Fog/Dew harvesting

[Vodin]

I ran across an article that sent my brain into overdrive.

http://www.businessinsider.com/warkawater-clean-drinking-water-2014-4

Now take that 35' structure and break it down. A bag that contained potatoes, fruits or onions. It is the same material used in the large version. The container would be a 5 gallon bucket. The frame supporting the bag... still thinking on that needs to be easily available.

But drinkable water just from the pre morning fog/dew it collects on the 'bag' it is not absorbed and it runs down into your container.

[bacpacker]

Sound's like a good idea to me. Actually reminds me of the theory of using a plastic garbage bag over a plant, bush, etc overnight and have it funnel ed into a container. Pretty effective.

[Vodin]

Had a little time and some supplies available. Set up a dew collector test unit in my back yard. The build is simplistic, free and I will keep you apprised of the result. If it has an output I will fill you all in tomorrow. :)

[bacpacker]

Looking forward to the results.

[Vodin]

Sadly up high it collected no rain water in Colorado. And the second night it snowed as did the third nite (tonite). I will place this in a ground indentation to help retain the heat. But at this point no good results have been gained. :(

[bacpacker]

Do you keep an eye on humidity levels out there? My understanding is Colorado typically has pretty low levels. I know that is a factor in dew fall.

[Vodin]

Yes bacpacker. Humidity is key and CO is a desert. But there are occasional misty morns since is stream bed is on the other side of my back yard fence. Currently contemplating burying the bucket the dew collector is in to create a change in temperature for the container. In the winter we usually get moisture it is the summer that I am focusing on for this to be declared a method of water collection.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=06712000&PARAmeter_cd=00045,72192

This website is what I use for the calculations after an evening of attempted collections.

[bacpacker]

Thanks for the link. I'm betting digging a hole will improve your odds. The change in temp should help quite a bit.

[Vodin]

Right now the minor snow flurries are limiting my testing. :(

[Sniper-T]

I have done an 'in ground' version succesfully in the past. basically dig a hole, suspend a piece of heavy clear poly over it, slightly slack, place a small rock on the plastic in the center to create a funnel and place a cup or bowl under the plastic in the hole centered where the rock is.
Condensation forms on the bottom of the plastic runs down the plastic over the cup and drips in.

Hot humid days work the best.

Vodin, you realize that you can just melt the snow for water, eh? ;)

[Vodin]

Sniper-T, the method I am using is being used in a desert Colorado. Snow and rain is an easy collection process.

What I am attempting is collecting the moisture in the air. As the air blows through a fine mesh PE Plastic it will the condensate on the mesh. Since the mesh has near 0 moisture absorption the moisture will be pulled into a container via gravity.

This is being done in Africa effectively a 27 foot tall Warka water tower collect 10-20 liters of water per square meter of material used in a 24 hour period.

My desire is to create such a device but where it can be portable. The issues I am having is the proper placement of this device and the temperature that needs to be achieved for condensation to occur.

[Caveman Survival]

MAJOR NECRO THREAD ALERT----

But I could not help but laugh at this. You are essentially a moisture farmer. Be wary or anyone trying to sell you droids. It didn't turn out too well for Lars and Beru...


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Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy. – George Bernard Shaw

To me, it seems a dreadful indignity to have a soul controlled by geography. – George Santayana

[Vodin]

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-tower-pulls-drinking-water-out-of-thin-air-180950399/?no-ist

http://www.designboom.com/design/architecture-vision-collects-potable-water-with-warka-tower-02-15-2014/

It makes sense, and some one stopped buy to sell me drones..but no droids as of yet.