Invention Takes Water from Air

Posted by Robert Dailey Oct 25, 2006

Leading the pack in new water-conscious inventions is Aqua Sciences Emergency Fresh Water Station, which extracts moisture directly from thin air.

Currently in operation, the invention can produce up to 1,200 gallons of fresh water per day.

Although the company will not disclose its proprietary methods, it can extract water from the atmosphere at a minimum level of 14% humidity, which is efficient enough to operate in desert conditions.

The company likened the invention to a grain of rice placed in a salt shaker. The rice acts as a magnet to draw moisture from the salt and prevent the salt from clumping.

The machines are self-contained and can operate independently for seven days without external power. It can also be hooked up to an electrical grid to work continuously.

The company has just signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide fresh drinking water to troops stationed in Iraq. Fresh water is currently flown into Iraq and then transported by truck to troops at the astronomical cost of $30 per gallon.

Aqua Sciences say they can produce the water for a mere thirty cents per gallon.

The application has uses that far exceed its capabilities to supply troops. The units can be flown, trucked or barged in just about anywhere. So areas hit hard by earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other disasters could be supplied with fresh water quickly and at low cost, greatly reducing the spread of water-borne diseases.