Watermill pulls drinking water from thin air
By Stephanie Patterson 
posted Oct 2nd 2008 7:06AM
posted Oct 2nd 2008 7:06AM
[Via Gadget Review]
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"Or you could just stick a bucket on your roof and be done with it -- we hear it rains occasionally."
Tell that to those living in arid climates. Actually, you know what? Don't.
Are you talking about the people who live in arid, dry climates? The ones for whom this product is entirely useless, due to the absence of humid air? They're screwed either way, i'm afraid :(
What, no Dune windtrap/stillsuit references yet?
How much does this thing cost in spice?
Nowhere is it completely dry. Yes, you do need a certain level of humidity for these and similar devices to work, but most supposedly arid climates qualify.
I wonder if this thing messes up the humidity levels in the house or a bedroom...
Really, mcg? Obviously it'd be great if they could work in areas of drought, but I'll believe it when I see it (or when you see it and assure me that they work...)
These devices also pave the way towards wireless (pipeless?) water transmission: if you have a boiling pan next to an airconditioning intake which circulates are around your whole house, you could place these machines anywhere and have an instant water supply without costly plumbing. This, my friends, is the future.
Living in Southern California, the Fremen are always out with their Stilsuits. They've set these things up all over the place so they can capture the water in clandestine reservoirs to revitalize the planet Dune.... er Southern California region. It's all hush-hush, though, since they're fighting the man in their refusal to do an Environmental Impact Report... And who can blame them, I mean, it won't effect the Sandworms, anyone can see that -- it's not like those mile-long worms are going to go extinct or anything! I mean, c'mon!
What pisses the Fremen off the most, I think, is that Herbert wrote one great book, and decided to pen a TON of sequels that were complete and total crap.
-Pie
"Or you could just stick a bucket on your roof and be done with it -- we hear it rains occasionally."
That would be illegal in Colorado.
@ Jeebus
Rain is illegal in Colorado!?
No, collecting rain in Colorado is illegal.
Also rain collects pollution and is acid, so you'd still have to filter it, AND wait for it to rain.
I hear that the water produced by these machines tastes awful. Not good.
That is just amazing.
How much energy does it cost to produce water ?
ummm...according to the article, for a family of 6, it's 35 cents per day
No no no... he asked how much ENERGY it costs, not how much money!
Read the article stupid
"a mere thirty-five cents a day in power"
I would guess it offers to hydrate your family of 6 for a mere thirty-five cents a day in power. But that's just some far fetched inference from the text above.
How much will it cost to hydrate my washing machine? And how much does it cost to hydrate my (hypothetical) family of six using traditional, pipe-n'-pumping-station methods?
Is the 35 cents energy usage?
That's about 1kWh per day usage in the UK, or 20 pence per kwh.
In the US, however, that works out to about 3-4kWh - going by the much cheaper 10 cents per unit.
That do you?
Moisture vaporator anyone?
What I really need is a droid that understands the binary language of moisture vaporators.
I'd buy one, but those pesky sandpeople and jawas would be over everyday stealing my water! Oh and don't get me started on the Empire.....
Seriously!
At this rate there's no way I'm gonna get to Tashi Station. And, you can kiss those power converters good-bye.
What ever happened to Dean Kamen's Slingshot water machine?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/23/dean-kamen-aims-to-clean-water-generate-electricity-with-slings/
This isnt so new... we;ve been exporting these machines to africa since almost 2 years now. Look up AIRWATERAFRICA :)
Do I need to look it up in caps with no spaces?
Think about where this water is coming from in a family home. It's recycled sweat, sneezes and evaporated cleaning water.
I guess you don't want me to tell you where your tap water comes from then?
hmm does tap water have ultraviolet sanitizers?
Ummm, you do realize that all water (or at least the hydrogen and oxygen molecules) on the earth has been around for millions of years. At some point, the water molecules you drink on a daily basis may have taken a trip through the digestive tract of a water buffalo. In the end, as long as it's been filtered and sterilized, who cares where it's been.
Someone ought to tell them that Summer of 2008 (when their site says their store will open) is already over. Let me know when they're actually selling something.
Isn't this what a dehumidifier does? They're only like $100. Add a Brita filter and UV light, and there ya go!
I use 4 Wood's Dehumidifier in my library and been using more than 4 gallons water that it produce everyday to water the plant. The product in the article is probably a marriage between a dehumidifier and water purifier.
This device also solves the world shortages in dry skin and nosebleeds
Wont the air run out of water if we all use this thing?
Yeah, that's what I thought when I read "we hear it rains occasionally." If it's taking water from the air, there's less water in the air for it to rain...?
The nice people of Phoenix would like a word with this contraption's creators...
Now I can finally go start that vaporator farm on Tattooine. I'll need a droid that understands the binary language of the moisture vaporators though.
Ok, dehumidifiers add all sorts of badd stuff to the water they produce, not the worst of which is a ton of heavy metals which can be pretty bad for you over time. I hope this thing is paired with some very good water purification (and not just some activated carbon).
Where do the heavy metals come from?
Some piece of mechanics is made of lead? Why don't they make it out of something safer?
It's pulling it out of the air? Wouldn't we be *breathing it anyways*??
Anyways, they use ultraviolet apparently... No mention of filtration really, but as far as that goes, I was under the assumption that heavy metals were one of the things carbon filters were supposed to be able to remove.
