Sept. 6, 2004: Munters Dehumidification System Generates Drinking Water
In operation, outside air passes through an efficient air filter, which removes dust, pollen, mold spores, and other airborne particles, says the company. The moisture is condensed from the outside air and collected in an ultraviolet-protected chamber. The condensate water is stored in a holding tank, which is continuously ozonated to prohibit bacterial growth. As needed, water is drawn from the tank, filtered through a VOC carbon filter, and passed through an ultraviolet sanitation light. The water is now purified for drinking, and the cooled dry air is sent indoors to create a comfortable indoor environment, the company says.
"Every air conditioning system generates condensate from its cooling coils, which is just dumped down the drain," explained Larry Klekar, national accounts sales manager for Munters. "This system captures this virtually distilled water and turns it into drinking water."
The resulting water has been tested for 28 metals, plus 10 wet chemistries, including coliform bacteria. All of the elements registered at well below industry standards, according to San Antonio Testing Laboratory. Texas requires water to have fewer than 500 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (tds) for it to be rated potable. The testing lab found that the water from the H2O LiquidAire System had 0 ppm tds, compared to the city of San Antonio's water rating of 220-240 ppm tds.
"In our 16 years of water analysis, Munter's water is without a doubt the purest water we have ever tested," stated Richard Hawk, owner and general manager of San Antonio Testing Laboratory.
Depending on the size of the unit, the system can produce as much as 13,134 liters of water per day. Munters recently shipped a unit to Thailand. Another is headed to Jakarta, Indonesia, where PT Enternair Water Indonesia will use the system to air condition a manufacturing plant while capturing water, which will be bottled for sale. PT Enternair expects water sales to pay for the unit within two years.
"Humidity control is necessary in tropical areas, where the quality of drinking water tends to be poor," said Klekar. "We're bringing the two technologies together to solve both problems."
Publication date: 09/06/2004
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