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  • Writer's pictureStudio Zero Anne

7 Ways to Harvest Water From Air

Updated: Mar 9

There are several very dry regions in the world today where water is quite difficult to access. In fact, a majority of the world's population lack essential resources and simply do not have the ways and means to drill a well, much less a primary water well. Thankfully, there are numerous alternatives that give people the ability to access water and this is possible even in the desert and other regions with extremely low levels of precipitation. Some of these inventions go back to ancient times, while some are more modern requiring technical applications.



THE NEED FOR WATER ALTERNATIVES


Since primary water is usually encased under thick layers of bedrock, it generally requires a large dual rotary rig equipped to drill through rock and the costs for this can range anywhere from $5,000-50,000 depending on the depth of the well being drilled. Obviously, many people today cannot afford this, and certainly not those living in already impoverished conditions.


Fortunately, there have been some wonderful individuals like the recently passed Pal Pauer (RIP Jan 2022), founder of the Primary Water Institute, who dedicated his life to helping those in the greatest need find water:


"Over the past six or seven years, Pal has generously shared his considerable experience, skills and knowledge of primary water with the staff of Global Resource Alliance to the great benefit of tens of thousands of rural villagers in the Mara region of Tanzania in desperate need of clean, safe water. He trained us in every aspect of the work from locating potential water sources to the most effective drilling technology and techniques. If faced with the challenge of locating and developing a reliable source of life giving water in any region of the planet, there is no one in the world I’d rather have by my side than Pal Pauer. '
–– Lyn Hebenstreit, President, Global Resource Alliance

Meanwhile, here in America, the government is actively working to intentionally limit the use of water supplies as a response to the engineered "climate crisis". Many counties have already experienced "water mandates" and "water restrictions".



For example, here in Arizona, an entire community is being completely cut off from the city of Scottsdale water supply. We talked to one of the agents there who told us directly that this cut off is happening so they can adhere to their designated "Climate Action Plan". And California also just adopted new, tougher water restrictions. In addition, a district in New York has "mandated" strict new irrigation "rules" in which they claim they have the right to prohibit resident's watering their properties to only in between 10am and 4pm. A county in Nevada has put out a notice limiting residents to watering on designated "assigned days" only. These actions are planned country-wide but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will be successful. We all have important roles to play if we want to maintain any real liberty in our lives; learning how to become responsible for our resources is one of them. At the very least, we should be holding those meant to serve us accountable.


Many top officials in these agencies are well aware that abundant water supplies indeed exist and they have the resources to access them but that is just not fitting into their diabolical plans centered around "The Great Reset"! Efforts to bring this water to the people have been made and you can read about it in the Primary Water Magazine which was just released in January 2022.



Obviously, this will impact anyone growing their own food so it is something we all need to be aware of so we can prepare ourselves appropriately.



#1 FOG NETS


IN THE SAHARA


"A new innovative technology is turning water scarcity around bringing safe drinking water to the Sahara region in south west Morocco.


In this video we will show you how water abundance is being created in the desert, using the largest water capturing system of its kind, to provide safe drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people, in 16 remote villages and how they have managed to irrigate agricultural fields, turning desertified land back into a farmland oasis. Thanks to Aissa Derhem the president of the Moroccan NGO Dar Si Hmad, fertility in the western Sahara is being restored.


Aissa Derhem is mathematician and businessman whose parents were originally from Mount Boutmezguida in the anti atlas mountains near the coastal town of Sidi Ifni. where the slopes are covered in mist on average 130 days a year. Despite the lack of rain Aissa Derhem knew that he could create water from the fog."



"There are now hopes that fog catching could be a way of providing reliable supplies of water to parched communities and settlements all over the world where the right mix of geography and climate can be found. But while new technologies are being brought to bear on the problem, the basic techniques of fog catching go back centuries." The ethereal art of fog-catching

Article: https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2011/03/07/the-fog-collectors-harvesting-water-from-thin-air/


IN THE PERUVIAN DESERT


"These fog catchers in the Atacama Desert, Peru, also known as the driest place on earth, capture 10,000 liters of freshwater a day for drinking and growing sustainable food. "



IN MOROCCO


"The video shows the positive effects of the world's largest fog collector system built by the Water Foundation in Morocco to supply the locals with clean water. The harvesting of clouds and fog has become an increasingly important technology in the worldwide search for new sources of drinking water.


