|Digital Matter
|Water Farm
A System for Urban Decarbonization
|Team
Taras Kashko, Eve Nnaji, Robyn Houghton
|Faculty
Areti Markopoulou, David Andres Leon, Raimund Krenmuller
|Project year
2019-20
Water scarcity poses a critical global challenge due to depleting groundwater, diminished river flows, and polluted freshwater sources. Despite abundant water bodies, communities face scarcity driven by population growth, climate shifts, and industrialization. Amidst this crisis, an overlooked solution lies in the moisture-rich air above oceans, maintaining high humidity levels. This project Water Farm proposes leveraging hydrogel, a super absorbent polymer, to harness atmospheric moisture without external energy. Each gram of hydrogel can absorb 170ml of water, offering an innovative approach to address water scarcity
Utilizing hydrogel, the initiative captures atmospheric moisture, offering a sustainable method for freshwater production, addressing water scarcity challenges for communities in need. This novel approach taps into abundant resources, providing safe, clean freshwater by harnessing evaporating moisture from the air.
Initial experiments examined its absorption rates with different liquids, revealing that direct absorption of seawater by hydrogel was restricted to 25%. Consequently, the focus shifted towards proving the concept’s viability through the desorption process. The exploration extended to anchoring hydrogel with various textiles and mesh materials, enhancing its water uptake. Innovative encapsulation techniques led to fascinating kinetics, allowing for the expansion of hydrogel structures, resembling the blooming of a flower. However, structural stability varied based on the quantity of hydrogel, impacting capsule size and the number required to sustain an individual’s daily water needs.
The system’s design was meticulously detailed: a bed of hydrogel capsules situated above seawater, utilizing passive desalination through absorption and subsequent evaporation. A dome structure above facilitated heat capture for evaporation, drawing inspiration from beetle shell research to optimize water flow. Despite its functionality, the initial design felt detached from the communities it aimed to serve.
Recognizing the need for contextualization, the project underwent a significant transformation, embracing bamboo as a primary material. Variations in bamboo structures were explored to adapt to diverse community contexts. Optimization efforts involved adjusting hydrogel quantities, enhancing surface areas for evaporation, and utilizing genetic algorithms for structure refinement. The final design aimed to blend functionality with simplicity, featuring modules optimized for necessity rather than excess, visually distinct within the community landscape.
The proposal eventually evolved into a distributed network of water farms, presenting a sustainable and accessible resource solution for diverse communities facing escalating water needs. This restructured approach considered the broader context, emphasizing localized materials like bamboo, and refining designs to suit the unique requirements of different regions. Overall, the initiative moved beyond technical prowess to prioritize community integration and environmental sustainability.
