3,100 cubic miles of potable water are in the earth's atmosphere at all times, waiting to be condensed
However, current atmospheric water generation technologies require large amounts of energy to condense atmospheric water, limiting the cost effectivenes of these solutions to deliver water to those who need it most
Passive | Scalable | Modular | Affordable | Sustainable
Leveraging the earth as a nature based condensing mechanism in 4 simple steps
Step 1: Solar Thermal Tower Creates an Updraft of Airflow
Solar energy is first used to heat ambient air underneath a solar collector array. Hot air rises, therefore creating an airflow up the tower. This updraft acts as the power source driving VENA's AWG system, effectively replacing the need for an external form of power.
Step 2: Updraft of Airflow Brings Ambient Air Below Ground For Pre-Cooling
The airflow is channeled to create a vaccum effect, passively pulling air below ground for pre-cooling. This air enters intakes of the system, where through proven geothermal technology, an earth to air heat exchanger leverages the cool temperatures of the earth to remove latent heat, precooling the air to reach a dew point . At this stage the air is at a supersaturated, or "fog", state. This supersaturated air is the same "fog" found in naturally in our environment.
Step 3: Pre Cooled Air Enters Condensation Chamber
Even though fog has formed and the air has reached a dew point, water will only condense through the presence of a surface area or pressure differential. Pre-cooled fog enters the condensation chamber, where a combination of surface area enhancements, condensation enhancing coatings, and pressure differential mechanisms enhance the condensation of water. As water forms it is collected in a sterile storage container, while dry air exits out of the system and up the tower.
Step 4: Condensed Water is Pumped to Surface
In VENA's AWG system, water is continuously condensed and collected in a sterile storage container. This water is continuously pumped to the surface, where it is filtered through carbon based, UV filtration, and mineralized salt blocks to ensure potability.
Competitor technologies require extensive electricity and transportation to deliver unsustainable water
VENA's AWG has the smallest carbon footprint of any water deliverance technology on the market. VENA's AWG eliminates the use of energy intensive condensing mechanisms found in conventional AWG technologies. By eliminating moving parts, mechanical mechanisms and energy intensive refrigerants to generate water, our AWG requires minimal maintenance and operational costs. By providing low energy, local and sustainable water to water scarce regions, our AWG is the least expensive AWG on the market today. Once each unit is constructed, VENA's AWG will produce water through the system's lifespan.
We combine existing, low cost, and proven technologies in our AWG solution
The Updraft Tower
The updraft tower was invented over 100 years ago, however never adopted until the late 1970's as a means for power production. Airflow would rise, powering turbines placed inside the tower to create electric energy. The single most expensive component in this power system is the turbine, with the remaining infrastructure as a minor cost in comparison. VENA has modified this technology, containing no turbines or expensive glass, to act as VENA's AWG power, or airflow, source. The updraft tower infrastructure is a proven and cost effective technology.
Earth to Air Heat Exchangers
Earth to Air Heat Exchangers (EAX) are used in various geothermal designs for building heating and cooling. As a proven technology, the EAX has been used for HVAC and power production systems for decades.
VENA uses EAX technology to pre-cool ambient air before entering VENA's AWG condensation chamber, effectively removing latent heat and cooling the air down to a supersaturated, or "fog", state before condensation occurs.
Dew Collection Technology
Dew collection happens naturally in our enviornment every day. For thousands of years humans have been attempting to collect dew as a means for drinking water.There are multiple approaches to condensation and dew collection that have been widely explored, both surface area based apparatuses and pressure differential technology (the same process found naturally in rain formation).
VENA's AWG condensation design employs a combination of surface area enhancement, heat rejection and pressure differential technologies to efficiently remove sensible heat and trigger condensation. The water in VENA's AWG condenses both efficiently and passively.
The Elegance of VENA's AWG Architecture
VENA's AWG architecture is designed to minimize materials and construction while optimizing performance and cost. Our system's architecture is design to be able to be constructed with local materials and equipment. We use commercially off the shelf products (COTS) to comprise each system component. Through remote satellite sensors and monitoring technology, VENA is able to measure continuous performance, advising local maintenance personnel on effective maintenance practices to ensure optimal functionality. However VENA's passive AWG design contains no moving parts, mechanical mechanisms or harmful refrigerants, requiring minimal maintenance and cost to local communities.
