The University Center for Energy Efficient Buildings of CTU is developing a mobile autonomous device that should fit into the back of a regular van and function as an emergency source of water from atmospheric moisture in a desert environment. It will be presented to the public in February 2021 at the World Expo in Dubai.
Last year, a team of young scientists from CTU UCEEB tested the performance characteristics of individual components of the device. He then performed year-round simulations for desert climate conditions. Based on their results, he assembled the first test prototype at the end of 2019 and began testing it in laboratory conditions.
They are currently finalizing the preparations for filing two patent applications, but the development work is far from over. During this year, based on the test results, it will be necessary to create the final version of the device and test it in a real desert environment. The creators expect that MAGDA in its final form will produce about 10 liters of water per day and the dimensions of the unit will not exceed 1 x 1 x 2 m.
The name MAGDA is an abbreviation of the English designation Mobile Autonomous Water Generator from Desert Air. The idea for its creation followed the development of a significantly larger system for extracting water from the air called SAWER, the first prototype of which was successfully tested in a real desert environment in 2019. The experience gained was used in the design and production of the second version of the equipment intended for the Czech national pavilion at the world exhibition EXPO 2020 in Dubai.
