Post by account_disabled on Feb 25, 2024 1:55:00 GMT -5
The proposed new method collects water sources.
While significant parts of the world already face significant freshwater shortages , the need for more freshwater is expected to increase to sustain growing global population and economic growth and adapt to climate change.
There is an almost unlimited supply of fresh water in the form of water vapor above the Earth's oceans, but it remains untapped. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have proposed new infrastructure capable of collecting ocean water vapor as a solution to limited freshwater supplies in several places around the world.
The study evaluated water-stressed locations around the world to determine the feasibility of a hypothetical structure capable of capturing water vapor over the ocean and condensing it into fresh water, and doing so in a way that will remain feasible in the face of continued climate.
“The scarcity of freshwater sources is a global problem and hits close to home here in the US with respect to sinking water levels in the Colorado River Basin, affecting the entire western US.” "said Praveen Kumar, research executive. “However, in subtropical regions, such as the western US, nearby oceans are continually evaporating water because there is sufficient solar radiat C Level Executive List ion due to very little cloud cover throughout the year.”
According to the researchers, previous wastewater recycling , cloud seeding, and desalination techniques have had limited success. Although established in some parts of the world, desalination plants face sustainability issues due to the brine and heavy metal-laden wastewater they produce.
Eventually, we will have to find a way to increase the supply of fresh water sources, since conserving and recycling water from existing sources, while essential, will not be enough to meet human needs. Now, the UIUC team has come up with a new method that can do it on a large scale.
For their study, the researchers performed atmospheric and economic analyzes of the placement of hypothetical water vapor extraction structures meters wide and meters high. Based on their models, the scientists found that capturing moisture over ocean surfaces is feasible for many water-stressed regions around the world. The estimated water yield of the proposed structures could supply freshwater sources to large population centers in the subtropics.
“Climate projections show that the flow of ocean vapor will only increase over time, providing even more supply of freshwater sources,” Afeefa Rahman said. “So the idea we are proposing will be feasible under climate change. “This provides an effective and much-needed approach to climate change adaptation, particularly for vulnerable populations living in arid and semi-arid regions of the world.”
According to scientists, this global supply solution works based on the natural water cycle, eliminating the use of outdated wastewater recycling techniques, cloud seeding or costly ocean desalination processes. The researchers said this study opens the door to new infrastructure investments that can effectively address the growing global shortage of freshwater sources.
While significant parts of the world already face significant freshwater shortages , the need for more freshwater is expected to increase to sustain growing global population and economic growth and adapt to climate change.
There is an almost unlimited supply of fresh water in the form of water vapor above the Earth's oceans, but it remains untapped. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have proposed new infrastructure capable of collecting ocean water vapor as a solution to limited freshwater supplies in several places around the world.
The study evaluated water-stressed locations around the world to determine the feasibility of a hypothetical structure capable of capturing water vapor over the ocean and condensing it into fresh water, and doing so in a way that will remain feasible in the face of continued climate.
“The scarcity of freshwater sources is a global problem and hits close to home here in the US with respect to sinking water levels in the Colorado River Basin, affecting the entire western US.” "said Praveen Kumar, research executive. “However, in subtropical regions, such as the western US, nearby oceans are continually evaporating water because there is sufficient solar radiat C Level Executive List ion due to very little cloud cover throughout the year.”
According to the researchers, previous wastewater recycling , cloud seeding, and desalination techniques have had limited success. Although established in some parts of the world, desalination plants face sustainability issues due to the brine and heavy metal-laden wastewater they produce.
Eventually, we will have to find a way to increase the supply of fresh water sources, since conserving and recycling water from existing sources, while essential, will not be enough to meet human needs. Now, the UIUC team has come up with a new method that can do it on a large scale.
For their study, the researchers performed atmospheric and economic analyzes of the placement of hypothetical water vapor extraction structures meters wide and meters high. Based on their models, the scientists found that capturing moisture over ocean surfaces is feasible for many water-stressed regions around the world. The estimated water yield of the proposed structures could supply freshwater sources to large population centers in the subtropics.
“Climate projections show that the flow of ocean vapor will only increase over time, providing even more supply of freshwater sources,” Afeefa Rahman said. “So the idea we are proposing will be feasible under climate change. “This provides an effective and much-needed approach to climate change adaptation, particularly for vulnerable populations living in arid and semi-arid regions of the world.”
According to scientists, this global supply solution works based on the natural water cycle, eliminating the use of outdated wastewater recycling techniques, cloud seeding or costly ocean desalination processes. The researchers said this study opens the door to new infrastructure investments that can effectively address the growing global shortage of freshwater sources.