Sci/Tech Wind turbine creates water from thin air: Possibly 1,000 liters per day.

[tom_mai78101]

(CNN) -- Wind turbines have long produced renewable energy but a French engineering firm has discovered another eco-purpose for the towering structures.

Eole Water claims to have successfully modified the traditional wind turbine design to create the WMS1000, an appliance that can manufacture drinking water from humid air.

The company aims to start rolling out the giant products for sale later in 2012, initially focusing on remote communities in arid countries where water resources are scarce.

"This technology could enable rural areas to become self-sufficient in terms of water supply," says Thibault Janin, director of marketing at Eole Water. "As the design and capabilities develop, the next step will be to create turbines that can provide water for small cities or areas with denser populations," he adds.

Wind turbine creates water from thin air | CNN

Wind turbines already produce electricity in an environmentally friendly way but a new eco-purpose has been discovered for the towering structures.

edition.cnn.com

 

[Dave312]

Interesting read.

One turbine can produce up to 1,000 liters of water every day ... This is enough to provide water for a village or town of 2,000 to 3,000 people

Considering you are supposed to drink about 2L of water a day, one turbine can really only support up to 500 people. 1000 litres spread across 3000 people is only about 1 glass per person, nowhere near enough.

 

[Accname]

Its a start nevertheless.

 

[LurkerAspect]

Moisture vaporators, anyone?

Spoiler

 

[Fatmankev]

Interesting read.



Considering you are supposed to drink about 2L of water a day, one turbine can really only support up to 500 people. 1000 litres spread across 3000 people is only about 1 glass per person, nowhere near enough.

And that's only for drinking. These days, people tend to bathe and wash their clothes pretty often. A god forbid they need to boil some rice or something.

I didn't have a chance to read the full article, but if it's as good as it sounds then that's still a great accomplishment. With only five turbines or so, you could feasibly sustain a very small town. I hope they can implement them without profits guiding their every move.

 

[Slapshot136]

deploying these in an area where there is little water = less water left in the atmosphere => less rain => more sand/desert => need for more water/turbines as they become less effective due to lower amounts of water in atmosphere => vicious cycle

 

[FireCat]

I hope they can implement them without profits guiding their every move.

I doubt it

 

[Nigerianrulz]

I doubt it

for once firekitty is right

 

[Fatmankev]

deploying these in an area where there is little water = less water left in the atmosphere => less rain => more sand/desert => need for more water/turbines as they become less effective due to lower amounts of water in atmosphere => vicious cycle

In a desert, for example, the rain clouds don't form from the moisture in the desert itself, they form from the moisture in surrounding regions and the wind blows the growing clouds over the desert. I don't think the impact would be quite as dramatic as you suggest, although their might be some truth to your words.

 

[Bribe]

This could be VERY useful for large, paved cities where rainfall is not able to be converted into proper groundwater, as that rainfall is usually then put into sewage and piped somewhere along with a bunch of waste, never to be useful again.

Production on a mass scale could assist with fighting overpopulation's strains on aquaducts. For example you could put one or more of these on the top of a multi-floor building, provided the noise level is not too extreme.

 

[tom_mai78101]

Production on a mass scale could assist with fighting overpopulation's strains on aquaducts. For example you could put one or more of these on the top of a multi-floor building, provided the noise level is not too extreme.

I can't imagine how it will be built in China. I just can't.

 

[BlueMirage]

So we've finally developed a real Fremen Windtrap? Cool.