Researchers at Ohio State University have unveiled a revolutionary water harvester that uses half the energy of traditional devices, offering a promising solution to global water scarcity. The new prototype, which utilizes elastocaloric cooling, can fit in a backpack and pulls moisture from the air more efficiently than ever before.
In a world where more than 2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, scientists at Ohio State University have developed a breakthrough prototype water harvester that promises to be simpler and more efficient than traditional systems.
The innovative device, crafted with temperature-sensitive nickel titanium materials, can extract more water from the air in just 30 minutes while using only about half the energy of existing dehumidification systems.
“You can survive three minutes without air, three weeks without food, but only three days without water,” lead author John LaRocco, a research scientist in psychiatry at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, said in a news release. “But with it, you can begin to solve a lot of problems, like national security, mental health or sanitation, just by improving the accessibility of clean drinking water.”
Most current water harvesting technologies are large, energy-intensive and sluggish. LaRocco’s team, however, has designed a portable device leveraging elastocaloric cooling, which reduces energy use, size and complexity, making the unit compact enough to fit inside a backpack.
The researchers conducted comparative tests between their prototype and a conventional dehumidifier using desiccant wheels — rotating cylinders lined with hydrophilic materials that trap and remove humidity from the surrounding air. Over sessions of 30 minutes each, the team evaluated energy consumption, heat generation and water-harvesting efficiency.
The study’s findings, published in the journal Technologies, highlighted significant energy efficiency gains and different performance conditions where their prototype excels. The humidity level of the region where the device is used could significantly influence its water collection capabilities.
“Compared to the traditional desiccant wheel system, our system has the ability to scale more dynamically to fit the needs of the environment,” co-author John Simonis, an undergraduate student in electrical and computer engineering, said in the news release. “Because our device is more modular, there’s room for a lot of adaptability.”
Potential areas like the Philippines, Indonesia, Haiti and even Ohio could benefit from this water harvester due to their conducive humidity levels. The water derived from this innovative device is immediately drinkable; however, because it incorporates 3D printed materials that can degrade over time, the water must be filtered to eliminate microplastics.
According to United Nations statistics, only about 0.5% of Earth’s water is freshwater suitable for human consumption. Factors such as war, pollution and climate change exacerbate the global water crisis.
“Because natural disasters and international emergencies will continue to exacerbate these issues, it’s imperative to find ways to creatively harvest water to support marginalized populations,” added co-author Qudsia Tahmina, an associate professor of practice in electrical and computer engineering.
Ensuring the consistency of devices that harvest water from thin air can help make the process both more economical and more feasible, the study notes.
“We’re hoping that clean water for the rest of the world isn’t just a pipe dream,” added LaRocco.
Using the team’s models, the public can experiment with creating their own dehumidifiers. While currently intended for individual use, the prototype could be scaled for larger needs.
“It is possible to develop an incredibly large version of our prototype,” Simonis added. “It could extract as much water in a limited amount of time and get the same energy efficiency as somebody who may have a smaller device who’s running theirs continuously.”
The team is optimistic about the potential of their invention to contribute substantially to alleviating global water scarcity.