The device makes drinking water just ... sunshine

The test version only has a capacity of 2.8 liters of water per day, but the application potential is huge because the production cost is not high. Especially this device is very suitable for dry areas, few people live.

Just the size of a cup of coffee, the research team from the University of California and MIT Institute (USA) are able to create enough drinking water for those living in the desert. The highlight of this product is that it does not use electricity but only needs sunlight to operate. That means users just need to put it out in the sun and . catch water!

In fact, the air filter separators from the air are not new. The difficulty lies in the fact that they need to have the proper moisture to get the desired amount of water, or to spend a lot of energy to compensate. It is almost impossible to obtain water when the humidity is below 50% without consuming much electricity. And this newly developed device can capture water even when the humidity is only 20%, and without electricity.

Drought is becoming more serious due to climate change.

In terms of meaning, the advantage of this product is not only in saving electricity, but also because it is suitable for many geographical areas as well as the demand for water of the future. In the context of increasing world population, climate change is increasingly unpredictable, the number of days is increasing (in combination with El Nino), the production of clean water becomes a serious problem in many countries. family. There are now two thirds of the world population having difficulty in accessing clean water. But the rivers are running out and the amount of groundwater is also significantly reduced. The need for another source of water is essential. Air vapor in the air is one such source. According to calculations by scientists, the amount of water in the air can fill 5 billion Olympic-standard swimming pools globally!

But separating water from the air is not easy, especially in areas with low humidity. Marine algae-based materials such as silica gel (SiO ₂ ) can do that. In return, they need to use a huge amount of energy to be able to "squeeze" water out of them (because strong dehumidification also means holding strong water). If you don't need a lot of energy, the speed of moisture absorption is very slow.

Facing the problem, researchers include Evelyn Wang, Omar Yaghi and several colleagues who have thought about how to reconstruct sponge-like materials , to allow "squeezing" water from them easily and still preserve the speed of moisture absorption quickly. The material they studied is called MOF-801 , which is an organic complex linked to metal. The MOF-801 also has a sponge structure, but the main factor is its ability to retain water depending on the temperature. Specifically at normal temperatures, the MOF-801 absorbs moisture. When the temperature rises, it releases steam.

In the experimental version, the team created a layer of MOF-801 mixed with copper foam. When in the shade, this compound retains water vapor in the air. When placed in the sun, the heat from the Sun heats the material and steam escaping. The research team placed a collection chamber below to recover the amount of water that had just escaped. Next, a condensing unit will cool the water vapor, transfer it to a liquid. The whole process takes place in 2 hours.

The black material (top) will release water vapor at high temperatures.The released steam is retained by a collection chamber and condensed into a liquid by a condenser.

For every kg of MOF-801 used, the research team achieved a capacity of 2.8 liters of water / day. This is just enough for an adult to use in dry places like deserts, where there is no clean water supply infrastructure. In the long run, the team said they could develop larger systems that could produce more water for an entire community to use.

In the future when droughts become severe because of climate change, materials such as the MOF-801 may be the key to helping mankind solve the clean water problem because rivers and reservoirs become exhausted. due to overpopulation.