts of the world and scientists have been trying to find solution to this growing problem. They have been working on devices that could trap the water present in the atmosphere, but it is not as simple as it may seem. There is more to it than meets the eye – we can’t take out water from air beyond a limit as that has its own complications.

For sure, air is present everywhere—even in the desert—so this technology has the potential to help water-deprived people no matter where they are. The atmosphere contains as much as 1.29 x 1016 litres of water, in the form of water vapour, fog, and clouds. It may be only 0.001% of the world’s total water but it is actually—six times as much water as the world’s rivers taken together contain.

Have you ever noted that plants in arid conditions survive even though they do not have any visible source of water almost throughout the year and can’t move to collect the water they need? They have mechanisms that help them trap atmospheric moisture. Many have tried to use such concepts from nature.

We need practical, efficient, and inexpensive ways of extracting moisture from air. But mining moisture from air isn’t trivial, and scientists agree there can’t be a single technology that’s best for every locale or scenario. In foggy areas, the best way would be putting up systems that can coax water droplets suspended in the air to coalesce. In humid climates, where the air is thick with water vapour, but the vapor hasn’t nucleated into droplets, devices that can condense and collect it might be best. Similarly, specialized machines would be needed in arid regions.

Fog is nothing but microscopic droplets of water in liquid phase. They can be simply caught in mesh like structures and eventually this water falls into a water collector due to gravity. Gathering water by fog harvesting may not require an energy source but it also has limitations. Amount of water collected can be small, and the technology works best in regions of high humidity, where fog is plentiful and is not so suitable for arid regions.

Water-from-air machines come into play where liquid water is scarce. Although there’s no clear market leader, several companies manufacture water-from-air machines in various sizes and capacities. Atmospheric water generators are also available for household use and for small offices. We need to be careful while buying water purifiers and drinking water dispensers also. We need to choose machines that cause minimal spillage and wastage of water.

In fact, there are many devices around us like the air-conditioners that produce water as a by-product and this water could be used for other purposes if stored. A hydrogen fuel cell car for example generates one litre of drinking water for every 12.87 km ride which is quite a significant amount in desert conditions. Water that is fit for drinking is also generated by the rooftop solar hydro panels from the air using the solar power and solar heat during daytime.

The idea might seem magical, but a lot of research still needs to be done and we have a long way to go before these devices could be used in our day to day lives. Till then we must concentrate our efforts towards diligent and effective use of water and save each drop. Choose dispensers with RO that help in saving water and minimise wastage.

"Water from air may be the only solution for providing enough drinking water for everybody."

Roland V. Wahlgren

Travel & Food Blogger| Worked as Editor at the Times of India| Corporate Communication| Brand Building| Content Creation|