“Low-cost Atmospheric Water Generator”
Jorrion Wilson, S.B. ’18, mechanical engineering
Advisor: Nathan Taylor, Lecturer on Engineering Sciences
By 2025, more than 1.8 billion people will live in areas suffering from water shortages, yet there are three quadrillion gallons of untapped water in the atmosphere. Low-cost atmospheric water generation systems like fog fences are only able to generate about three liters of water a day, while the cost of high-production, active systems is prohibitive in many developing nations. Wilson engineered a device that can produce drinkable water from the air using renewable energy sources. His atmospheric water generator uses an active aqua chiller to maintain the temperature of a water reservoir, while simultaneously pumping chilled water through a condensing coil. A fan blows warm, moist air over the coil, condensing the air and generating water from the atmosphere. Ultimately, Wilson’s project was able to produce nine liters of water per day. While the cost, 37 cents per liter, is still too high to be feasible for mainstream use, his proof-of-concept could lead to new ways of thinking about atmospheric water generation.
“Approximately every 90 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease. But there is hope because our atmosphere contains enough water to supply the needs of every person on the planet for a year,” he said. “This project will make accessing water more affordable to populations that suffer from water scarcity, and by doing so, it will help alleviate the global water crisis. It could also provide safe, clean water to populations that don’t have clean water sources, reducing the number of deaths caused by lack of clean water.”