An atmospheric water generator can create water out of air. It is not something that we say to create a sense of magic, but a necessity now for many nations. Water sources are drying up fast, and people are turning to the atmosphere every day for inspiration and solutions.

A solution that caught fire recently is the atmospheric water generator. People have devised different atmospheric water generator types. It is capable of producing portable and drinkable water.

But before we delve into the topic more, we would prefer talking about why we need the atmospheric water generator.

Water scarcity in urban areas is impacting almost a billion lives already and sooner it will impact 1.7-2.4 billion lives, and that will happen by 2050. An estimated one in ten people lacks the ability to harness clean water for themselves.

1. Notably, 37 large aquifers are already depleted.
2. A billion people are almost without a proper fresh water source right now.
3. The inward movement of the seas is depleting freshwater sources more with each passing day.

Add this infographic to your site: Use this link.

Factors impacting the rise of water scarcity

1.    Rise in the world’s population

We are exploding, and sooner or later, there wouldn’t be any place for any of us.

The projected population growth seems alarming right now, as per the United Nations. If this is the rise then only atmospheric water generators can be the answer to everything.

2.    Growing urbanization

According to the World Bank, the expected and growing urbanization will outstrip the population. As much as 50% of expected urbanization is going to come forward by 2030, which means a projected 1.2 million square kilometers.

3.    An increase in the number of industries and mining attempts

As we target growth, we are in greater need of mined ores and minerals. The growth of the mining industry will be disastrous in the coming years as we learn to struggle and survive under the shadow of minerals. Reserves are also rapidly depleting.

4.    Rise of blockchain and AI-making

According to Business Insider, Bitcoin mining is depleting water facilities faster. Their use will reach its optimum in 2020, rising to 278%, and it is estimated that they will eat up water faster.

Water issues are mounting at the two prime bitcoin mining sites—Kazakhstan and the United States.

Mining led to 255 million gallons of use in 2021. Though it was less than the estimated value, it is still a whopping amount that could have gone towards human welfare. Recycled water used for bitcoin mining could serve the purpose well. Though it is being put to use, stricter action would be essential in this regard. Also, it is essential to understand such a high demand of bitcoin mining in future could mean increased use of water. It somehow serves as an indicator that atmospheric water generators might be essential.

5.    Uncalculated use of water

We have used an uncalculated amount of water, considering resources are never-ending and would comply with the will of men. But that is not what is happening currently, and we are seeing the will of nature slowly rising above the will of men.

Water stress by 2030

The need for an atmospheric water generator is rising in these countries with every passing day. These six countries mentioned below would have a massive projected water shortage issue by 2030. It would need handling in different ways and an atmospheric water generator might be the answer. To meet the demand-supply curve, these governments will have to think hard and work harder to prevent the demand-supply curve from getting steeper.

UNICEF predicts there could be an acute water crisis leading to the displacement of 700 million people by 2030.

Almost 1 in 4 children will have to manage in areas of extreme water shortages   .

It is thus raising the demand curve for atmospheric water generators. But then these atmospheric water generators would need to find a way they balance the dryness of the air due to increased moisture use for water production.

By 2040, the list will grow to include Libya, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, San Marino, and more.

What are atmospheric water generators?

Atmospheric water generators can be defined as instruments or devices capable of extracting water from the air around us. Most of them are built to extract water from humid air and can convert it through suitable techniques to potable, drinking water.

Each atmospheric water generator unit can create 10 to 50 liters of water in a day.

When multiple units are put together, a large amount of water can be generated using them.

Expected humidity levels in the air for optimum functioning of the machine would be 70% -75%. They function optimally at 25 degrees to 32 degrees Celsius. But atmospheric water generators can be tuned up to produce water in arid regions where they can work at a humidity level of 35% and at a temperature range of 18⁰ to 45⁰ Celsius.

Exactly, how they would be able to improve the AWG’s performance in arid environments is not clear, except for a few technical suggestions for upgrades.

It would include increased compression capacities and the strengthening of the precipitation possibilities of the machine.

There is research done where the researchers have studied the potentiality of AWGs to work in the Libyan air.

According to them, atmospheric air contains 12.9 x 1012 m^3 of renewable water.

But they show how the predicted value of water production is far higher than the actual rate of water production. The reason cited behind it is that the inlet air will reach the dew point in the condensation chamber at the point of excitation or after. This reason will significantly influence the effectiveness of AWG. In humid air and lower temperatures, AWGs ability to extract water from air increases considerably due to the dew point running closer to the inlet. The study was run at different air flow rates, temperature and humidity conditions.

The structural model used is shown by a diagrammatic representation obtained from the research itself.

Some work is on the way where effort is being made to extract water from the driest of environments. In the next segment, we will discuss different kinds of atmospheric water generators and their ways of working.

Here are a few of the most common ways being used right now.

Different Types of Atmospheric Water Generators Available Globally

Here are the different variations of technologies put together to bring the AWG together.

1.    Wood-to-Energy Deployable Water (WEDEW)

A progressive and innovative system that has the capability of producing 2000 liters of water or more. They are capable of performing the collection and release of water from the organic trash. A Californian social impact organization, Skysource, developed it.

