Nature Water publishes Swedish water startup’s analysis on what prevents flying water from solving the water crisis
Large amounts of water and energy are lost through factory chimneys, and it has not been profitable to recycle it. Photo: Canva
Large resources are lost in the form of energy and water from industrial outlets. Nature Water has published a Swedish startup’s analysis of what is holding us back from profitably reclaiming this resource. Their revolutionary technology is now being installed on a full scale in Peru.
There are numerous solutions for retrieving liquid water from what exists in the atmosphere, but these methods require a lot of energy. The Swedish company Drupps has managed to solve the equation in a globally unique way. Instead of following the standard approach of working with condensation, they have taken their own path: absorption.
Last week, the journal Nature Water published an article on the technical challenges preventing airborne water from becoming more accessible. This could be a crucial piece in solving the global water crisis. Fredrik Edström, one of the article's authors and co-founders of Drupps, explains:
'Research on exciting technical solutions for airborne water is constantly being published. However, no one has previously managed to make water extraction profitable due to the high energy content of water, which makes it costly to extract. We’ve now solved this by turning that energy content into a resource. By also recycling energy, the energy demand for the entire factory can be reduced, which lowers costs and makes water extraction profitable.'
In some applications, energy and water costs are not major concerns, such as in Swedish wood product manufacturing. But for Grupo Lamosa, one of the world’s largest ceramic producers, with a plant in water-stressed Peru, it is revolutionary. They expect to recycle up to 80% of the factory’s total water use, equivalent to 50,000 tons of water annually. Currently, the factory receives all its water transported by tanker, which will now result in substantial savings.
The technology is based on absorption instead of the more well-known method of cooling the air to condense the water. Drupps' technology allows for easier recycling of excess heat, which gives it significant commercial potential. The solution is also highly adaptable and can be installed in existing industries without the need to overhaul processes from the ground up.
Is water recovery profitable for everyone worldwide? Fredrik's co-founder, Jonas Wamstad, responds:
'Since the technology extracts both water and energy, it is profitable for anyone who values energy recovery, such as drying industries. Not least here in the Nordics, the energy debate is heated, as heat often comes from fossil fuels. We are providing access to an untapped energy source, airborne exhaust steam, which can reduce gas usage. The recovered water is a pure bonus for them.'
Several interested customers around the world are now waiting to use the technology. Dialogues are underway with virtually all of the largest companies in the target segments — malt, potato chips, and tile production. However, the first to use the technology industrially will be the facility in Peru, expected to be operational in December 2024.
More information:
https://drupps.com
Jonas Wamstad, jonas.wamstad@drupps.com
Tel +46-70- 8671138
Company Facts
Drupps is an innovation company in water technology, founded in 2019. They offer a unique, world-leading technology to capture water from air, smoke, and steam. The company focuses on reclaiming airborne wastewater for industrial customers internationally. As of 2024, Drupps has 13 employees at its headquarters in Uppsala, Sweden.