IIT-Madras ties up with private firm to make water from air

CHENNAI: The air you breathe can soon quench your thirst. Indian Institute of Technology, Madras along with Teertha, a private technology firm, is working on a low-cost device that can produce potable water from atmospheric air using solar power. The device, named Nero, can produce four to five litres of potable water in a day.
“The collaboration is expected to have a major impact on remote areas and people who are isolated from conventional water sources,” said Ravindra Gettu, dean, IC&SR, who signed an MoU with Durga Das, CEO of Teertha on Wednesday.
M P Maiya of the department of mechanical engineering, IIT-Madras, who will be coordinating the project, S S Sivakumar, Jayakar Rao and Iftekhar Pathan, co-founders of Teerthaa, were also present on the occasion.
According to researchers, the product will be affordable, have negligible operating costs since it will operate on solar power and also have minimal maintenance cost.
M P Maiya said, “Atmospheric air is not only a major source of fresh water but also universally available. However, it is in the form of vapour, and the challenge is to collect it as liquid. The proposed solar still, based on desiccant technology, traps water molecules from the atmospheric air during the night and yields water during the day. It would be a boon to places where even brackish water is not available.”
Durga Das said, “We are interested in exploring and perfecting different technologies of Atmospheric Moisture Extraction (AME) as a part of our major national mission of availability of potable water for the masses. With Nero, we will bring to light and enhance the lives of millions of homes in the villages where water is scarce.”
She said, “We brought the first Indian built atmospheric water generator in India 14 years ago and hold a patent for the same. Now, we will bring the first solution that will generate 4-5 litres of water without any electricity and maintenance free.”