air air aerial structure device collects water promoting moisture air designs air wells varied simplest designs completely passive require external energy source moving parts principal designs air wells designated high mass active high mass air wells early 20th century approach failed low mass collectors developed late 20th century onwards proved successful active collectors collect water way designs work require energy source making special circumstances new innovative designs seek energy requirements active use energy resources background air designs incorporate substrate temperature sufficiently low forms form precipitation occurs naturally atmospheric water substrate distinct fog fog water particles air releases heat dissipated order water collection continue air requires moisture air earth surrounding atmosphere contains water according atmosphere contains cubic kilometres fresh water composed percent water percent condensed water clouds figure comparable liquid water resources inhabited lands quantity water contained air commonly reported relative humidity depends temperature warmer air contain water cooler air air cooled point saturated moisture suitable surface instance temperature air percent relative humidity temperature falls relative humidity percent related distinct technique obtaining atmospheric moisture fog fence air confused pond pond artificial pond intended livestock pond cloud pond mist pond derives widely held belief pond filled moisture air fact ponds primarily filled stone significantly increase crop yields arid areas notably case island millimetres rain year permanent rivers despite substantial crops grown volcanic stones trick discovered volcanic credit stone promoting idea inspired unlikely effect significant plants able absorb directly leaves main benefit stone reduce water loss soil eliminate competition history beginning early 20th century number experimented high mass collectors notable investigators russian engineer given french german australian researcher belgian inventor collector near site ancient byzantine city thirteen large piles stones discovered engineer charge area stone pile covered square metres metres tall finds associated remains millimetre diameter pipes apparently led wells city concluded stone supplied water calculated air produced litres imp gal gal day verify hypothesis constructed stone pile altitude metres mount near ancient site surrounded wall metre high metres wide bowl shaped collection area drainage sea stones centimetres diameter metres high truncated cone metres diameter shape stone pile allowed good air flow minimal thermal contact stones began operate maximum daily production later estimated litres imp gal gal public record results time base developed leaks forced experiment end site partially dismantled abandoned site rediscovered cleaned approximately size ancient stone piles found yield yield calculated original structures experiment inspiration later developers collector inspired work built small air near concrete structure metres square metres high filled cubic metres limestone pieces centimetres diameter small vent holes pyramid holes closed opened required control flow air structure allowed cool night warm moist air let day formed limestone pieces collected reservoir ground level water obtained varied imp gal gal litres imp gal gal day depending atmospheric conditions consider experiment success retired order possibly want leave improper installation later continue studies air wells collectors wolf successful chemist working berlin 1920s 1930s time tested forms air wells yugoslavia adriatic_sea work inspired works known jewish scholar wrote arabic years ago mentioned use water palestine experimented simple design area mountain slope cleared watertight surface shaded simple canopy supported pillars ridges sides structure closed edges left open night mountain slope cool day moisture collect run surface system apparently worked expensive finally adopted compact design based masonry structure design shaped building metres high walls metres thick holes outer wall concrete high thermal capacity inner surface material sandstone according traces tentatively identified wolf wife maria emigrated australia decision probably primarily result maria encounters nazi authorities decision settle australia britain influenced wolf desire develop dry continent australia likely need alternative sources fresh water premier south_australia met london expressed interest specific proposal small town cook supply water cook railway company previously installed large coal powered active expensive run cheaper simply transport water australian government turned proposal lost interest project aerial previously worked systems removing moisture buildings turn inspired work set building large aerial metres high hill france beginning tower took months build stands today albeit dilapidated condition time construction excited public interest tower metres high massive masonry walls metres thick number let air inside massive column concrete night structure allowed cool day warm moist air enters structure high descends leaves building lower intention water cool inner column keeping finding surface rough surface tension sufficiently low condensed water central column outer surface projecting plates slate placed nearly vertically encourage collecting basin structure unfortunately aerial achieved like hoped performance produced litres water day end twentieth century mechanics better understood key insight low mass collectors rapidly lose heat radiation perform best number researchers worked method early 1960s sheets supported simple