Dew water collector for potable water in Ajaccio (Corsica Island, France)

International audienceWe report on the development of an inexpensive radiative condenser for collecting atmospheric vapor. Based on the experience gained using a small working model in Grenoble (France), a prototype of 10×3 m2 was established in Ajaccio (Corsica, France). The condensing surface is a rectangular foil made of TiO2 and BaSO4 microspheres embedded in polyethylene and has an angle of 30° with respect to horizontal. The hollow part of the device, thermally isolated, faces the direction of the dominant nocturnal wind. Dew measurements were correlated with meteorological data and compared to dew condensed on a horizontal polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, Plexiglas) reference plate. The plate served as a reference standard unit and was located nearby. Between July 22, 2000 and November 11, 2001 (478 days), there were 145 dew days for the reference plate (30%), but 214 dew days for the condenser (45%). This yield corresponds to 767 l (3.6 l, on average, per dew day). The maximum yield in the period was 11.4 l/day. Dew mass can be fitted to a simple model that predicts dew production from simple meteorological data (temperature, humidity, wind velocity, cloud cover). Chemical analyses of the water collected from the plate were performed from October 16, 1999 to July 16, 2000 and from the condenser, from July 17, 2000 to March 17, 2001. The following parameters were investigated: suspended solids, pH, concentration of SO42−, Cl−, K+, Ca2+ ions. Only Cl− and SO42− ions were sometimes found significant. Wind direction analyses revealed that Cl− is due to the sea spray and SO42− to the combustion of fuel by an electrical plant located in the Ajaccio Gulf. Except for a weak acidity (average pH≈6) and high concentration of suspended solids, dew water fits the requirements for potable water in France with reference to the above ions