In the hottest and dryer desert of North America - the Valley of Death - scientists have successfully protested an innovative device that is able to turn a water vapor from air into safe water.
The device designed by researchers looks like a transparent panel similar to a window or solar panel. Between the two layers of glass contains a hydrogel - a material that actively absorbs water vapor. At night, it absorbs moisture from the air, and in the daytime - the water condenses due to a special coating that keeps the glass cool. Then the water flows on the glass into the tubes for collection.
The peculiarity of the new development is the form of hydrogel - domed, like a "bubble film". This structure significantly increases the area of absorption of moisture. During the week, scientists tested the panel in the death valley, where the average daytime temperature reaches more than +45 ° C, and the humidity is extremely low. Even in such extreme conditions, the device collected from 57 to 161 ml of drinking water daily - from a quarter to two -thirds of a glass. According to the researchers, in humid climates, the performance of the device can be much higher. And most importantly, it does not require electricity, which makes it suitable for use in isolated or victims from natural disasters. Engineers also solved a long -standing problem - leakage of lithium salts, which were previously used in hydrogel to improve absorption but which made water unsuitable for consumption. Glycerin has been added to the new design, which stabilizes salts and prevents them from entering the water.
According to scientists, the use of eight panels of 1 × 2 meters in size can meet the needs of one family in drinking water in regions with restricted access to safe water. Although volumes do not yet speak about industrial use, the technology itself is a significant breakthrough in the field of water supply in the conditions of climatic changes and global water shortages.
