This device from Israel can literally pull clean drinking water out of thin air

Business Insider ^ | Dana Varinsky

[SeekAndFind]

When kids learn about the planet’s water cycle, they’re taught a simple concept: our atmosphere is filled with water vapor that has evaporated from the bodies of liquid water we see around us. When the vapor’s temperature gets low enough, it gets turned back into water.

The presence of that vapor becomes especially apparent in the summer, when droplets collect on glasses of ice water and air conditioning units drip onto unsuspecting passersby.

An Israeli company called Water-Gen does not think of that condensation as a byproduct; instead, it has built machines specifically designed to create and harvest as much condensation as possible. Using a system that uses a set of plastic “leaves” to funnel air in various directions, the team has developed water generators that appear to create pure drinking water out of nothing.

“The target is to extract water from the air with minimum energy,” founder and co-CEO Arye Kohavi tells Business Insider. “We think our solution can solve the problem on the level of countries. It’s an immediate solution — governments don’t need to spend decades to make a big project.”

Water-Gen is one of seven Israeli companies presenting technological innovations at the United Nations General Assembly this week.

The company currently makes three sizes of water generating machines, each of which must be plugged into a power source. At 80 degrees and 60% humidity, the biggest can yield about 825 gallons per day, but Kohavi says the technology is easily scalable. The company’s medium sized unit produces 118 gallons per day under the same conditions, and the smallest — which is intended for use in a home or office — produces just under 4 gallons per day.

[VitacoreVision]

A Dehumidifier connected to a water filter?

[ClearBlueSky]

Life imitates art. Star Wars vaporators- Tatooine moisture farms. Wonderful!

[Slyfox]

CA residents can now by pass the idiot Jerry Brown. As long as he is prevented from taxing the heck out of it.

[PapaBear3625]

Basically, yeah.

How many kWh per gallon?

[SeekAndFind]

Through nature’s water cycle our atmosphere contains water vapor that’s evaporated from the various bodies of water around us (such as lakes, oceans, rivers, etc.), and when that steam temperature lowers to a certain temperature it transforms back into the water. Where most people think of this condensation simply as a by-product, Water-Gen makes use of it.

The company has built machines that can produce and harvest condensation using plastic leaves that funnel the air. Founder and co-CEO of Water-Gen, Ayre Kohavi states, “The target is to extract water from the air with minimum energy. We think our solution can solve the problem on the level of countries. It’s an immediate solution – governments don’t need to spend decades to do a big project.”

[knittnmom]

Awesome! In 3rd world countries, could that be teamed with solar or wind power to run it off the grid?

[SeekAndFind]

FROM THE LINK:

Water-Gen estimates that at current energy prices, the water generated will cost less than ten cents a gallon.

The Water-Gen team is looking to bring the technology to two types of places: areas that don’t have drinkable tap water, and locations that are warm and humid.

“If it’s hotter or more humid, the system produces more than average, and if it’s colder and dryer it produces less,” Kohavi explains, adding that as long as temperatures are high enough, there is enough water in the air for the machines to work regardless of humidity levels.

Luckily, those two sets of conditions often overlap. “Places that do not have drinking water in pipes are usually hot and humid — Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa — so those two rules are almost equal,” Kohavi says

Water-Gen is currently doing field tests of its products in cities like Mumbai, Shanghai and Mexico City, as well as more rural locations. The company’s products are expected to be commercially available by the end of next year.

[Mr. Douglas]

A Dehumidifier connected to a water filter?

---

Who needs a filter? :-)

It sounds like there is more to it, based on their comment about using as little energy as possible. I would love to have a solar powered one that could be used to water livestock. I live in KY, which gets really humid. It would be a gusher.

[Vince Ferrer]

This isn’t unique, I have seen several companies doing this.

[SeekAndFind]

For those who want to know more, here’s the website:

http://water-gen.com/

[SeekAndFind]

RE: This isn’t unique, I have seen several companies doing this.

Can you give us the names of some of them? Thanks.

[Organic Panic]

Some environazi will condemn this. There will be some endangered sand beetle that ONLY lives where there the water vapor will be extracted. AND of course, it will disproportionally have a negative effect on women and minorities.

Those people will find ANYTHING to complain about. Someone could invent a car that can travel a million miles on a thimble full of sewage, converts dreaded carbon dioxid in the pure drinking water and they want to ban it.

[Little Pig]

Also the “Wind Traps” from Dune

[SeekAndFind]

RE: How many kWh per gallon?

From their website:

http://water-gen.com/technology-2/our-differentiations/

EXCERPT:

Delivering a true impact in water economics terms, is the ability to supply drinking water solutions that are both commercially available and affordable. Until today, all commercially available AWGs, are using conventional air-condition technology, to generate water at tested efficiency rates of 650-850Wh per liter.

Water-Gen’s technology facilitates the generation of clean, safe, drinking water at 250Wh/L which is correlated to 4 liters per 1 Kw or under ~2 cents per liter, making water from air, for the first time, a true economic reality, available commercially for everyone, generated at your home, 24/7/365.

Generating water at tested efficiency record of 250Wh per liter, represents a quantum leap in water economics, by enabling the generation of 3 times more water per KWh then any existing product, and for the first time, delivers a robust renewable solution, that costs less than local purified packaged well water.

CLICK ABOVE LINK TO READ MORE....

[SeekAndFind]

	Water-Gen GENNY	All commercially available AWGs
Technology	GENius Patented technology, includes one-of-a kind plastic heat exchanger. Award wining technology that is considered as world’s most energy-efficient technology (in terms of efficiency-cost-size-ratio)	Conventional air-condition, dehumidifier technology
Ennergy Efficiency	27⁰C/60%RH 300Wh/L Proven EF=3.3 liter per 1 Kw Proven price per liter = >2₵* 30⁰C/70%RH 220 Wh/L Proven EF=4.5 liter per 1 Kw Proven price per liter = ~1.5₵*	27⁰C/60%RH 650-850 Wh/L EF=1.5-1.2 liter per 1 Kw Price per liter = 5-6₵* 30⁰C/70%RH 500-700 Wh/L EF=1.5-2 liter per 1 Kw Price per liter = 4-5₵*
Quality Test	Water-Gen’s systems and product were tested and accredited by international laboratories	No accreditation for energy efficiency and water production information has been published. No laboratory test reports are available
Air Purification	Unique and robust air filtration methodology, designed to operate at high air pollution conditions, venting back into the room ultra clean air 2-in-1 product	Standard air conditioning air filter, not adapted to heavy air pollution, exhausting back polluted air into the room
Water Quality	The combination of aggressive air filtration and unique GENius structure, facilitates the generation of almost pure H2O   Unique and proprietary Ozone treatment procedure, developed at Water-Gen, keeping water fresh for a long time	Standard air conditioning filtration results in low water purity with insufficient water quality   Insufficient water treatment creates a rapid decline in water quality within days. In many cases, to over come water quality issues, RO filtration is incorporated, loosing valuable water in the process
Maintenance	Fast and easy, user level filter replacement 3 elements, once a year ~$50 per year	Replacement of up to 8 different elements (UV lights / RO membrane / filters), twice a year Up to $400 US per year

[Lent]

“Water-Gen is one of seven Israeli companies presenting technological innovations at the United Nations General Assembly this week.”

Casting pearls before swines?

[ctdonath2]

I expect a filter & UV purifier would be necessary, given this thing exposes concentrated moisture to airborne contaminants indefinitely. That and our American paranoia for absolute purity in consumables.

[Vince Ferrer]

I don’t have links handy, but you can do a search for “water from air machine” and find some.

[fella]

When it comes to harvesting water Israel is the leader.