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Scientists Developed A Device That Can Produce Water Out Of Thin Air

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UC Berkeley

As the world becomes increasingly water stressed, scientists have developed a device that can pull pure, drinkable water straight from the air. Best of all, the device requires no energy input beyond the power of the sun and works in the most arid environments.

The recently published research coming from the University of California, Berkeley could be a breakthrough in delivering drinkable water to those living in desert climates. The device captures the unique cycle of day and night, making use of higher humidity at night and higher temperatures during the day.

The prototype is essentially a box within a box, housing a unique material essential to sucking water out of the air. The key ingredient is a bed of metal-organic framework. This combination of metal and organic molecules have pockets of air within them, allowing the framework to absorb water into their structure easily. Basically, the framework acts as a sponge, pulling water out of the air. This process takes place during the evening when lower temperatures and higher humidity makes it ideal for the framework to absorb water vapor from the air.

When daytime comes, the sun evaporates the water out of the framework, but the enclosed box ensures the water condenses on the side and drips down into a collection area. This process works automatically and every night/day will produce more water. Two big hurdles the research team is tackling are both the relatively high cost of the metal-organic framework and the amount of water produced.

The research team trialed the box in a desert nearby Scottsdale, Arizona where the humidity gets as high as 40 percent during the night and down to 8 percent during the day. During this test, the 2 square feet box produced 7 ounces of drinkable water during one night/day cycle. While it is a low amount of produced water, the process can easily be scaled and produces immediately drinkable water.

UC Berkeley

The research team is focused on new metal-organic frameworks made from aluminum that are 150 times cheaper and produce twice as much water. In addition, the basic premise is being tested to absorb carbon dioxide from the air and other pollutants. However, the prototype requires continued testing before any commercialization. The team plans to use their new metal-organic framework in Death Valley this summer, where temperatures reach well over 110 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and nighttime humidity is commonly only around 25 percent.

By continuing to study and trial new types of metal-organic frameworks, box types and configurations, and extreme desert climates, the research team hopes to continue to make their prototype a viable commercial option for those living in extreme arid climates.

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