Pakistani students develop machine to distill water from air at 70% lower cost

A group of talented students from Bahria University's Electrical Department have successfully created a machine that distills water from air, providing a cost-effective solution to Pakistan's water scarcity issues.

Ali Jan, Hisham bin Tabassum, and Syeda Amina Ali, under the guidance of Engineer Dr Aurangzeb Rashid Masood, developed the innovative machine named "Hydrogen."

"This machine can convert up to 60% moisture from the air into pure drinking water, comparable in quality to multinational bottled water brands," Hisham explained. 

The water produced by machine Hydrogen is approximately 70 percent cheaper, with a cost of Rs29 per litre, depending on current electricity costs. 

This price can be further reduced to Re0.50 per litre by switching to solar energy.

"Hydrogen" has the potential to control water-borne diseases in Pakistan by providing clean drinking water to water-scarce areas. 

The machine's performance and distillation process can be monitored and controlled through a mobile application, ensuring real-time water quality assessment.

Notably, Pakistan has broken Israel and America's monopoly on this technology, developing it at three to four times lower cost. 

The students spent Rs2 lacs on producing Hydrogen, but commercial production could reduce costs to Rs1.5 lacs.

Hisham said that using standard components would enable the machine to provide water for 10 to 15 years.

Hydrogen can convert water from air conditioners into safe drinking water at a minimal cost of Rs1 per litre.

The students are now seeking partnerships with domestic companies to commercially develop this technology, addressing Pakistan's clean drinking water shortages and reducing health problems.