Page 103 - INC Magazine-November 2018

annotated

Water alchemy Liters of

clean H 20
that can be
Zero Mass Water uses some nifty science to squeeze potable produced
daily
water from the air. Founder Cody Friesen, a materials scientist and
associate professor at Arizona State University, spent nearly seven 5
years developing the Source Hydropanel. Using solar power,
a single system can produce enough drinking water for two to
three people each day—even in desert conditions. —KEVIN J. RYAN

Cost for each
Source panel
$2,000

the Moisture trap
The key is a super absorbent, sponge-
like material that contains pores of
varying sizes. a fan sucks air from the
outside world and blows it through
the material, which collects water at
20,000 times the concentration of
vapor in the air. a microchip relays data
on temperature, humidity, and water
$38 output, helping the com pany maxi-
mize water-producing efficiency.
million
Funding
raised

a thirst for knowledge
Friesen was born and raised
a solar still
number of in the sonoran desert in
“The problem statement was: How can diarrheal deaths caused arizona, which led him to
think about water scarcity
we leapfrog infrastructure, just as cell by contaminated at an early age. now, other
phones do?” Friesen says. The solar drinking water each year students will follow in his
panel converts sunlight to energy, 502,000 footsteps: several elemen-
tary schools in arizona have
which heats the material inside and source: World Health Organization installed source panels to
creates condensation. Water collects in supply their water fountains.
a 30-liter reservoir. Minerals are added Water, Water, everywhere it’s good hands-on science
learning—even if the kids
to improve taste and ozone is added The source Hydropanel launched in late don’t yet have a firm grasp
to maintain purity. Then the water is 2017, and its u.s. customers include on the thermodynamics.
pumped directly to a household tap or commercial and residential buildings,
schools, and private homes. The
a refrigerator’s fill station. Because the company has installed systems in low-
unit has its own solar panel, everything infrastructure areas of Mexico, Jordan,
occurs off the grid. “We’re accelerating and the Philippines, and it donated
panels to Puerto rico after Hurricane
water delivery from what is basically Maria. “drinking water,” says Friesen, “is
the roman era into the 21st century.” the greatest challenge facing humanity
at almost every economic level.”

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