Mil-Log
DSEi 2011: Taking water out of thin air
An Israeli company that has developed a system which sucks water out of humid air has made its DSEi debut.
WaterGen's system works just like a de-humidifier taking the water out of the air, re-mineralising it, cooling it and then making it available for use as drinking water.
The company has created a range of generator units designed to be fitted into military vehicles, giving the crews onboard their own self-sufficient supply of clean drinking water.
The generator sucks in air from outside the vehicle through filter which separates dust and grit. It is capable of producing 10-20 gallons of water each day depending on the environmental conditions.
The system is in service with the Israeli Defence Forces. As well as de-humidifying the air, the company has also developed what it calls a Water Treatment Unit (WTU), which processes the water produced as a by-product of air conditioning systems.
David Gillo, VP of business development at WaterGen, told Shephard that such a system could reduce issues such as the water logistics chain supporting operations in Afghanistan.
'When a gallon of water costs the military nearly $5, systems like this could save them a great deal of money,' Gillo said.
He added that the system has a return on investment in as little as three months.
The company has also developed a number of scaled-up systems, which have been designed to be fitted onto articulated lorries, and capable of producing up to 10,000 litres of water (2,600 gallons) each day.
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