In places such as Dubai, where freshwater is scarce, water desalination systems are employed to produce potable water using seawater. However, desalinating water requires a considerable amount of energy, which not often comes in clean way. To solve the problem, industrial designer Jon Liow along has come up with Aquahex – a concept water desalinating system that runs entirely on solar energy.
The idea is to create floating, solar powered desalination units that are modular in design and hence can be scaled up to produce large quantities of desalinated water. Using patented technology, the system absorbs solar energy to get rid of unwanted salts and minerals in seawater.
Designed as an expansion to the Waterdome Concept, which we covered earlier, the Aquahex system consists of two units – a Waterhex and a Solarhex. The Waterhex, which is the white part of the system, is where the desalination process occurs. On the other hand, the Solarhex carries a collection of solar cells, which produce energy to boost the efficiency of the Waterhex.
Being modular, the network of Aquahexes can be built as large or as small as required. Moreover, a single unit can also function as it comes with its own independent solar cells. Each unit is designed to fit into a standard 20-foot shipping container and requires minimal setup. The concept is designed to fit in using snap fits and universal joinery that also helps in reducing the manufacturing costs.