The process used to generate water by this WEDEW system includes a few consecutive steps.

• Plant or animal waste is collected in a shipping container.
• Through the creation of a humid environment, decomposition of the waste is promoted to create biogas out of it.
• Due to the ongoing decomposition, water vapor generation takes place, which becomes rapid.
• The water vapor gets collected in the container and is later removed from the air through the process of extraction.
• A prize amount of $1.75 million for the Water Abundance XPRIZE 2018 was won by the project and was termed to be the most feasible option to combat the water crisis.

Design or project idea being used would include the following structuring:

The best part of WEDEW technology is that it runs on a biomass gasification process.

Through it, they have reduced the cost to 1/10^th of the cost spent on solar PV. The biomass gasification would also fit into an area occupied by just a single solar panel, saving space in the process too. They can help save money and space, thus benefiting the world maximally.

2.    University of Texas, Austin

It is a priceless process where the University of Texas at Austin is trying to devise a model capable of generating water even from air containing 15% humidity. The tested model can generate 6 liters of water from an atmosphere with a humidity of 15%.

• Use of inexpensive gel film to enable water extraction from the driest kinds of climatic conditions.
• The inexpensive gel film is made of cellulose and konjac gum.
• Konjac gum is obtained from the Amorphophallus konjac plant, alternately known as the Devil’s tongue. Dietary fibre is derived from the plant base that is hydrocolloidal in nature. The reasons why Konjac gum is used include thickening, texturing, stabilizing, emulsifying, and suspending food and beverages in it.
  • Oh yes, konjac gum tree is found more commonly in southeast Asian countries, as well as in China and Japan.
  • Konjac gum has an open porous structure contributing to its increased moisture capturing abilities.
  • A slight heat when applied to cellulose can hold the water and release it when prompted to.
• Solar powered fans can draw in the ambient air.

This is a promising technology and can be a life-saver for many nations.

Water capturing films used by the University of Texas, Austin.

The process used in creating the mold is simple. Cellulose and Konjac gum solution is added into water. It is poured into a mold and the same is freeze dried.

3.    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

During the night, the MIT AWG machine will draw in water from the atmosphere. Zeolite is the absorptive mineral compound used in the process. Zeolite is a chemically microporous aluminium silicate. Apart from aluminium silicate, it contains oxygen and a metal ion, or H⁺.

In the daytime, heat is generated by the solar collector plates and helps in the release of water from zeolite.

Due to the high porosity level of zeolite and its capability to provide a large surface area, zeolite can significantly give out a lot of water. It can function optimally at a humidity level of 20%.

They are found in volcanic rocks and appear as cavity fillings.

New Mexico is the leading producer of zeolite, alongwith China. It is even found in Slovakia, South Korea, the United States, and Turkey.

They are of different types and go by names like analcime, chabazite, clinoptilolite, erionite, ferrierite, heulandite, laumontite, mordenite, and phillipsite.

The technology devised by MIT and its use revolve around this way of working.

Here is a brief introduction to the MIT AWG’s working.

• They have devised a dual-stage and a single-stage configuration system.
• With the dual prototype model, the group was able to harvest 60 mL of water, which was an 18% increase from the single-stage device.
• A heat and mass transport model with changes and alterations in the thickness of the absorbent layer and air gap were considered.
• A solar absorber temperature of 90 degrees Celsius was essential, and above this temperature, the device was supposed to work faster and more efficiently.
• By using zeolite (AQSOA Z01), MIT is suitably progressing the AWG system towards a complete solar-driven AWH device.
• There are notably different absorbent materials available with faster kinetics, increased uptake capacity, and lower energy requirements. If those are built into this device, it could increase the performance of the device considerably.
• Also, to increase the performance of the device, adequate changes in the amount of heat lost from the solar absorbers and a reduction in the heat capacity of the machine are necessary.

4.    Fontius Airo

A rechargeable battery unit that helps power batteries using solar power has designed a water bottle that can be refilled every time you empty it.

Straight from the fantasy world, this innovative technique could be used for small-scale water generation needs like tours, outdoor commitments, and so on.

However, there would be a suitable need for upscaling if the process needed to generate large volumes of water from the atmosphere.

How does the Fontius Airo AWG (Atmospheric Water Generator) work?

• Atmospheric, humid air gets pulled into the system.
• Hydrophobic bristles would capture the moisture in its teeth.
• Water vapor would get condensed into water droplets while passing through the condenser.
• Each hour, the water bottle is capable of generating 0.5 liters of water.

5.    Watergen manufactured AWG system

Recently, Ford Motor Company plans to add Israel-based Watergen’s AWG system to the trucks. This way, the trucks would successfully generate and tend to their own water requirements. They are calling it the Mobile Box, and it can successfully extract 25 liters of clean water from the atmospheric air. It is the same amount of water campers carry with them for hikes and trips.

The system can be installed in a small space (630 x 530 x 460 mm). The system will also have suitable replaceable filters to ensure the mineralization and cleanliness of the supplied drinking water.

