Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Berkeley have built a device that runs entirely on solar energy. Ability to recover moisture from atmospheric humidityeven in almost desert-like climatic conditions.
Based on the concept of a water combine, it is still a prototype,Up to 3 liters of liquid water can be recovered every 12 hours, even in extremely dry air.This development has the potential to solve many supply problems in drought-affected areas without water sources.
A key factor is in the MOF: a compound that captures water
Performance of this water combine Under an environment with a humidity of about 20 to 30%to extract the water Utilizes 1 kilogram of MOF to make the system work. But what exactly is MOF? It is a structure composed of metals such as magnesium and aluminum and organic molecules that, when combined, create a rigid, porous distribution that can store gases and liquids. Since Omar Yagui, one of his prototype creators and inventor of MOF, began developing this organometallic combination, as a result of several other research projects around the world, more than 20,000 designed by his MOF.
Yagui, his UC Berkeley team, and researchers at MIT synthesized MOFs composed of zirconium and adipic acid. This, along with water vapor, fits into this particular water collection system. A 900-gram compressed powder MOF crystal is placed between a solar absorber and a condenser plate. in an open-air chamber. This system works like this: Ambient air passes through the porous MOF and water vapor molecules adhere to the inner surface. Sunlight heats the MOF and directs the water towards the condenser, which is at the same temperature as the outside air. Finally, the steam condenses and the already liquid water leaks into the collector.
According to its developer, This system has shown very promising results so far. In fact, it’s so promising that they claim that this harvester can extract just enough water to survive, allowing anyone to survive the dry and hostile desert climate.
Fuente: MIT Technology Review, tuexperto.com, La Sexta Noticias
Image: MIT News
