Researchers in Australia Develop a ‘Water Harvester’

Researchers in Australia recently announced the launch of a new device that, they say, absorbs water from air to produce drinkable water.

澳洲的研究人員最近宣布推出一種新裝置，據稱能從空氣中吸收水分，製造出可飲用的水。

They said it can produce up to 1,000 liters of drinkable water a day, adding that it could be “lifesaving during drought or emergencies.”

他們說，該裝置每天可生產多達1000公升飲用水，並補充說它可能「在乾旱或緊急情況下拯救生命」。

The Australian team said that unlike other atmospheric water generators, their invention works by heating air instead of cooling it.

澳洲團隊說，與其他空氣製水機不同，他們的發明是透過加熱空氣而不是冷卻空氣來運作的。

The device absorbs water from the atmosphere.

該裝置從大氣中吸收水分。

Solar energy or heat from other industrial processes can be used to produce hot, wet air.

可以利用太陽能或其他工業製程產生的熱能來製造又熱又濕的空氣。

After heating, the air cools, producing water for drinking or watering crops.

空氣加熱後再冷卻，就會產生可供飲用或灌溉農作物的水。

He added, "When you condense water contained in that air you would have the drinking water at your disposal.”

他補充說：「當你把空氣中所含的水分凝結起來，就有飲用水可用了。」

The researchers say the device can produce enough drinking water each day for a small rural town of up to 400 people.

研究人員說，該裝置每天能為一個最多400人的鄉村小鎮提供足夠的飲用水。

It could also help farmers keep livestock alive during droughts.

它還可以幫助農民在乾旱期間讓牲畜存活下來。

Moghtaderi said the technology could be used in parts of the world where water is limited.

莫赫塔德里說，這項技術可以用在世界上缺水的地區。

Researchers thought their device would be useful because Australia's climate is dry.

研究人員認為，由於澳洲氣候乾燥，他們的裝置會很有用。

Studies of the technology will be done in several Australian communities this year.

今年將在澳洲的幾個社區對這項技術進行研究。

The World Economic Forum (WEF), a nonprofit group based in Switzerland, says water scarcity continues to be a problem worldwide

總部位於瑞士的非營利組織世界經濟論壇（WEF）表示，缺水仍是全球性問題。

The WEF said getting water from the atmosphere is a “promising emergency solution that can immediately generate drinkable water using moisture in the air.”

世界經濟論壇說，從大氣中取水是「一種很有前景的應急方案，可以利用空氣中的濕氣立即產生飲用水」。

However, the group warns that the technology is costly.

不過，該組織警告說，這項技術成本很高。