Here is how the system or device works

6. Arizona Based Sources

Here is a brief overview of the process used by them.

• The Arizona-based sources use solar energy as power for the hydropanels.
• Hydropanels are arranged in an off-grid fashion, and these solar panels help draw in sufficient ambient air.
• They capture the water vapor using hygroscopic materials (water-absorbing kinds of materials).
• The water vapor is extracted and passed through a condenser to cool it down.
• Sterilization of the water to make it drinkable is done using ozone generators already built into the system.

7.    Pacific Northwest National Laboratories

Accidental discoveries have often saved human lives. From penicillin to the discovery of clustered carbon nanorods adsorbing moisture, life saviors have ruled our lives forever.

At lower humidity levels, there is more space between the nanorods. This process would efficiently help them trap and collect more water from the air. With a rise in humidity, the nanorods come together due to improved capillary action, drawing more and more water into the nanorod system.

A nanorod membrane could be a way into the future where humidity changes could affect the capturing and expelling of water from the system.

Atmospheric Water Generators in India

India is not behind, and there has been some remarkable progress made by Indians towards making atmospheric water generators. Some of the companies and their inventions have been incorporated here.

A land that has deserts, deep forests, the highest mountain ranges, and the sea all together. Such a great land is currently struggling with the same global issues. To eliminate the climate crisis, people are already working towards it. But to eliminate the climate crisis, there is a need for a lot of green technology. Atmospheric water generators are a good way to alleviate the acute water crisis that spreads across these lands as well.

A huge population coupled with a larger urbanization process is making things difficult for suitable management. But AWGs are already popping up where the indigenous people have put together ingenious ideas and some commendable machines have come up.

1.    AirOWater

AirOWater, a patent holder, has three Indian and six US registered patent rights.

They have already created a range of products in this direction and have almost 7 different kinds of products under their banner.

What makes AirOWater a significantly essential market product?

1. They have a patented 4-step filtration process embedded in the machine.

2. The machines can generate sufficient amounts of water even at lower humidity levels.

3. They can perform well enough even in an optimal air-conditioned environment and can act as a suitable dehumidifier.

Functioning of the AirOWater:

Here’s how AirOWater functions in the environment.

Air is filtered appropriately using an anti-static air filter and a micro-dust filtration technique.

The process of air filtration removes scalene and particles from the air.

The collection tank and the input tank filters will remove particles from them.

• Water filter with sediment, RO, pre-carbon, and membrane TCR.

It is responsible for the effective filtration of water collected by the condensation of air into water.

They use O3 to remove all the related hazardous bacteria and viruses from the water, making it absolutely fit for drinking.

2.    Maithri Aquatech

They are also an AWG manufacturer who grows water out of air and supplies it to both the public and private sectors. They are doing it in collaboration with IICT (the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology). The project has also gained prominence with the Ministry of Water (Jalshakti) in our country.

The technology is also known as Meghdoot (messenger of the sky).

With the rising humidity and temperature and increased water levels in the sea, this technology could add significantly.

The technology would work well for salinized areas and would be a boon for cities like Mumbai and Chennai with their rising fresh water problems.

3.    AKVO

The machine designed by AKVO is one of the most common available models of AWGs.

Ideal operating conditions include functioning at 25⁰ C to 32⁰ C in a relative humidity range of 70%-75%.

They can also operate at 18⁰ C to 45⁰ C and at a relative humidity level of 35% to 40%.

AKVO is a Kolkata based company which uses an already available technology in the market.

1. They have a 3-layer air filter fitted with a condenser.
2. The water tank is used for water storage.
3. Next, water filtration is performed, which generates clean drinking water easily.

Pros and Cons of an atmospheric water generator

However, nothing in this world can exist without outcomes. Everything here has a good and a bad outcome, and you might have to look into the pros and cons before moving forward with them on a collective level.

Pros of using the atmospheric water generator

1. AWGs can promote off-grid living and can also help rural areas secure fresh drinking water.
2. They help minimize plastic waste and remove the carrying water bottle problem forever.
3. Transportation costs used so long to transport water bottles from one place to another can be used as resources in other sectors.
4. Most of these technologies are eco-friendly and sustainable ways of living.
5. Energy-efficient technologies, or next-gen tech, are how people are terming them due to their 100% reliance on clean energy usage.
6. Municipal water and waste will no longer be a trouble to manage as soon as they are used for mass-scale water production.

Cons of using an atmospheric water generator

1. Operational costs can be a drawback for atmospheric water generators.
2. They would use a lot of energy in the production of water from air.
3. Until now, AWGs have not been capable of generating large amounts of water.
4. The purchasing cost is higher for the atmospheric water generators.
5. There are temperature and humidity restrictions on the use of AWGs, which means they might not work successfully in all kinds of environments.

Conclusion

Here is a bit about atmospheric water generators, and even though it is a future application, it can start being used this year itself. Many companies have already begun large-scale manufacturing of these AWGs (atmospheric water generators). It is only a matter of time before AWGs become the next-generation solution to solving the water crisis problem.

Why India is called the Land of Spices

Artificial Intelligence and environment