Many third world countries suffer from disease and death due to lack of clean water sources. Areas which are subject to high temperatures, dry weather, and semi-arrid conditions make storing clean water difficult.
This very simple device is a portable unit called a "water farm." Made of rugged polymers, it functions using condensation, leveraging high temnperatures from sunlight to assist to generating condensation which then collects as water within the device, and also disinfecting the collected water.
The device has a clear cover, which acts to collect condensation of water within the device chamber. Adding a small amount of water to the device can help initiate the moisture collection process. The cover can be opened to allow cleaning of the interior of the device.
The device has a dark colored base, which acts to collect heat from sunlight, and to collect condensed moisture within the interior of the device. The cover helps to ensure that the interior stays clean and void of debris or insects which can contaminate the collected water.
A closeable spout at the bottom corner of the base allows water to be drained for consumption.
Legs which tilt the device keep the device off of the ground, and angle the device for easier water collection. A container or filter can be attached to the spout to assist in collecting and filtering the water.
Heat contained within the device also acts to help disinfect the collected water as well as generate condensation. This means that the device can also be used to disinfect water using UV light from sunlight, thereby treating pre-existing water supplies.
The device typically measures 24" x 36" x 5" thick, and sits typically 7-12 inches off of the ground. With the legs removed, the device is just 5" thick, making it relatively portable. Multiple devices can be deployed in arrays to create a water "farm", so that the maximum amount of water can be collected from a given amount of land. The devices can also be roof mounted to save land for food farming and other uses.
The design of the device makes it cheap and easy to mold and assemble/disassemble.
An alternate version of the design has a clear base and cover, and can be installed atop a solar panel, to allow water collection while also collecting UV light for energy.