frame resembling ridge tent israel plants supplied slight rainfall collectors survived better control group planted aids dried summer new_mexico special foil produced sufficient water supply young party french academics attended condensed matter conference ukraine physicist introduced story ancient supplied water sufficiently intrigued went concluded identified fact ancient burial pipes medieval origin associated found remains examined closely apparently performed reasonably fact exact results clear possible collector fog added significantly yield worked probably fact stones near surface mound able lose heat night isolated ground produced yield envisaged fired enthusiasm party returned france set specific objective making available alternative source water began study laboratory conditions developed special film experimented trial installations including square metres collector vital insights included idea mass surface low possible easily retain heat protected unwanted thermal radiation layer shed condensed moisture readily time ready practical installation heard members obtained grant construct india april incidentally noticed substantial roof cottage beach resort arid coastal region briefly staying following year investigated phenomenon closely interviewed local people financed team went develop passive use arid coastal region active began tested wide range materials got good results iron aluminium sheets found sheets special plastic developed thick generally worked better metal sheets expensive plastic film known foil mixed dioxide types principal approaches design heat collect moisture air wells high mass active early twentieth century interest high mass air wells despite experimentation including construction massive structures approach proved failure late twentieth century onwards investigation low mass collectors proved successful high mass high mass air design attempts cool large mass masonry cool nighttime air entering structure natural convection day warmth sun results increased atmospheric humidity moist daytime air enters air presumably cool masonry high mass collectors performed aerial particularly conspicuous example problem high mass collectors rid sufficient heat night despite design features intended ensure happen believed correct article discusses high mass designs type yield useful amounts water ancient air wells mentioned sources evidence persistent belief existence character modern myth air designed cool substrate heat night sky substrate low mass hold heat isolated mass including ground typical collector presents surface angle horizontal surface backed thick layer material foam supported metres ground level installed ridge roofs low buildings supported simple frame heights typically work expensive convenient mount collector near ground level storey building square metres illustrated near start article built near ground area north west india installed occurs months year installation collects millimetres water season nearly nights year provides total litres imp gal gal water school owns operates site flat designs benefit simplicity designs inverted significantly effective probably designs shield surfaces unwanted heat lower atmosphere symmetrical sensitive wind direction new materials better collectors material inspired beetle survives moisture extracts atmosphere found coated microscopic projections peaks researchers emulated capability creating surface combines alternating materials active active atmospheric water collectors use mechanical essentially required cool heat point water produced water production place product possibly unwanted air conditioning system example produces estimated million gallons water year tower landscape mechanical energy intensive active collectors typically restricted places supply water lower cost sufficiently far supply fresh water transport circumstances uncommon large installations tried 1930s cook south_australia failed cost running installation cheaper transport water large distances case small installations convenience cost wide range small machines designed offices produce litres drinking water atmosphere circumstances source water atmosphere example 1930s american designers added systems case air emitted exhaust engines contained additional water product moisture collected additional ballast compensate loss weight fuel consumed collecting ballast way kept relatively constant having release gas expensive limited supply recently international space station module includes humidity control system water collects usually supply system water hydrogen oxygen drinking emergency number designs energy requirements active method use ground heat sink drawing air underground pipes provide source cool air building means ground coupled heat known earth tubes typically regarded significant problem major problem designs underground tubes subject contamination difficult clean designs type require air drawn pipes fan power required provided supplemented wind turbine cold cool interior greenhouse like structure cooling effective plants inside benefit reduced collects outside structure easily collected type atmospheric water collector makes use atmospheric water ambient temperature makes possible extract moisture relative humidity low percent systems sort proved useful emergency supplies safe drinking water regeneration needs heated designs regeneration energy supplied sun air night bed water day premises closed greenhouse effect increases temperature solar pools water partially cold collected french company recently designed small wind turbine uses electric generator power onboard mechanical system water
Air well (condenser)