Aqualonis CloudFisher

Product Description

The Aqualonis CloudFisher is a fog-collector that harvests fog from the air when it blows into the CloudFisher’s 3D mesh nets and collects the condensed water into a trough for use in suitable coastal locations. The product was originally developed by Wasserstiftung, and is commercialized by Aqualonis. The product is available in three different sizes to cater to different water harvesting needs, as well as a Test model.

Target SDGs

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 13: Climate Action

Market Suggested Retail Price

$12,000.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household, Community, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

The CloudFisher is manufactured and sold by Aqualonis and delivered worldwide.

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Isla Urbana Tlaloc Kit and Warka Water Tower.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The CloudFisher is mass-manufactured in Munich, Germany, and shipped to the destination country. The installation pricing consists of site evaluation for optimal net placement, pouring concrete foundations, setting up the metal frame and nets, and is carried out on-site by local labor under the supervision of an Aqualonis employee.

Intellectural Property Type

Trademark

User Provision Model

Users can obtain the product by ordering through the manufacturer. The product is shipped by the manufacturer, which provides on-site installation support.

Distributions to Date Status

Since its incorporation in 2017, Aqualonis has installed 3 sets of CloudFishers in Tanzania, Morocco, and California USA.

Water source

Fog

Water produced (L/hr)

52 L / hr

Catchment size (cubic meters)

54 m³

Energy requirement (kWh)

None

Description of integrated water treatment

None

Built-in storage capacity (L)

None

Required environmental conditions

Ideal wind speeds 4 – 10 m/s

Design Specifications

The CloudFisher is available in three different sizes, the Pro, Mini, and Test. The CloudFisher Test is a smaller model used for gathering data for potential implementation sites. The product consists of a metal frame, mesh, expanders, concrete, anchoring, and string. The frames house flexible polyester catchment mesh. CloudFisher Pro has 4 frames of 13.5 m2 mesh, for a total net surface of 54 m2. The CloudFisher Mini has 3 frames of 6 m2 mesh for a total net surface area of 18 m2. The CloudFisher Test has a 1 m2 mesh surface area. The nets are 3D woven spacer fabrics made from a specialized mono-fiber. These nets cost approximately 200 USD per square meter. The mesh is connected to the frames with rubber expanders. The posts of the frames are concreted into the ground. Strings anchor the frames in positions to best optimize water harvesting. The product can withstand wind speeds of up 120 kph due to the strong frame and concrete foundations. All materials are UV-resistant and food-safe made of monofibre weaved nets.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Users can obtain on-site support from the manufacturer.

Replacement Components

Rubber expanders are replaceable.

Lifecycle

Steel support structure: 50 to 100 years. Interview with Representative Fabric and support mesh: 10 to 20 years Interview with Representative Drip channel: 20 to 30 years Interview with Representative Rubber expander: 5 to 7 years Interview with Representative

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Each full-size 54 cubic meters CloudFisher Pro can provide 52 L/hr of clean drinking water under ideal conditions. Interview with manufacturer

Vetted Performance Status

In Morocco 31 fog collectors were installed, giving a net surface of 1700m2. This installation provides 800 inhabitants with 18L of water per day.

Safety

If the CloudFisher’s foundation or supports fail due to wind it could cause injury to a person trapped beneath it.

Complementary Technical Systems

Reservoir, settling tank or basin, and pipelines from the installation to the community.

Academic Research and References

Qadir, M., et al, 2018, Fog Water Collection: Challenges beyond Technology Fog Water Collection: Challenges beyond Technology. pp. 372.

Qadir, M., et. al, 2018, Fog Water Collection: Challenges beyond Technology MDPI Water. Vol 10.

Schunk, C., 2016, Testing water yield, efficiency of different meshes and water quality with a novel fog collector for high wind speeds.

Aerosol and Air Quality Research. Vol 18.

Dodson L., Bargach K., Harvesting fresh water from fog in rural morocco: research and impact. Humanitarian Technology: Science, Systems and Global Impact 2015.

P. Trautwein, “FOG COLLECTOR,” 2016062877, 28-Apr-2016. https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2016062877&redirectedID=true

“Morocco,” aqualonis. Available: https://www.aqualonis.com/morocco

“Tanzania,” aqualonis. Available: https://www.aqualonis.com/tanzania

“California,” aqualonis. Available: https://www.aqualonis.com/california

Wixstatic.com. Available: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/dd8c81_70f6669a6f4c44ca9dfc16c171b0b9f1.pdf

“Goal 6,” Sdgs.un.org. Available: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6

“contact,” aqualonis. Available: https://www.aqualonis.com/contact

Wixstatic.com. Available: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/dd8c81_70f6669a6f4c44ca9dfc16c171b0b9f1.pdf

“Fog harvesting,” aqualonis. Available: https://www.aqualonis.com

Wroc.pl. Available: http://fog-conf.meteo.uni.wroc.pl/images/publications/FFCD_2016_Poland_proceeding_book.pdf

“LEICHT entwirft, berechnet und konstruiert Tragwerke und Gebäudehüllen,” LEICHTonline, 07-Jan-2020. Available: https://www.leichtonline.com/

“Homepage,” Tum.de , October 26, 2023. Available: https://www.ed.tum.de/ed/startseite/

Wasserstiftung and A. Gmbh, “Fog water is drinking water,” Wixstatic.com. Available: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/dd8c81_af362c45c1bc43f984ffd382239cbc53.pdf

Wasserstiftung.de. Available: https://www.wasserstiftung.de/wp-content/uploads/01_CloudFisher_Schwebende-Quellen.pdf

“Catalogue des bonnes pratiques de collecte et de valorisation des eaux pluviales,” Engineeringforchange.org. Available: https://www.engineeringforchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/2019-Catalogue-Bonne-Pratiques-Eaux-Pluviales1.pdf

Compliance with regulations

The product is certified by the German Drinking Water Ordinance and complies with WHO safe water drinking standards, as tested by WasserStiftung.

Evaluation methods

Aqualonis tested its CloudFishers in Morrocco for performance under different meteorological conditions with the Department for Ecoclimatology at the Technical University Munich. During the fog season from December 2013 to June 2014, the water yield, wind speed and direction, the temperature and relative humidity on top of Mount Boutmezguida were measured on a daily basis.

Other Information

The CloudFisher was mentioned in the Catalogue of Good Rainwater and Recovery Practices, 2019.

Comments from the Community

2 Comments

Anna_Advisor says:

August 28, 2018 at 10:56 pm

The statement “Each full-size 54 cubic meters CloudFisher Pro can provide 18 L/day of clean drinking water to up to 25 people under ideal conditions” doesn’t seem correct. Typical water needs are on the order of 15-20L per person per day.
Also, this does not match the 52 L/hr listed at the top. Which is it?
Do they have any data or information on the water volume production under non-ideal, or realistic, circumstances?
Anna_Advisor says:

August 28, 2018 at 11:06 pm

“Fog” seems like a strange water source type. The other similar product in the library lists “air” as the source type.