The droughta challenge that affects millions of people around the worldthreatens water security, agriculture and even the appearance of cities. This global problem also impacts agricultural production intended for export, putting entire economies at risk. Faced with this panorama, a group of researchers developed an innovative device that could revolutionize the collection of drinking water.
Access to water is a fundamental right, but the reality is that more than 2 billion people lack clean water. In response to this problem, a team from the Ohio State University created a portable collector that promises to be more efficient and economical than current technologies.
How this innovative air water collector works
The new device uses a process known as elastocaloric coolingwhich allows the air to be cooled and water vapor condensed with minimal energy consumption. It is built with materials such as nickel and titanium, that change temperature when compressed or stretched, making it extremely efficient. This collector consumes a 50% less energy than traditional dehumidifiers and can extract water from the atmosphere in just 30 minutes.
John LaRocco, lead researcher, highlighted the importance of this development: “With drinking water, problems of national security, sanitation and mental health can be solved.” This modular and portable approach allows the device to be used in a variety of environmentsfrom rural areas to humanitarian emergencies.
The experiments carried out to validate its effectiveness compared it with current technologies, such as dehumidifiers of desiccant wheels. The results showed that the new device is not only more compact, but also more adaptable to different weather conditions, optimizing water collection in places like Philippines and Indonesia, where humidity is high.
Furthermore, the water produced is suitable for human consumptionalthough, due to experimental manufacturing with 3D printed materials, it requires a filtration process to eliminate microplastics. According to UN statistics, only the 0.5% of the Earth’s water is fresh and safe, which underlines the relevance of this invention.
Applications, challenges and future of the device to combat drought
This portable collector not only has the potential to be an individual solution, but could grow to supply entire communities. According to John Simonisco-author of the study, a larger version of the prototype could collect larger volumes of water with the same energy efficiency. “We imagine a future where homes and entire communities can depend on devices like this for their water supply,” he explained.
However, the device faces challenges before reaching its full potential. Among them, hethe durability of the materials, the cost of production and the need for infrastructure to implement it on a large scale. Despite this, researchers are optimistic. Qudsia Tahmina, co-author of the study, stressed the importance of this type of innovation: “It is crucial to find creative ways to capture water to help the most vulnerable populations.”
“We hope that clean water for the entire world is not just a dream,” he concluded. LaRocco. If this technology manages to overcome the challenges, it could become a key tool to combat global drought and improve the quality of life of millions of people.
Source: Ambito
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