Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) is a field of engineering that looks at ways to solve water scarcity, which “remains a major challenge worldwide,” according to a study published in ACS Energy Letters.
However, these current models “are often not applicable in arid environments,” so MIT researchers invented a new model that “demonstrated great potential to provide fresh water in a wide range of climates.”
A prototype based on the model, the study said, promises “5,826 litres” of water per day, but admits that “this has considerable energy” and suggests using “high-density waste heat” – essentially the heat given off by the machine when it is running – as energy source.
According to the United Nations, the situation will not improve, noting that “climate change is exacerbating water scarcity. The effects of a changing climate are making water more unpredictable.”
The growing scarcity has led to projects such as new atmospheric water harvesting, as well as The Gray Water Project, started by a Stanford University student. The project is looking for a solution to recycle “grey water” – non-potable water from sinks and showers – for use in toilets and watering plants.
The study, meanwhile, sees its design as a potential solution, pointing out that “there are about 1,300 trillion liters of fresh water in the atmosphere that can be easily obtained without relying on existing liquid water supplies.”