What if I poop in the vicinity of the air inlets? will the water taste like poop?
no, it will just taste like chocolate milk, duh.
My well produces a whole lot more water for a whole lot less money.
Yes but, does it pull it from .... THIN AIR!? ...
Yes but it also tastes like rotten eggs...
This thing does sterilize the water but does it deodorize too? and make chilli and fries?
So give them a call - they are just outside of Vancouver BC - ask them if you can see anything other than a rendering of their system. Nope.
Actual cost per litre (20 per day is not six gallons by the way and it is "up to 20 litres per day - depending upon the humidity where it is operating - Equatorial, I'd say) is in the $2.00 to $2.50 per litre when yo look at cost of the product, cost of energy production. And it is a compressor based technology, so it is not that efficient. AND most of these little puppies that use the compressor based technology have to freeze then thaw the water to get it into your hot little hands.
Xenoterranos - I hate to tell you but these systems are quite different than your run of the mill dehumidifiers. They are designed and developed and produced to pass food grade testing and certification. All of them have at least two - some three - different filters. And UVc light to kill the microbes.
Many of the systems out there will work in most climates but not all. And no it won't suck all of the humidity out of the air!
cheers...
Sure, Vancouver. That's a dry climate good for testing this thing.
Most home interiors tend to drier than the outside, in the first place. Sucking out even more water is likely to do more harm than good.
I'm gonna use this thing to bottle Fart water™...
is this just a pretty dehumidifier?
We'll never run out of water. It all gets recycled one-way-or-another. Of course, freshwater does becomes saltwater and visa-versa. The balance between the two can change. You've heard of the rising oceans no doubt. Everyone please refresh their fifth grade science lessons!
It's a dehumidifier with water purification. It has a rate of 12 liters per day, with a cost of 3-4 cents per liter. Energy consumption is not given, but since I pay 15 cents per kWh, I'm guessing 3-5 kWh is your daily draw. If it's 5 kWh, then it's roughly 208 watts per hour over a full day? Someone check my math, please, and my physics while we're at it. If I'm close, then this is easily powered with a deep-cycle battery and a single solar panel. Not bad.
It's exterior-mounted, so I'm guessing you could not regulate humidity indoors without hacking. With this level of efficiency, though, I'd seriously think about it.
--#
We Fremen mastered this quite a while ago...
It has that creepy Japanese robot head look to it, not pretty.
Look, the eyes follow you wherever you go....
I for one welcome our water-out-of-thin-air-sucking robotic overlords. The future is moist!
Whatever you do, don't buy some secondhand droids from the Jawas to help maintain these evaporators -- even if they do speak Bocce.
Dammit! You beat me by 5 minutes but your comment hadn't shown up yet. Get out of my head!!
These are nothing new. I've been running moisture vaporators for years now. What I really need is a droid who speaks Bocce.
what happens if you fart near it?
It would be better to put this thing in a basement of an old house rahter than outside. Even with a relative humidity level of 65% I doubt you could get 4 gallons of water out of the air.
You would just know you are drinking damp basement. Maybe with some old evaporating paint from all the leftover cans. Probably a litter box or two.
Spoke with them available Feb 2009 approx price $1300 USD
It would be nice to see where this works/does not work.
Hook it up to solar cells for power and you would be able provide clean water for thousands in impoverished areas.
Add that to handing out tens of thousands of regular water filters, and you could cut down many diseases in assorted areas of climates around the world
I believe you mean "water from thick air"
That's useful but it's nothing in comparison to what EcoSphere Tech is working up.
http://www.ecospheretech.com/
The "exterior wall-mounted" bit suggests to me that it will pull the moisture from the outside air, but I could be wrong. For somebody like me, who lives in a tropical climate with piped in water which is not potable this is actually practical. I'd be happy to stop buying my drinking water in 5 gallon jugs for the water cooler.
Local humidity levels are unaffected by operation of atmospheric water generating systems. The atmosphere contains approximately 13,000 cubic kilometers of fresh water as water vapor. If all 6.6 billion people on Earth used water from water vapor processors at 50 liters per day, they would consume daily only 0.0025% of available atmospheric water. Atmospheric water vapor is an enormous fresh water resource that can be used with virtually no negative environmental impacts.
Straight from an Element Four Rep...
"The Element Four WaterMill provides fresh, potable water from an unlimited source: the air. It's the sustainable, elegantly designed solution to providing fresh water for your family, and the world. The system can be run off of a 600 Watt solar panel and be completely off grid.
The original WaterMill is designed for the residential user. It provides families with a clean, sustainable and cost-effective source of water for drinking and cooking. It produces 12 litres (13 US quarts) of water per day, and mounts to the exterior of your home, drawing water from the air outside into point-of-use systems inside. The WaterMill is self-regulating, maximizing water production, while minimizing energy consumption and can be used in both hot and cold environments.
Distributors are qualified via standard channels ( Ability, History, Market and Business Plan). We are looking for genuine interest and will only work with the best in the industry. Business Plans are rated very highly as is the ability to service and develop the desired market. The WaterMill will retail for $1299.00 starting in early February 2009."
Think of the dry skin after this...
I seriously need information regarding the watermill manufacturing process!!!If any one of you know a site on this please kindly email it to the following email- emdee_02@live.co.uk!!! Please i need this!
Are these units suitable for use on sailboats.