Water from thin air

Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB have discovered a way of obtaining drinking water from air humidity.

Working alongside German company Logos Innovationen, the scientists have developed a system that uses a saline solution to absorb moisture from the air.

According to the team, this device could be useful in desert environments where there are significant quantities of water stored in the air.

Siegfried Egner, head of department at the IGB, explained: ‘The process we have developed is based exclusively on renewable energy sources such as thermal solar collectors and photovoltaic cells, which makes this method completely energy-autonomous.

‘It will therefore function in regions where there is no electrical infrastructure.’

The system works by running hygroscopic brine down a tower-shaped unit and absorbing water from the air.