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Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

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Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#61

Post by Ansil849 »

tppiotrowski wrote: post #58
Ansil849 wrote: post #57

Are there any consumer-grade atmospheric solar water generators on the market right now? I did a very quick search and didn't find anything. Is there anything like this that people can buy right now?

Quick Google found this: https://www.source.co/ Edit: There's also this water bottle I remember seeing a while back on Kickstarter or Indigogo. It doesn't seem like they actually sell it on the website: https://fontus.at/

Super interesting, thanks. Kind of surprised more people aren't talking about this.

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#62

Post by RenThraysk »

whatshisface wrote: post #60
RenThraysk wrote: post #59

Fundamentally flawed idea. Places that need water are the most are dry, they have no humidity, as there is little to no water in the air.

What about places with plenty of water, but where the water's all polluted?

Then you don't need to extract water from the air. Just make it potable.

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#63

Post by krisoft »

Ansil849 wrote: post #48
signalblur wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Potentially as a water source for data center cooling? Not sure if it’d scale to those needs

My question was more, how does this help individuals without access to clean water, not a dystopian 'how can it be co-opted by corporations for business ends', but I appreciate the varying definitions of "practical" people have.

> My question was more, how does this help individuals without access to clean water

If the principle of it is sound, which I cannot verify, then by a manufacturer picking up the idea. Developing it into a product and selling it to individuals.

They are basically saying (paraphrasing) "Hey we suck at manufacturing things at scale, so we won't continue with this idea. But we don't want to let our learnings go to waste. Go ahead and learn from our experiments and mistakes. Maybe one of you out there can make it work as a product."

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#64

Post by pjy04 »

tppiotrowski wrote: post #58
Ansil849 wrote: post #57

Are there any consumer-grade atmospheric solar water generators on the market right now? I did a very quick search and didn't find anything. Is there anything like this that people can buy right now?

Quick Google found this: https://www.source.co/ Edit: There's also this water bottle I remember seeing a while back on Kickstarter or Indigogo. It doesn't seem like they actually sell it on the website: https://fontus.at/

Yes, this is the company in Arizona. They can do about 4-5 liters a day without an external power source.

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#65

Post by jcranberry »

Ansil849 wrote: post #48
signalblur wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Potentially as a water source for data center cooling? Not sure if it’d scale to those needs

My question was more, how does this help individuals without access to clean water, not a dystopian 'how can it be co-opted by corporations for business ends', but I appreciate the varying definitions of "practical" people have.

Considering they said allowing others to build on this progress I would imagine that they have not achieved their stated goal yet:

>The team aimed to build a highly lightweight, portable, cheap (<5% of user’s income) device that an individual could use to produce 5L of drinking water per day.

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#66

Post by whatshisface »

RenThraysk wrote: post #62
whatshisface wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about places with plenty of water, but where the water's all polluted?

Then you don't need to extract water from the air. Just make it potable.

Depending on the type of pollution, making it potable could be just as hard as distilling it.

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#67

Post by hanniabu »

tppiotrowski wrote: post #58
Ansil849 wrote: post #57

Are there any consumer-grade atmospheric solar water generators on the market right now? I did a very quick search and didn't find anything. Is there anything like this that people can buy right now?

Quick Google found this: https://www.source.co/ Edit: There's also this water bottle I remember seeing a while back on Kickstarter or Indigogo. It doesn't seem like they actually sell it on the website: https://fontus.at/

It says clean, but isn't it only as clean as the surrounding air? For example if you used this next to a manufacturing plant spewing chemicals into the air, won't these contaminants be captured by the condensation and make it into the water?

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#68

Post by carabiner »

dogleash wrote: post #9

If they’re giving it away for free, that must mean there is a fatal flaw they could never design around and are confident nobody else will either. What’s the point then? At least tell us why it’s a dead end.

It just looks like a proof of concept. They tested it in very controlled conditions. Did not see how it withstands being knocked over, dropped, covered in dust from storms. Their market is Africa. How many of the towns have road access? Will the product be damaged in transport on very rough roads? Can they be stacked in transport, and how many high (or will they be crushed)? Will adhesives fail after n temperature cycles in the blazing sun + nighttime cold? Can it be repaired by people living there?

Almost every part looks to be made from scratch. The only thing off the shelf is the pink insulation foam. Can any of this be sourced in the target markets?

Re: Google open sources solar atmospheric water generator

#69

Post by RenThraysk »

whatshisface wrote: post #66
RenThraysk wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then you don't need to extract water from the air. Just make it potable.

Depending on the type of pollution, making it potable could be just as hard as distilling it.

Distilling still easier and more efficient than condensing water out of the air.
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