The Colbert Report is not my usual source of news, but this is interesting. Stephen Colbert’s guest last night was Dean Kamen (inventor of the Segway) who presented his Vapor Compression Distiller. The distiller is a chemical, membrane, and filter free water purifier. Kamen claims the box draws pure drinkable water from oceans, poison, a 50-gallon drum of urine, anything. It is designed to require little maintenance and uses no chemicals or filters. The purifier can produce 10 gallons of water an hour on 500 watts of electricity.
If true the potential here is astounding. Forget OLPC, kids in Africa don’t need computers, they need access to potable water. But apparently Kamen’s purifier does not yet have outside verification of its reliability. I want know if this is legitimate. How does it work precisely? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
News article at SFGate
4 responses so far ↓
briarcat // March 22, 2008 at 12:28 pm
there is a similar gadget for individual use, unpowered. It the action is like a purifying straw. Provides drinking water, but not in quantity. Works for a few months before it needs to be replaced, but is inexpensive.
teliczan // March 22, 2008 at 2:37 pm
As a Michigander surrounded by one the world’s largest source of fresh water, I’m grateful to see something like this. Up here, we’re already hearing about plans to divert water from the Great Lakes to states with less resources for water. Imagine if the ocean became a viable source for drinking water.
jaredude // March 22, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Thanks for the disclaimer about the Colbert report. Honestly though, this is likely to go the way of the Segway. Expect 400 knock offs within 9 months.
Redux - Dean Kamen’s water distiller and world water access « Naturally Interesting // March 23, 2008 at 2:55 pm
[...] More on water access via Treehugger. My post on Dean Kamen’s water purifier. [...]
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