Solar Desiccant Water

Generate water wherever you are!

An innovation that generates healthy water for humans or plants from air's moisture using a fully automated system.

We used silica CaCl2 composite, we chose these two materials in exact to combine both of their benefits which are high absorption and being able to be reused. Silica gel absorbs the moisture from air at night then release it as water vapor when subjected to the heat of the sun at morning. It collects amount of water about 20% of it's mass.
Water collected from silica gel ahs low TDS which is not healthy for drinking. After deep search and experiments, we found that a good TDS for drinkable water is about 200 PPM. Those 200 PPM consists of healthy ions only such as Na, Ca, Mg, Cl, and K. These ions have there benefits as seen in the mechanism. Furthermore, a good TDS for irrigation is about 200-500 PPM and contains N, K, Ca, Mg, NH4, NO3, and S. We established an automated system using arduino that measures the TDS, pH, turbidity, and temperature. The system adds ions to certain levels based on your input whether it is "drinkable water" or "irrigation water" for healthy water for humans or plants.




Collection

Recently, work has been carried out to look for novel ways to utilize alternative freshwater supplies like purifying seawater or wastewater. However, because these technologies rely on natural water supplies, they are only practicable in coastal areas and are often unavailable in landlocked areas. Atmospheric water, which exists regardless of geographical or hydrologic circumstances, can be utilized as a new water source. A suitable way of harvesting atmospheric moisture can provide a new alternative water source. Cooling ambient air below its dew point and collecting the condensate is the traditional method for harvesting atmospheric water. However, because a substantial amount of energy is necessary to operate the cooler and overcome the latent heat during the condensation process, the energy consumption is high, increasing the cost of produced water and reducing its practical importance. Due to that, another technology is required to extract water at the lowest accessible cost. That is what our prototype is based on, by using novel moisture-harvesting materials (desiccant materials). Desiccants are chemical substances with a natural tendency to absorb atmospheric moisture either by physical absorption or by forming chemical bonds. The desiccants primary use is to absorb humidity from the atmosphere during the nighttime (as the relative humidity (RH) is higher at night). The solar collector heats the air during the daytime, passing through the rich-desiccant material. As the desiccant material gets hot, they release the moisture content picked up by the hot air. Now it is much easier to condense hot air carrying a large amount of water compared to air at normal temperature using solar energy as a main source of energy. However, the desiccant material can face many issues, such as the low sorption capacity. In order to develop the desiccant material to become more efficient, we make a composite desiccant material consisting of the silica gel and a hygroscopic salt such as CaCl2, taking advantage of the stability of the porous matrix and high-water sorption capacity of hygroscopic salts. According to studies, The collected water from this system will be most pure and drinkable. However, it will suffer from a lack of minerals. Due to this, we make a mineralization system for the water to pass through it to produce water of high quality..The prototype consists of three units: the simple distillation unit, the power supply unit, the automation unit. First, we started to construct and connect the power supply unit. The positive and negative terminals of the solar panel are connected to the input of the BMS. Then, the output of the BMS, which produces 2.1A, is connected to a DC boost converter to increase the voltage to 28V. After that, a 12V regulator is used to regulate this 28V to 12V. a ceramic capacitor is used to solve the voltage spikes of the regulator. Finally, the output of 12V from the regulator and the two capacitors is connected to the positive and negative terminal of the H-bridge, which will give power to the motors and the Arduino board. Last but not least, the third unit of the prototype is the automation unit. It consists of an Arduino board, breadboard, H-bridge, 6-12V water pump, 3-6V DC motor, water level sensor, jumpers, buzzer, two led, Bluetooth module. First, we connected the sensor pins to the GND and VCC of the Arduino. The signal pin is connected to the analog pin A5. The pins of the Bluetooth module are connected to the GND, VCC, the RX pin is connected to the digital pin 2, and the TX is connected to the digital pin 3. The water pump is connected to the pins dic1, dic2 of the H-bridge. Then the direction pins of the water pump are connected to the digital pins 5 and 6 of the Arduino. The speed pin of the water pump is connected to the digital pin 9 of the Arduino. By the same method, the DC motor is connected to the H-bridge. The directions pins are connected to the digital pins 7 and 8. The process of the automation part is that the water level sensor is programmed in the code to give the signals in numbers, and if the number is less than 500 hundred, it sends a signal to the Arduino, which gives a function to the water pump tom keep pumping water. Furthermore, if the readings of the water level sensor are more than 500, that means that the needed amount of ions is added, and it is time to stop pumping. Furthermore, there is DHT 11 that measures relative humidity and temperature. The readings of the sensor can be observed from the screen by “lap view”.
Minerals Added
Magnesium:
This element is the second most abundant intracellular cation. Adult body content is 20-28 g, 60-65% of which is found in the skeleton and 1% in extracellular fluid. Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions. Magnesium is involved in the function of enzymes of carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleic acid metabolisms. It is essential for the mineralization and development of the skeleton, and also plays a role in cellular permeability and neuromuscular excitability. Magnesium deficiency induces increased neuromuscular excitability, and it enhances potassium renal excretion. Deficiency of this element has been implicated in hypertension and type II diabetes . Low magnesium intake has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Balance studies provided the basis for the estimation of magnesium requirement. Other criteria utilized to provide Mg recommendation are based on the relationship between magnesium intake and magnesium serum levels or magnesium and potassium content of the muscle, and on studies performed in young children recovering from malnutrition with diets containing different concentrations of this mineral. The Scientific Committee for Food of the European Commission provided a recommended intake based on observed acceptable range of intakes. In the FAO/WHO report 2002, the upper limits of 65 mg for children ages 1-3 years, 110 mg for 4-10 years, and 350 mg for adolescents and adults are suggested as tolerable limits for the content of soluble magnesium in foods and drinking water based on the IOM report published in 1997. However, according to IOM these upper limits are for non-food source because magnesium has not been shown to produce any toxic effects when ingested as a naturally occurring substance in foods.
Calcium:
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body (1.5 - 2.0% of the total body weight). The total body content of an adult is approximately 1.2 Kg, 99% of which is stored in the skeleton and 1% in extra- and intracellular fluids and cellular membranes. In addition to its major function as a primary structural constituent of the skeleton, calcium is also important for the regulation of multiple enzymes and hormonal responses, blood clotting, nerve transmission, muscle contraction/relaxation (including normal heart rhythm), vascular contraction and vasodilation, and glandular secretion. Calcium deficiency leads to decrease in bone mineral content and mass that results in a weaker bone structure, leading to increased risk for bone fractures. According to the IOM insufficient information is available to establish precise requirements, thus an AI is provided for each of the life stage groups. The AIs were derived from balance studies, factorial modelling using calcium accretion based on bone mineral accretion and clinical trials which evaluated the response/change in bone mineral content/density or fracture rate to varying calcium intakes. The Scientific Committee for Food of the European Commission utilized factorial analysis to estimate requirements for calcium. The recent FAO/WHO expert committee on vitamin and minerals provided recommended intakes considering the effect of protein and salt intake, thus calcium recommendations are substantially lower for populations in developing countries with lower salt and protein intakes. This is relevant since most populations in developing countries not consuming dairy products have difficulty meeting the traditional calcium recommendations based on data obtained in industrialized countries.
Sodium, Potassium, and Chloride:
Sodium is the principal cation in the extracellular fluid, while potassium is predominantly an intracellular cation, and chloride is the main extracellular anion. These electrolytes have important physiological roles in the maintenance of extracellular fluid volume, extra- and intracellular osmolarity, regulation of acid - base balance, generation of trans-membrane electrochemical gradients, transmission of nerve impulses, and muscle contractions. In addition to its functions as an electrolyte, chloride is indispensable for gastric hydrochloric acid production. Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder. This deficiency usually is the consequence of excessive losses from the body, commonly occurring during prolonged and/or severe diarrhea or vomiting, or in hot, humid conditions in which a large amount of sodium is lost in sweat. Manifestations of hyponatremia, cerebral oedema and neuromuscular hyperexcitability, are the consequences of changes in extracellular fluid volume. Symptoms of CNS dysfunction are the most common. Dehydration or metabolic acidosis usually accompanies sodium deficit and these are commonly responsible in part for the clinical findings. Signs of sodium deficiency include cramps, weakness, fatigue, nausea, mental apathy, low blood pressure, confusion and seizures. Hypokalemia, low serum potassium, usually occurs as a consequence of increased gastrointestinal losses due to diarrhoea or vomiting. Muscle weakness, muscle cramping, paralytic ileus, and cardiac arrhythmia characterise this condition. Deficiency of chloride is rare and results from excessive gastrointestinal loss of chloriderich fluids (e.g. prolonged episodes of vomiting, diarrhoea) and is associated with a metabolic alkalosis. Balance studies, factorial analysis, daily intakes and biochemical indicators provided the basis for the estimation of sodium and potassium minimum requirements of healthy subjects proposed by the US National Research Council as well as for the acceptable range of intakes for sodium and chloride or population reference intakes for potassium proposed by the Scientific Committee for Food of the European Commission. Because both the intakes and losses of chloride normally matched those of sodium, the minimum requirements and acceptable range of intakes of chloride should match those for sodium.


