With less than 0.04 inches of rainfall every year, cities in the arid Chile desert – one of the most drought in the world – is determined by its water from old water sources underground. Now, researchers have selected another simple way that can help treat water scarcity.
An international team of researchers in Chile tested the validity of the water collection method that could be Directly from Sand dunesFog harvest. It also brings technology Star Wars To the mind, it is Moisture farmers From Tatwin. This practice can bring great satisfaction to people who live in unofficial poor places without reaching a stable water source, according to what he said. TicketIt was published today in the magazine Borders in Environmental Sciencesand
“Collecting and using water, especially from unconventional sources such as fog water, represents an essential opportunity to improve the quality of the life of the population,” Virginia Carter, expert in sustainable development in a university mayor from the study, he said in a border statement. Carter and her colleagues conducted their studies in the rapid growing Alto Hospicio municipality, where about 10,000 people live in unofficial settlements-only 1.6 per cent of them are connected to water distribution networks.
The team used simple fog college: great nets, or a network, held by two poles. Moisture is condensed in the air into drops on the material, which then flows into a garden and in a water tank. Although their methods are not just as innovative like fictional shots that recycle urine into drinking water (which are currently dedicated to exploring space), fog college are negative systems that do not require electricity or other energy.
“By displaying its capabilities in Alto Hospital, one of the most shot and urban cities of Chile, laying the foundation to adopt wider in other urban areas that revolve around the water,” said Natalie Ferberg, an engineer at Liberi de Brooksals and another first. Participant author of the study.
Carter, Feroproji, and their colleagues revealed that 38.61 square miles (100 square kilometers) can lead between 0.05 and 1.32 gallons (0.2 and five liters) of fog water per 10.76 square feet (square meters) per day. August and September were its climax to collect fog water, as the researchers collected up to 2.64 gallons (10 liters) per 10.76 square feet (square meters) per day.
“This research represents a remarkable shift in the realization of the use of fog water-from the rural solution, to some extent to a practical water resource for cities,” Carter explained.
Researchers estimate that a relatively small area of grille can collect enough water to irrigate the green spaces of Alto Hospicio. The expansion of the system with the largest fog college can provide enough water to meet the weekly needs of the city’s informal settlements. They also indicate that fog water can be used for soil -free cultivation, which may produce up to 44 pounds (20 kilograms) of leafy vegetables every month.
Researchers refer to some shortcomings in their analysis. Their promising results of fog college came at higher altitudes outside the city’s borders, and therefore their regular use requires a large infrastructure for distribution in addition to large storage systems. Other basic requirements include fog density, appropriate wind patterns, and high ground shapes. In addition, because fog is seasonal in many areas, this contrast must be considered. “In fact, Carter stressed that” fog can serve as supplementary urban water supply, “and not a comprehensive solution to the scarcity of water.
However, the team still hopes to “encourage policy makers to integrate this renewed source in national water strategies.” “This can enhance urban flexibility of climate change and rapid urbanization while improving access to clean water.”
Although the harvesting of fog alone will not resolve the scarcity of water, it ultimately represents an innovative and sustainable way to collect water can one day become an important tool in water management in desert societies.