New technology turns air into drinking water

Pulling water out of air could be the solution to the world's water shortage issues, thanks to new water generation technology.

Canadian researchers have discovered a way of generating up to five times more water a day than conventional atmospheric water generation systems, and can in nearly all climates.

The Hybrid Atmospheric Water Generator (HAWgen), the result of three years' work by Professor Majid Bahrami from the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, integrates sorption, refrigeration and water filtration systems to generate clean drinking water.

“Our vision is for this technology to not only make a difference as we face the ongoing issue of global water shortage, but to do so sustainably for future generations,” Bahrami said.

The system works by pre-conditioning the incoming air stream using an adsorption system, then channelling it into a refrigeration unit for condensation.

The generated water is then filtered.

Conventional atmospheric water generators rely on hot and humid environments and can fail when humidity drops.

Bahrami said the HAWgen can handle dry climates and can be powered by sustainable energy sources.

The water is also sustainable, he said, because whatever was extracted from the atmosphere’s renewable fresh water would be replenished naturally thanks to ocean evaporation.