Advert turns air into free drinking water

[seeder]

Heres a cool use for a billboard... and a very good idea too!

quote:

"Just outside Lima, Peru, a billboard provides drinking water to whomever needs it - mainly, its neighbours. The panel produces clean water from the humidity in the air, through filters. Researchers at the University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) in Lima and advertising agency Mayo Peru DraftFCB joined forces to launch it.

UTEC says it wanted to put "imagination into action" and show that it is possible to solve people's problems through engineering and technology.

"A billboard that produces drinking water from air," says the billboard up high. And it does what it says on the tin: so far, the billboard has produced over 9,000 litres of drinking water - 96 litres a day"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21899227

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[+DieChecker]

That is fantastic. But hardly world changing. The technology to do so has probably been around for almost 200 years. And 96 liters is about enough for two or three households if you include cooking and washing.

If you slapped solar cells on it too, you could provide heat and light to those same 3 households.

[seeder]

That is fantastic. But hardly world changing. The technology to do so has probably been around for almost 200 years. And 96 liters is about enough for two or three households if you include cooking and washing.

If you slapped solar cells on it too, you could provide heat and light to those same 3 households.

Well, I think its really great actually.

And 96 litres a day will keep 96 people alive each day when there is no other source of water. Forget flushing toilets and doing laundry. Logically then, an even bigger one will produce even more, or a whole bank of them even more still.

But the article isn't about just producing water, as it states:

"UTEC says it wanted to put "imagination into action" and show that it is possible to solve people's problems through engineering and technology".

Now once upon a time, an african boy in the midst of hunger and drought...picked up an old textbook....and... "The teenager had a dream of bringing electricity and running water to his village. Many, including my mother, thought I was going crazy - people thought I was smoking marijuana.

And he was not prepared to wait for politicians or aid groups to do it for him. The need for action was even greater in 2002 following one of Malawi's worst droughts, which killed thousands of people and left his family on the brink of starvation.

Unable to attend school, he kept up his education by using a local library. Fascinated by science, his life changed one day when he picked up a tattered textbook and saw a picture of a windmill.

Mr Kamkwamba told the BBC News website: "I was very interested when I saw the windmill could make electricity and pump water. "I thought: 'That could be a defence against hunger. Maybe I should build one for myself'."

When not helping his family farm maize, he plugged away at his prototype, working by the light of a paraffin lamp in the evenings. But his ingenious project met blank looks in his community of about 200 people. "Many, including my mother, thought I was going crazy," he recalls. "They had never seen a windmill before."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8257153.stm

so who knows who will see this someplace around the world and do something with it?

[Hobbit Feet]

Of course it wouldn't work in AZ. I'm wondering about smog. Wouldn't toxins get into the water or at least a bad taste?

[seeder]

Of course it wouldn't work in AZ. I'm wondering about smog. Wouldn't toxins get into the water or at least a bad taste?

well, again from the article it says

"The panel produces clean water from the humidity in the air, through filters"

But I do see your point. But - if you were dying of thirst enough to drink your own pee, as some do in survival situations, then whats a few airborne toxins? We breathe them in anyway don't we?

.

Edited March 24, 2013 by seeder

[highdesert50]

Wonderful. We need to recognize and celebrate intelligence instead of stupidity. Take note Hollywood.

[Chooky88]

Fantastic story. I love it water is so important. Especially to us in Western Australia. Well done Peru!

[pallidin]

Yes, fantastic story and engineering. Way to go!!

[seeder]

Fantastic story. I love it water is so important. Especially to us in Western Australia. Well done Peru!

Maybe you could write them and ask for the same installation where you are? More publicity for them! But the article also said - "The internal system costs some US$1,200 (£790) to set up".

Heck you could even make your own brand of bottled 'air water' and do Evian out of business!!

(Actually thats a very good idea and I bet it'd sell too)

[+ouija ouija]

But the article isn't about just producing water, as it states:

"UTEC says it wanted to put "imagination into action" and show that it is possible to solve people's problems through engineering and technology".

Now once upon a time, an african boy in the midst of hunger and drought...picked up an old textbook....and... "The teenager had a dream of bringing electricity and running water to his village. Many, including my mother, thought I was going crazy - people thought I was smoking marijuana.

And he was not prepared to wait for politicians or aid groups to do it for him. The need for action was even greater in 2002 following one of Malawi's worst droughts, which killed thousands of people and left his family on the brink of starvation.

Unable to attend school, he kept up his education by using a local library. Fascinated by science, his life changed one day when he picked up a tattered textbook and saw a picture of a windmill.

Mr Kamkwamba told the BBC News website: "I was very interested when I saw the windmill could make electricity and pump water. "I thought: 'That could be a defence against hunger. Maybe I should build one for myself'."

When not helping his family farm maize, he plugged away at his prototype, working by the light of a paraffin lamp in the evenings. But his ingenious project met blank looks in his community of about 200 people. "Many, including my mother, thought I was going crazy," he recalls. "They had never seen a windmill before."

This is, of course, a wonderful and inspiring story BUT ....... in the 21st century is it not appalling that a country that has had billions thrown at it, has left it's citizens in such poverty and ignorance?

[seeder]

This is, of course, a wonderful and inspiring story BUT ....... in the 21st century is it not appalling that a country that has had billions thrown at it, has left it's citizens in such poverty and ignorance?

It is indeed. All those resources...taken by others... and created civil wars...but through education... a change can come! And thats as far as i go with anything remotely connected to a political argument. But I do agree .

[Harlequin Dreamer]

Well done

[Junior Chubb]

This is, of course, a wonderful and inspiring story BUT ....... in the 21st century is it not appalling that a country that has had billions thrown at it, has left it's citizens in such poverty and ignorance?

It is appalling regardless of what century we are in, too much of 'mans' suffering is caused by other men and its inescapable...

Great article though, thanks for posting Seeder. Ties in with your avatar nicely to.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Junior Chubb

[+OverSword]

Of course it wouldn't work in AZ. I'm wondering about smog. Wouldn't toxins get into the water or at least a bad taste?

Of course it would work in AZ, the water is run through filters to remove airborne impurities.

This is pretty cool actually, it's how the frement got much of thier water in Dune.

[Starseed hybrid 1111]

we should all do this in America and we should i have our billboards at home free water yeah free water yeah free water and free water that should be free in the 1st place

[Sundew]

This probably only works in desert areas bordered by a cold sea current. You need fog and something for it to condense upon. I believe there are fog traps like this in Namibia and in other similar areas, though much simpler in construction than this billboard, basically just mesh with a gutter system at the bottom to collect the moisture. There are cacti in western costal South America whose spines do the same thing. Water collects on them and trickles down to stems to the root system, which allows them to thrive in a land with no (or almost no) rain.

Reminds one of the planet Arrakis and the wind traps of Dune!

[Odds]

I think this is a great idea, genius whilst simplistic. I agree it won't work everywhere, but somewhere is better than nowhere.

[+DieChecker]

we should all do this in America and we should i have our billboards at home free water yeah free water yeah free water and free water that should be free in the 1st place

I wonder how many billboards there are in the USA.

[lightly]

Cool! it wouldn't have to be a billboard... this system could be made on fences for instance. Water condensed form the air would be 'distilled' water... pure .. but lacking in any minerals .

[seeder]

we should all do this in America and we should i have our billboards at home free water yeah free water yeah free water and free water that should be free in the 1st place

make your own! The article says it costs just US $1,200!

[Geldoblam]

What is this magical " billboard " you post of?

[seeder]

Just stumbled on a vid of this billboard water idea..