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ap verheggen’s sunglacier sculptures produce water
from thin air
technology +1K shares
dutch artist ap verheggen mixes art with technology to fight against climate change. verheggen is
the mastermind behind sunglacier, a company innovating solar-powered sculptures that can
produce water out of thin air.
the dc 03 sculpture is powered by a photovoltaic panel
sunglacier’s latest project, the dc 03, is a standalone piece that uses a solar panel to power an 18
W peltier. this cools an aluminium block to below the dew point of the surrounding air, causing
water to condense on its surface. designed to be both a device and a work of art, the creation is
inline with verheggen’s belief that art is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate man’s possibilities for
positive impact when it comes to climate change.
water condenses on the cool aluminium cone
the dc 03 is the company’s most implementable work so far—their previous experiments with
solar-produced water took a significantly larger form. the dc 02 WaterCube measures 20 square
inches, and is embedded with solar cells which in turn power a refrigeration device. the condensed
water then drips down into a glass placed below.
the dc 02 WaterCube uses embedded solar panels
sunglacier’s original project took the form of the sculptural fountain that produces it’s own water.
designed to be placed in a desert, the fountain is mounted on a condenser, concealed in a metallic
box that serves as the plinth for the work. the sculpture, made form red cedar, was first exhibited
in the courtyard of the beelden aan zee museum.
the dc 01 statue is unveiled to the public in the beelden aan zee museum courtyard
the team have been working along the way to find the most effective way to cool surfaces down
below the dew point of surrounding air, without using momentous amounts of energy. the dc 03
uses a peltier element has a temperature difference of 67 c maximum between the upper “hot”
side and the under “cool” side. the more that the hot upper side releases its heat and cools – the
more cooling potential is realized in the under side. normally the condensation temperature
increases when temperatures rise, so the cold side is below the dew point even in hot desert
conditions.
different shapes are tested for their water-collection potential
the dc 02 has an inbuilt battery
the cube collects a half glass of water over six hours
water condenses on the aluminium cone, cooled below the surrounding dew temperature
the dc-01 is mounted atop a condenser
the red cedar details of verheggen’s sculpture
the dc 01 was designed to be placed in a desert
beatrice murray-nag I designboom feb 09, 2017
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