I have talked at some length in
earlier posts about the idea of the Eden Machine which has the same purpose as
this device. The merit of this device is
that he anchors the device in the ground itself at sufficient depth to lie
below the warming top soil and to provide a natural cool zone to work against. This is a really good idea that it may be
possible to take serious advantage of.
I have posted before that the
design should work around 100 liters of daily water production. That happens to be enough to support a pretty
healthy tree and its related shade.
It never occurred to me that
using the earth for a cooling reservoir was a natural simplification. Add in a prop to harvest wind energy and centripetal
airflow separation and we may be able to draw cooler humid air into the cooling
chamber. With a bit of fuss we may even
have it working well without wind at all.
The water itself can be dripped
at night into the roots.
I deliberately declared the Eden
Machine in the hopes of getting many to work up ideas. This is good one. I would love to be able to offer a large
prize for the best solution.
Such inexpensive devices will
easily double the available arable land on Earth.
Airdrop Design Pulls Water From Air to Irrigate Deserts
November 8, 2011
The winner of this year's James
Dyson Award is one that focuses on the water crisis in Australia . A
continent faced with severe droughts, it is no wonder that Edward Linacre from Swinburne University
of Technology in Melbourne
wanted to come up with a solution that will provide fresh water where there is
no source on the ground.
A press release notes, "Edward studied the Namib beetle, an
ingenious species which lives in one of the driest places on earth. With half
an inch of rain per year, the beetle can only survive by consuming the dew it
collects on the hydrophilic skin of its back in the early mornings. Airdrop borrows this concept,
working on the principle that even the driest air contains water molecules
which can be extracted by lowering the air’s temperature to the point of
condensation. It pumps air through a network of underground pipes, to cool it
to the point at which the water condenses. Delivering water directly to the
roots of plants."
The use of biomimicry for water collection designs is popular among
engineers -- and that includes studying
the Namib beetle. But this is one of the more useful designs we've seen so
far. And in areas where drought is causing the destruction of crops, it could
be one we need sooner rather than later.
Edward explains the drive behind this design -- from the project's
page: "The effects of climate change on Australia are accelerating at an
alarming rate. Last year the Murray
Darling area experienced the worst drought in a century, lasting 12 years and
resulting in irreversible damage to ecosystems, widespread wildlife decline and
catastrophic bushfire conditions. Agriculture in the region suffered record
losses. An alarming figure of 1 rancher/farmer a week was taking their own
life, as years of drought resulted in failed crops, mounting debt and decaying
towns."
The research behind the design shows that "11.5 millilitres of
water can be harvested from every cubic meter of air in the driest of deserts."
However, there are of course limitations to how much can be collected by
something like the Airdrop. Still, a $14,000 prize will go a long way to
developing a version of Airdrop that can be useful to people living in these
drought-stricken areas who need water to grow crops.
Currently, the design can be powered by sunlight, though future
versions may also utilize wind power.
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