Solar panels will power the generators' massive fans, which can suck moisture-packed air from its surrounding environment. The dehumidifier's pipes will be filled with this moisture-packed air, and will then be circulated with a liquid coolant that will help cool the air down until it reaches the "dew point" or when air condenses into liquid or water. Once this liquid forms, it is collected and purified for public consumption.
The dew point is the temperature that the air needs to be cooled to achieve a relative humidity (RH) of 100 percent. RH is the amount of moisture in the air compared to how much the air can "hold" at that temperature. At 100 percent relative humidity, the air can't hold all the moisture, resulting in dew, condensation or rain. At zero percent relative humidity, air is devoid of water vapor.
The project is being run by Aquovum, a U.S.-based water technologies firm. Experts say that the carbon-free technology of the hyper-humidifier will help reduce the UAE's reliance on desalinating seawater and expensive imports of bottled water.
"Almost shockingly, being that the UAE is one of the water-stressed areas in the world, it has adequate temperature and humidity to provide an infinite supply of water through dehumidification," said Robert Wood, Aquovum's chief technological officer. (Related: Weather control: Dubai generates rain to combat drought and heat wave.)
"At times there are periods of immense fog in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and through its coastal region and weather patterns, the humidity ranges between 60-90 percent. Unclean water is a terrible problem and the worst part is that in theory, it's solvable, simply by capturing moisture in the air. This technology is going to be simple, sustainable and scalable."
If the test goes well, the water generators will also be installed at Khalifa University's Masdar Institute Solar Platform in Masdar City. A futuristic mecca for cleantech companies, the institute is set for completion by 2030 at the earliest.
Abdulla Balalaa, executive director for sustainable real estate at Masdar City, said that it is "already home to over 900 companies, dedicated to developing innovative technologies across the sectors of renewables, energy storage, water, artificial intelligence, health, space and mobility."
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