For over ten years, the Water Foundation has been exploring the use of fog-collectors, supporting the work of the Munich industrial designer Peter Trautwein* in developing an entirely new type of collector. The CloudFisher is the first production fog net capable of withstanding wind speeds of up to 120 kph. It is quickly and easily assembled, consumes no energy and requires very little maintenance. All the materials used are food-safe. The highly efficient CloudFisher system can supply people in many countries with cheap and clean drinking water. The water obtained in this way can also be used in farming and stockbreeding, in reforestation projects or in industry."



For further information:

https://www.wasserstiftung.de/wp-content/uploads/02_CloudFisher_Pro_und_Mini.pdf


IN CHILE


"MIT researchers have developed a special mesh that can extract the water from morning fog, channeling it into reservoirs.


They have already trialed the system in Chile, and say it could have a dramatic impact on the lives of remote communities.



Using a simple system of suspended mesh structures, placed on hilltops in areas with persistent fog and prevailing westerly winds, local Chilean communities collect fog water for drinking and agricultural use.

'This water has been naturally desalinated by the sun, we are trying to build meshes to capture it straight out of the air,' said Gareth McKinley of MIT, who is leading the project."



More on 'magic mesh' here: The 'magic mesh' that can make water out of thin air: Researchers reveal system to harvest morning fog for drinking and farming


USA - Fog Nets can help grow food: Finding use for fog: California farmers could benefit from using fog nets to buffer water supplies


#2 WARKA TOWER


"Warka Tower is designed to harvest water from the atmosphere (rain, fog, dew) providing an alternative water source for rural populations that face challenges accessing drinkable water.


It is a passive structure, it functions only by natural phenomena such as gravity, condensation & evaporation. Easy to maintain it is operated autonomously by the villagers. The design depends on the local meteorological conditions, the geomorphological characteristic of the site, and the local culture."



Learn more here: https://www.engineeringforchange.org/solutions/product/warka-water-tower/


#3 LOW COST GEL


"The team developed a low-cost gel film made of abundant materials that can pull water from the air in even the driest climates. The materials that facilitate this reaction cost a mere $2 per kilogram, and a single kilogram can produce more than 6 liters of water per day in areas with less than 15% relative humidity and 13 liters in areas with up to 30% relative humidity.


The research builds on previous breakthroughs from the team, including the ability to pull water out of the atmosphere and the application of that technology to create self-watering soil. However, these technologies were designed for relatively high-humidity environments.


“This new work is about practical solutions that people can use to get water in the hottest, driest places on Earth,”

said Guihua Yu, professor of materials science and mechanical engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering.

“This could allow millions of people without consistent access to drinking water to have simple, water generating devices at home that they can easily operate.”

The researchers used renewable cellulose and a common kitchen ingredient, konjac gum, as a main hydrophilic (attracted to water) skeleton. The open-pore structure of gum speeds the moisture-capturing process. Another designed component, thermo-responsive cellulose with hydrophobic (resistant to water) interaction when heated, helps release the collected water immediately so that overall energy input to produce water is minimized.


Other attempts at pulling water from desert air are typically energy-intensive and do not produce much. And although 6 liters does not sound like much, the researchers say that creating thicker films or absorbent beds or arrays with optimization could drastically increase the amount of water they yield."


Read full article here: Nature Communications


IT'S EASY TO MAKE THIS LOW COST GEL AT HOME



"This new work is about practical solutions that people can use to get water in the hottest, driest places on Earth,”

said Guihua Yu, professor of materials science and mechanical engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering. “This could allow millions of people without consistent access to drinking water to have simple, water generating devices at home that they can easily operate.”


