New device can extract water from air – in dry areas

Engineers at the University of Utah have developed a device that can extract water from the air in dry areas. The system could provide people suffering from water shortages with clean drinking water, as it is said to be significantly more efficient and cost-effective than previous devices.

Engineers at the University of Utah have developed a new device that can extract water from the air. According to the company, the process should work without any problems, especially in dry regions. The compact device uses two different approaches to do this.

These include a fuel-powered method and adsorbent materials such as aluminum fumarate to extract water from the atmosphere. The materials extract water from the surrounding air and convert it into liquid by heating it. This process could help alleviate the global water shortage.

Water from the air: Special material enables high efficiency

The device uses metal-organic framework structures arranged like Lego blocks that attract water from the air. To capture a large amount of moisture, the structures have a large internal surface area. This means that one gram of the material has as much surface area as two football fields.

The project is receiving support from, among others, the US Department of Defense's DEVCOM Soldier Center, as the military wants to make the device available to soldiers in remote areas.

Five liters of water per day

The researchers filed a preliminary patent application to address the water problems facing the army and the population. The device can produce up to five liters of water per day per kilogram of material. In combination with a camping stove, the approach can convert the collected water molecules into liquid using heat.

The device works particularly well in dry conditions. It is fuel-powered so it can function at night and when there is little sunlight. This technology offers a practical solution for collecting water in dry areas and is a promising alternative to solar-powered systems. In the future, the approach could help improve water supplies in crisis areas around the world.

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