Scientists were able to create a device for collecting water from dry desert air. To do this, they only need warmth from the sun. Their invention could change the lives of the 2.1 billion people who lack clean drinking water. The main advantage of their invention is that neither electricity nor rain is required for its operation. We have previously reported on an important invention. Finally, they were able to test him.
A team of scientists from the University of California at Berkeley has created a device using a porous MOF (organometallic structure) material enclosed in a transparent plastic box. Water vapor from the atmosphere is collected with MOF like a sponge, after which the water is evaporated and collected in a special tank.
Scientists have tested their device in Scottsdale, Arizona. They collected about 7 ounces of water in a day. It's not much, but scientists say their invention is extremely scalable.
MOF material is composed of metallic and carbon organic compounds. Its peculiarity is the existence of a large number of tiny pockets with air between molecules of different types. This allows the material to collect condensate and absorb liquid efficiently. It does this especially effectively at night when the relative humidity increases.
When the sun rises, the heat causes the water to evaporate from the spongy material, but since it is enclosed in a box, the steam collects and becomes water again, entering the tank. Then it can be used for drinking.
Water harvesting devices already exist, but this is the first device that requires so few resources. There is a small problem - this is the high cost of MOF production, since at the moment the material is produced using expensive zirconium. However, scientists are working on MOF using significantly cheaper aluminum.
At any given time, our atmosphere contains 13 sexbillions of water. Getting an affordable way to use it can solve many of people's present and future problems.
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Ernest Vasilevsky