Aquafier - Small Scale Moisture Farming

In many places around the world, there is a lack of clean, easily accessible water. More than 650 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. The goal of this project is to provide families with a renewable source of drinking water in humid areas which lack this vital resource. Aquafier condenses water from humidity in the air, creating safe, drinkable water. The top side of the Aquafier will get hot while the bottom side gets cold. With a high humidity, water droplets will condense on the cold side of the Aquafier.

Step 1: Tools and Materials Needed

Tools Needed

• Receptacle for Collecting Water (preferably hydrophobic)
• Ring Stand
• 2 Ring Supports
• 3D Printer
• Humidifier
• Power Source
• Drill

Materials Needed

• 1× Peltier Cooler
• 1× Heat Sink with Straight Fins
• 1× Heat Sink with Diagonal Fins
• CPU Fan
• Thermal Grease
• Wire
• 3D Printing Filament
• Large Plastic Bin

Step 2: Assembling the Aquafier

1. Apply a thin layer of thermal grease on the flat side of one of the heat sinks.
2. Attach the Peltier Cooler to the heat sink with the thermal grease. Make sure to press firmly and move the Peltier Cooler around a bit while attaching it to the heat sink to remove trapped air.
3. Apply a thin layer of thermal grease on the remaining heat sink.
4. Attach this heat sink to the the other side of the Peltier Cooler to sandwich the Peltier Cooler between 2 heat sinks. Make sure to press firmly and move the heat sink around a bit while attaching it to remove trapped air.
5. Now the Aquafier unit is complete. Connect the Peltier Cooler to a power source using wires and test if one side gets hot and the other side gets cold.
6. If you would like the fins on the cold heat sink to be directed into a receptacle, create a 3D printed stand similar to the one shown in the picture above and attach the Aquafier unit on it.

Step 3: Creating a Testing Environment

If you do not live in a humid environment, you will have to create an environment to test your Aquafier. We recommend that you only test the Aquafier outside if the humidity is above 75%.

1. Take your large plastic bin and bore small holes along the side for the wire to go through. The heights of the holes should at an appropriate height for the wire to go through.
2. Inside the large plastic bin, on one side, place the humidifier.
3. On the opposite side, place a ring stand with 2 ring supports.
4. On the lower ring support, place the Aquafier unit with the cold side facing downward.
5. On the upper ring support, place the CPU fan so that it blows air on to the hot heat sink.
6. Feed the wires through the holes in the bin.
7. Connect the Aquafier, CPU fan, and humidifier to a power source.
8. Turn on the power source and allow the system to run for one hour.

Step 4: Enjoy Your Aquafier

The water vapor from the humidity in the testing environment will condense as droplets from the cold heat sink and drip down into the cup, providing clean water.