Innovative Water Extraction: Insights from Tank Girl
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Chapter 1: The Water Extractor in Tank Girl
In the 1995 science fiction film Tank Girl, there is a striking scene featuring the antagonist Kesslee (portrayed by Malcolm McDowell) as he makes a toast with his followers. They raise glasses filled with water, and everything appears to be fine until Kesslee confronts Captain Derouche (played by Charles Lucia). The atmosphere shifts when Kesslee starts smashing charts, expressing his dissatisfaction with Derouche’s inability to conquer a part of the desert. The scene culminates with Kesslee compelling Derouche to walk over shattered glass, ultimately revealing that the hug he offers is a ruse; instead, he stabs Derouche with a sinister device known as a water extractor. This device ominously extracts blood from its victim, transforming it into drinkable water.
This leads us to an intriguing question: Is a device like the water extractor feasible in reality?
Section 1.1: The Realities of Water Extraction
First and foremost, we can safely assume that there are no actual murder devices like the one depicted in the film. It's likely that such devices do not exist, and researching them online would be futile. However, there is a legitimate water extraction technology that converts pig blood into safe drinking water. A Belgian company, Veos, has invested 2 million Euros (approximately 2.2 million dollars) to develop a system capable of filtering up to 150 cubic meters of animal blood daily, transforming it into potable water.
Section 1.2: Efficiency in Water Purification
According to Veos, their innovative system generates 150,000 liters of drinkable water each day sourced from blood. They describe their purification process as follows: “In concrete terms, we thicken blood during the production process and later vacuum dry it. This technique releases water vapor, which condenses back into liquid form. The resulting water is purified by our advanced installation, allowing it to be reused in production. Consequently, we utilize up to 40% less groundwater, saving approximately 45 million liters annually.” This method not only conserves water but also enhances production efficiency.
Subsection 1.2.1: Water from Waste
Another innovative approach to water extraction involves utilizing human waste. Engineer Peter Janicki has developed a machine that converts human waste into clean drinking water in mere minutes. Although it may sound unappealing, the water produced is indeed safe for consumption. Bill Gates famously demonstrated this by drinking a cup of the treated water, stating on his blog, “Having studied the engineering behind it, I would happily drink it every day. It’s that safe.”
Chapter 2: Extracting Water from the Atmosphere
Another fascinating method of water extraction involves harvesting moisture from the air. Numerous technologies are available for this purpose, one of which is offered by a company called Rainmaker. Their devices can generate between 5,000 and 20,000 liters of water daily, depending on environmental conditions. The technology operates through a membrane distillation process, where vapor molecules pass through a specialized hydrophobic membrane, eventually condensing into drinkable water.
Conclusion
Various methods exist for extracting water from diverse sources, showcasing the ingenuity of modern technology. Thankfully, none of these methods involve the eerie devices depicted in Tank Girl!
Resources
- Veos’s New Water Purification Installation Converts Blood Into Drinkable Water
- Bill Gates Raises a Glass To (And Of) Water Made From Poop
- Rainmaker
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