Innovative mechanical design services firm Inventus Designs is developing a new water harvesting product intended to produce water in areas that are affected by water shortages.

The project, which started in November 2020 and is currently in the prototyping phase until the end of this month, was inspired by the significant water shortages experienced in Cape Town in 2016.

The device, developed by Inventus Designs’ two young entrepreneurs, Rishen Juddhoo and Sanele Melane, alongside the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), harvests water with output four times more than current market units based on a time period of one hour.

The duo aimed to design an atmospheric water generator that remains within the realm of conventional scientific principles while enhancing the environment in which condensation occurs, thereby resulting in greater yield capacity.

In addition to the development of mechanisms enabling a standard fridge compressor’s cooling system, using a conventional vapour compression system, to deliver four times as much water, the water harvesting unit has unique factors that set it apart from what is available in the market currently.

Using a method that uses a plate design system as the basis of the working area, as well as unique surface structures to aid in forming condensation, the design can produce water in low humidity areas and with a dew point temperature of 2 °C, the temperature at which vapour condenses to liquid.

“We found that the critical function that would create higher extraction rates is a mechanically controlled means of [water] extraction,” Melane tells Engineering News & Mining Weekly, explaining that, when droplets form, the device does not rely on gravity to harvest the water for the next stage, which is to filter the water.

The design is modular, enabling users to control the working area, cooling factor, energy consumption, changing of environmental temperatures and humidity.

The unit is also designed to accommodate both AC and DC power, which accommodates the use of renewable sources of power, to operate the machine, and can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes.

“The fact that this devices’ versatility is far and wide, and the fact that it will also use alternative energy to generate water, makes it a great option for people who pursue off-the-grid living.”

The filtration system, which is also streamlined to keep maintenance costs to a minimum, provides protection against airborne threats and waterborne diseases.

The device’s modular nature also enables a high level of versatility, which enables not only household use, but use when camping or in the agriculture sector, where droughts have hampered the crop yielding capabilities of farms, and is suitable for domestic and international use.

The device, enabling access to clean drinking water and an opportunity to save on water bills, can also be used in the hospitality sector, on mines and construction sites, or in hospitals.

Inventus Designs is currently in discussions with stakeholders in the hydroponic sector to alleviate their water consumption and initial contact has been made with major retail outlets to establish a way forward once the device has reached its commercialisation phase, which is expected within the next two to three years.

“Inventus Designs would like to thank the Department of Science and Technology for the support that they have provided through the Technology Innovation Agency. With the tireless work and assistance of TIA portfolio manager for natural resources Marisa Naidoo and TIA department head Dayanandan Naidoo, a dream and a vision have been realised.”

Inventus Designs is currently in the process of acquiring a multiple international phase of patent protection, owing to the water harvesting devices’ various unique factors.