Coming Soon...

Partnership:

Partnering with the water and irrigation government to extend underground pumps so water can be transported directly to customer's homes.

Sensors:

Adding atomic absorption spectroscopy to measure each ion's concentration.

Readings:

Connecting the sensors with the user's account on the website to display the readings. Thus readings can be shown from home, work, or any place.
WHY THIS IS AWESOME

What makes our product unique and different from competetors

☵
Water Quality

Taste, odor, clearness, health effects, benefits for soil: Account for the water quality and reliability. Includes pH, TDS & ions, and turbidity.

👍
Simplicity

Account for the project's complexity where it must be easy to use for unprofessional customers.

$
Profitability

Account for the project's ability to generate profits so it can be considered as a competitor when it drops to business.

Product
Location & area:
Western or eastern deserts of Egypt with an area of 500m2

Prices:
1. According to the Egyptian government, the land will cost 450$.
2. The glass body will cost about 30,000$, according to glass prices on March 2022
3. Silica gel will cost 1500$ per 10 tons. While the mineralization system & sensors will cost 170$
4. The solar panel will cost 100$, the BMS will cost 75$, the water pumps will cost 50$, and finally the water tanks will cost 2,500$
5. There is no energy cost as our product works on solar energy which is a clean and a renewable energy. Amount of water collected and liter's price: The amount of water collected is 2,000,000 liter of water. The total cost is 34,000$. Thus each liter will be 0.03$ which is approximately 1 pound.
Project Creators

Managed the Entrepreneurship side of the project dealing with product finance.

Ahmed Moneer

Entrepreneur

Researcher for the collection-section project idea and the team leader

Ibrahim Magdy

Researcher

Dealing with chemistry while calculating minerals needed for drinkable Water

Marwan Mohamed

Chemist


Website developer creating project's details website

Mohamed Ezzat

Developer

Electronics while adding minerals to the collected water

Youssef Yasser

Electronics Expert

CONTACT US

Please inform us if you have any question or commment!