Renewable cellulose and konjac gum, a common kitchen ingredient, were used as the main hydrophilic skeleton. The open-pore structure of gum accelerates the moisture-capturing process. Another designed component, thermo-responsive cellulose with hydrophobic interaction when heated, helps release the collected water immediately so that overall energy input to produce water is minimized.


The film is flexible and can easily be molded into a variety of shapes and sizes, as per the need of the user. Only the gel precursor is required to make the film, and it includes all the relevant ingredients poured into a mold.


“The gel takes two minutes to set simply. Then, it just needs to be freeze-dried, and it can be peeled off the mold and used immediately after that,”

said Weixin Guan, a doctoral student on Yu’s team and a lead researcher of the work.


More on low-cost gel: https://interestingengineering.com/gel-drinking-water-desert-air


#4 ZERO MASS WATER/SOLAR PANELS


Though this technology is effective, we don't recommend this company. We're listing it here to let you know that this company has been heavily invested in by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.


Company's Website: https://www.source.co/


#5 VORTEX SPRING



"The developers of the installation – staff members of the Department of Thermal Engineering and Thermal Engines of Samara University – note that it is indispensable in desert and arid areas. Ironically, it is in the dry hot air of deserts and steppes that the largest amount of moisture is contained, that is, "The Vortex Spring" is the most effective in the areas where it is in high demand.


The principal difference between the installation of Samara University, awarded in nomination "100 Best Inventions of Russia − 2017", and its counterparts is the use of vortex effects to obtain water and electricity. The engineering solutions, known since ancient times, have encouraged the scientists of Samara University to study the vortex flows.

"It is very important that the water extracted from the atmosphere, turns out to be the most inexpensive in comparison with other methods. In addition, our installation does not require funds for operation. Only one-time minimal investments are required for its assembly and installation”,

— says Vladimir Biryuk. Moreover, due to natural resources – wind and solar energy, the operation of the installation makes "The Vortex Spring" completely environmentally friendly and makes it run smoothly."


Continue reading here: https://thewaternetwork.com/article-FfV/vortex-spring-obtains-fresh-water-from-atmospheric-air-Nv9K0fLY-Vp6OkcJ6JGLzw#:~:text=%22The%20Vortex%20Spring%22%20is%20different,of%20a%20%22vortex%20cooler%22.


#6 ATMOSPHERIC WATER GENERATORS (AWG)


These are very common and the US military has been using them already for decades. There is quite an array of models produced by a variety of companies that have varying capacities. The one we will be featuring here is from Tsunami Products.


If you like this technology, make sure to do your own research so you can find the ideal fit for your needs.

"Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) extract water from humidity in the air. Moist ambient air is pulled into the Tsunami® unit by fans. A multi-layer air filter removes dust, pollen, and other airborne particles.


Next, the air is drawn through a series of condensing coils, where water vapor is cooled down sufficiently to reach the dew point. This converts water vapor into droplets. Additionally, all Tsunami® units use Tsunami Core Technology™ — a special patented extraction chamber with a range of features that force water condensation — resulting in greater output. Water is then extracted and collected into a storage tank.


Tsunami Core Technology™ and other proprietary improvements dramatically enhance the process of water extraction, allowing Tsunami® units to achieve great energy efficiency.


The collected water is purified through a multi-stage filtration system, where all the possible impurities and pathogens are removed. At this point, water is completely pure and safe to drink. What’s more: unlike tap water, it’s chemical-free."


Visit the Tsunami Products website: https://www.tsunamiproducts.com/


#7 NEW TENION MOISTURE HARVESTING SYSTEM

"Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Civil and Environmental Engineering Profs. David Broday and Eran Friedler have developed a standalone moisture harvesting system that produces water from the air, even in desert regions.


The innovative system is technologically superior to existing systems and is capable of providing a constant supply of water, especially to small and isolated communities without the need for an external power source."



Learn more here: https://ats.org/producing-water-from-air-new-technion-moisture-harvesting-system-video-transcript/



*The Water Liberty Project is an independent self-funded project and not affiliated with any of the above businesses.


NEW CONTENT @ THE WATER LIBERTY PROJECT



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