There is an acute shortage of drinking water in the world. This is why the United Nations (UN) and
The authors of the new book "Unconventional waterResources claim that this will help one in four people on the planet who face severe water shortages for sanitation, drinking, agriculture and economic development.
How to solve a problem?
The book serves as both a warning anda guide for citizens, scientists and policy makers to expand their understanding of where water can be found as a resource. The book was written by experts from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNI-INWEH), the Institute for Integrated Materials and Resources Management, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
“As the climate worsens and population grows inWorldwide, water scarcity is a serious threat to human development and security. The authoritative analysis of unconventional water resources turned out to be timely and important,” said Vladimir Smakhtin, director of UNI-INWEH, in a press release.
The authors of the work propose to collect water fromair using cloud seeding and fog collectors, since the atmosphere contains approximately 13,000 km³ of water vapor. For comparison, one cubic kilometer of water roughly corresponds to the volume of 400,000 Olympic pools. And also some other unconventional ways.
cloud seeding
In nature, precipitation forms when tinywater droplets suspended in clouds expand in volume enough to fall without evaporating. They grow by colliding and combining with their neighbors, either freezing on solid particles (ice nuclei) or being attracted to particles of dust or salt (concentration nuclei).
Cloud seeding speeds up this natural process,by adding extra nuclei to the clouds, thereby increasing the number of droplets that become large enough to fall out as precipitation. These synthetic nuclei come in the form of chemicals such as silver iodide (AgI), sodium chloride (NaCl), and dry ice (solid CO₂). They can also be replaced using an electrical charge that ionizes cloud droplets, causing them to stick to each other and speeding up their growth.
How realistic is this?
“Cloud seeding could increase the numberrainfall up to 15% under the right conditions, and research shows that increasing rainfall can work with a reasonable cost-benefit ratio, the UN press release said. “An increasing number of countries are planning to increase rainfall in response to water scarcity and other social needs.” .
fog condensation
For trapping fogs, fibrous andmesh filters-fog eliminators and wet electrostatic precipitators. The principle of operation of fibrous mist filters is based on the capture of liquid particles by fibers when mist is passed through the fibrous layer. Upon contact with the surface of the fiber, the trapped particles coalesce and form a liquid film that moves inside the fiber layer and then breaks up into individual droplets that are removed from the filter.
How realistic is this?
Advances in materials science have helpedto develop high-performance, relatively inexpensive, environmentally friendly designs for collecting drinking water. With a total cost of less than $250 per square meter of mesh, its service life is more than ten years. Such a filter can produce about 75,000 liters per square meter at a cost of just $0.3 per liter.
Water desalination
Every day, desalination produces more than100 million m³, supporting approximately 5% of the world's population. This volume is projected to double by 2030, with costs falling by 50%. New developments in desalination are likely to make it the cheapest non-conventional source of water supply in the world, especially in low-income countries where desalinated water production remains far from reality.
How realistic is this?
While desalination today isenergy-intensive, innovative technologies such as nanoparticle-enhanced membranes and forward osmosis reduce energy consumption by 20–35%. Desalination, meanwhile, produces huge amounts of brine, a pollutant of growing concern where it is discharged. New technologies , which can extract salts, magnesium and other metals from brine to produce commercially viable products, could offset the cost of producing desalinated water in the next decade.
Sale of ballast water
Ships transport about 90% of goods traded inaround the world, and about 10 billion tons of ballast water are discharged annually. In accordance with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above are required to carry on board treatment facilities to desalinate ballast water, remove invasive aquatic organisms and hazardous chemicals, and may also be used for other purposes. purposes such as irrigation. This water could be sold to port cities in arid regions.
How realistic is this?
According to one study, oil tankers andships carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) docked at the port city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates can pump ballast water to onshore water treatment facilities. Ports with onshore desalination plants can also sell treated ballast water.
Iceberg towing
More than 100,000 Arctic and AntarcticIcebergs, which melt into the ocean each year, contain more fresh water than the world consumes. Their extraction for fresh water has long been discussed, but not seen as practical. However, the icebergs are towed to provide water for the 700 residents of Qaanaaq, Greenland. It is also used in Newfoundland and Labrador to prevent collisions with offshore oil and gas platforms and for other purposes.
How realistic is this?
Towing icebergs over long distanceshas never been attempted due to the significant loss of water volume and potential ice destruction during towing. However, a financial feasibility analysis of towing icebergs to Cape Town, South Africa indicates that it is an economically attractive option if the icebergs towed are large enough (about 125 million tons ). Research shows that wrapping an iceberg in a huge net and then in a giant bag will likely prevent them from collapsing and reduce melting. But another problem remains - the iceberg can turn into drinking water at its destination. too early and it is unknown how to influence the environment.
The report also described methods of water extraction, such as rainwater capture and water reuse, that are already in use.
Read more
Gravity and dark matter do not exist: the main thing about the new work of physicists
Something strange is happening in the Universe: how to explain inconsistencies in the Hubble constant
Why do they really want to cancel the Bologna system of education in Russia
</ p>