Thirteen-year-old Oregon student Roy Kim has developed a practical solution for farmers struggling with persistent drought. The student at Whitford Middle School designed a device that harvests water directly from the air, addressing the critical issue of depleting surface and groundwater sources.
Kim’s invention uses a Peltier module, which creates a temperature difference when powered. This allows warm air to cool rapidly against a cold surface, forcing water vapor to condense into liquid. The system includes a heating element, a filter, and a fan to move air through the chamber. Once condensation forms, the water collects in a funnel and flows through a valve to irrigate crops.
To ensure efficiency, the system includes soil moisture sensors that regulate water release based on the needs of the plants. Additional sensors monitor external humidity and temperature to adjust airflow automatically for optimal production. In testing, the device produced 10ml of water in two hours, with a peak efficiency of 135.8 grams per kilowatt-hour.
This project earned Kim a place as a national finalist in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Agriculture in the United States remains a primary consumer of freshwater, with nearly 213,000 farms dependent on rainfall and surface sources. Kim aims to continue his engineering work over the next 15 years to address global environmental challenges, specifically focusing on water accessibility for agriculture.