Post by bw on Oct 7, 2005 6:02:30 GMT -5
How to Make Water in the Desert
The desert is hot and dehydration can set in quickly. If you are stuck or stranded in the desert, you can use the sun to generate a sufficient amount of water for yourself.
This article discusses the concept of a "Solar 'still", or distillery. It can be used to collect water from soil in any climate, given enough sunlite and existant soil moisture.
Steps
Dig a few curved holes (the more the better) about two feet deep so that the moist subsoil is clearly visible.
Place an open coffee can, mug, cup or canteen in the center of each hole.
If you have a length of plastic tubing, you can run it from the bottom of the coffee can out the edge of the hole.
Lay a taut piece of clear plastic wrap across the top of the hole. To create a seal, pour sand in a circle around the hole along the outside of the plastic wrap. Pour the sand an inch or two from the edge of the plastic wrap. Ensure that the tubing runs underneath the plastic, and that there are no gaps not sealed by the sand.
Place a small to medium sized rock in the center of the plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap dips to a point above the can.
Sit back and wait for the sun to evaporate water out of the moist soil. The water will condense on the plastic wrap because it cannot escape the hole and will drip into the can. Given the right soil moisture, this technique can generate an abundance of water!
You can use the tubing to suck the water from the can without dismantling the 'still until the hole is depleted.
Once the sun dries the subsoil in that hole, start the process all over by digging another hole.
Tips
In the hole you can add a small amount of vegetation so that more evaporation will occur.
Do not dig the hole in the shade. The process needs direct sunlight to work correctly.
This technique can also be used to purify dirty water. Simply replace the hole with a larger container and do everything else the same. Fill the bowl with the muddy/nasty water and seal it over with plastic wrap and weight the sheeting over your cup. Place in the sun and wait. Once the water evaporates, it will be free of contaminants and clean, safe(so long as there are no microbes that might still be hanging around) to drink water is yours.
Warnings
The plastic wrap must seal the hole shut; if it is punctured the water will not condense.
Keep the plastic wrap from touching the can or else the water will not drip into the can.
The desert is hot and dehydration can set in quickly. If you are stuck or stranded in the desert, you can use the sun to generate a sufficient amount of water for yourself.
This article discusses the concept of a "Solar 'still", or distillery. It can be used to collect water from soil in any climate, given enough sunlite and existant soil moisture.
Steps
Dig a few curved holes (the more the better) about two feet deep so that the moist subsoil is clearly visible.
Place an open coffee can, mug, cup or canteen in the center of each hole.
If you have a length of plastic tubing, you can run it from the bottom of the coffee can out the edge of the hole.
Lay a taut piece of clear plastic wrap across the top of the hole. To create a seal, pour sand in a circle around the hole along the outside of the plastic wrap. Pour the sand an inch or two from the edge of the plastic wrap. Ensure that the tubing runs underneath the plastic, and that there are no gaps not sealed by the sand.
Place a small to medium sized rock in the center of the plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap dips to a point above the can.
Sit back and wait for the sun to evaporate water out of the moist soil. The water will condense on the plastic wrap because it cannot escape the hole and will drip into the can. Given the right soil moisture, this technique can generate an abundance of water!
You can use the tubing to suck the water from the can without dismantling the 'still until the hole is depleted.
Once the sun dries the subsoil in that hole, start the process all over by digging another hole.
Tips
In the hole you can add a small amount of vegetation so that more evaporation will occur.
Do not dig the hole in the shade. The process needs direct sunlight to work correctly.
This technique can also be used to purify dirty water. Simply replace the hole with a larger container and do everything else the same. Fill the bowl with the muddy/nasty water and seal it over with plastic wrap and weight the sheeting over your cup. Place in the sun and wait. Once the water evaporates, it will be free of contaminants and clean, safe(so long as there are no microbes that might still be hanging around) to drink water is yours.
Warnings
The plastic wrap must seal the hole shut; if it is punctured the water will not condense.
Keep the plastic wrap from touching the can or else the water will not drip into the can.