Portable device for collecting water from the air
New portable solar-powered travel tool can collect about 0.5 liters of water in one hour
Krystof Rethesar, a graduate of the Vienna University of Applied Arts, has invented a technology that absorbs moisture from the air and condenses it into drinking water. The technology can collect up to 0.5 liters of water in one hour in hot and humid conditions.
Fontus, a startup founded by Retezar, plans to bring to market two products with innovative technology - Fontus AIRO, a self-filling water bottle with attached solar panels that power the condensation process, and Fontus Ride, a bicycle accessory that turns any 0.5-liter bottle into a self-filling water bottle using the air flow that is generated during cycling.
The technology is based on the principle of condensation: a two-chamber cooler, where electricity from a solar panel heats one chamber and cools the other, thereby causing incoming air to pass through the chamber, forming droplets of water that flow through a tube into the bottle. This creates a constant flow of droplets, forming one drop of condensed water per minute.
The product is designed to potentially solve two problems.
Carrying water during bike and hiking tours can be a burden for bikers and hikers because they either have to plan their entire route around fresh water sources or carry heavy water containers.
The device could also help people collect fresh water in areas where groundwater is scarce and humidity is high. According to the UN, two billion people in more than 40 countries live in water-stressed regions. The designer hopes that his self-filling bottle will be used as a portable well, which could, for example, provide children with drinking water during the day while cycling to school.
In a recent interview with Live ScienceRetezar said the bottles are not intended for use in polluted urban environments, but the startup is working on creating a carbon filter.
The main issue is cost. Fontus wants to keep the retail price under $100, but at that price, few people will be able to afford the bottles in water-scarce countries that are also poor countries. Fontus also needs to secure funding for the product's manufacturing and marketing, which they hope to do through a crowdfunding campaign starting in March.
