We will change the world

CC Airwell is a local climate changing system

CC Airwell is a local environment cooling system (it’s no water harvesting machine) – and one of the side effects is ground condensation: Fog and drizzle in our 2 km² cold air valley – thus many drops – and all these drops are seeping into the soil, re-cooling the soil and collected in 30 m depth.

Yes, we are creating a cold air valley in the middle of the hottest desert. Our main target: to be under the dew point, just 10 drops per m² and second are 1,7-billion litres of fresh drinking water per day.

Let’s make this planet a better place

Water harvesting in the desert

up to 1,7-billion litres of drinking water (spring water quality) per day

Active climate cooling

we “recycle” 600-million m3 hot air per day - we consume heat and CO2

Desert greening

within 10 years up to 1.000 km2 around a CC Airwell plant*

We clean polluted air

as a side effect: 600-million m3 per day

* Single trees in the desert (they call it “desert greening”) with irrigation system is: yes, its not working and a big waste, but it gives man the feeling: “we control nature”. Around a CC Airwell is a real forest (its desert greening as side effect - without human irrigation), not single trees - and it gives man the awareness: “man has NO control over nature”.

We don’t "produce" any water, we make existing and captive water visible and accessible. We are changing the aggregate state. The emerging forest provides a perfect livelihood for humans and habitat for numerous animal species.

A new technology. A new awareness.

Water extraction through condensation is nothing new. Sucked in air is cooled down and what remains is “water”. At this point the providers of such machines are cheering (ohhhhh, so much water). With CC Airwell it starts exactly after their cheering – because on closer inspection there is much more “left over” than the direct condensation water – namely “cold air”. Normally this valuable product “cold air” is called “garbage” in common water extraction systems and is disposed of. CC Airwell begins exactly with this “cold air” garbage.

We hear it every day: We face worldwide a water shortage crisis? But this is not correct. We can only speak about an “aggregate state crisis” – water can´t disappear.

We also hear every day: We need urgent water? Also, this is not correct. We don’t need water – we need intact nature, forest and remoisten soils – then water is a natural side effect.

Understanding the Water Harvesting Process

From direct condensation to local precipitation

CC Airwell is designed to recover atmospheric water in three interconnected phases. Phase 1 focuses on direct condensation and water collection. Phase 2 uses the already cooled air to recover additional water within the CC Airwell cold-air valley. Phase 3 explores the potential for substantially increased local precipitation through the interaction between the large cold-air mass and the warmer surrounding atmosphere.

The following calculations are based on the climatic and geographical conditions of our first CC Airwell site in central Tanzania, using location-specific environmental data.

At the first CC Airwell in Tanzania, between 600 and 900 million cubic meters of ambient air are drawn into the system per day. The air is pre-cooled underground and then further cooled in the central cooling system. Once the air is cooled below its dew point, part of the atmospheric water vapor condenses into liquid water and can be collected. The current design calculation results in a water recovery of up to approximately 12 milliliters per cubic meter of processed air.

In simplified terms:
900,000,000 m³ air/day × 0.012 liters/m³ = 10,800,000 liters of water/day

Phase 1 therefore provides a calculated base-case output of up to 10.8 million liters of directly recovered water per day. Phase 1 is based on the established physical process of cooling humid air below its dew point and collecting the resulting condensate. With its calculated base-case water output, Phase 1 is designed to establish the technical and economic foundation of CC Airwell, independently of the additional water potential of Phases 2 and 3.

Phase 1 at a glance:

  • Air processed: up to 900 million m³/day
  • Water recovery: up to 12 liters per 1,000 m³ of air
  • Calculated water output: up to 10.8 million liters/day

The air cooled in Phase 1 leaves the CC Airwell system and is released into the 2 km² CC Airwell cold-air valley. The valley is surrounded by an approximately 15-meter-high ring of hills, limiting the horizontal outflow of the cold air and retaining a large cold-air mass close to the ground.

Because cold air is denser than the warmer surrounding atmosphere, it accumulates within the valley and establishes a local cold-air reservoir. As warmer, moisture-bearing ambient air interacts with this cold-air mass and is cooled to its dew point, additional atmospheric moisture condenses. This creates the conditions for dense fog, surface condensation and light drizzle within the valley.

The patented CC Airwell concept specifically incorporates the retention of discharged cold air within the enclosed area and describes the resulting formation of ground condensation, fog and drizzle.

For the current design calculation, Phase 2 uses a water deposition assumption of approximately 0.05 milliliters per square meter per second across the 2 km² cold-air valley. This corresponds to 0.18 liters per square meter per hour and lies toward the lower end of the light-drizzle range used for the design calculation.

In simplified terms:
0.00005 liters/m²/second × 2,000,000 m² × 86,400 seconds/day = 8,640,000 liters of additional water/day

CC Airwell Phase 2 therefore adds a calculated water output of up to 8.6 million liters per day. The water recovered from fog and drizzle infiltrates the ground, contributing to re-cooling the soil surrounding the underground heat-exchange system, and is collected through the underground drainage system at depths of up to 30 meters. Phase 2 thus combines additional water recovery and ground re-cooling within the same process, without requiring additional energy.

Phase 2 at a glance:

  • Cooled air released: up to 900 million m³/day
  • Design water deposition: 0.05 ml/m²/second
  • Phase 2 water output: up to 8.6 million liters/day
  • Combined Phase 1 + 2 water output: up to 19.4 million liters/day
  • Additional energy for Phase 2: none

During operation, Phase 2 continuously fills the CC Airwell cold-air valley with the cooled air leaving the system, creating a large and sustained cold-air mass close to the ground. Phase 3 builds directly on this existing cold-air reservoir. As the cold air interacts with the warmer surrounding atmosphere, the resulting temperature contrast promotes the upward movement of warmer, moisture-bearing air. As this air rises and cools, it approaches saturation, creating the conditions for condensation, cloud development and local precipitation.

While Phases 1 and 2 recover atmospheric water through condensation, fog and drizzle, Phase 3 is designed to use the large-scale interaction between the cold-air reservoir and the surrounding atmosphere to substantially increase local precipitation. This represents the long-term potential of CC Airwell not only to recover water, but to influence the local water cycle and support the development of a cooler and more humid local microclimate.

For the current design scenario, a heavy-rain intensity of 70 liters per square meter per hour is used across the 2 km² CC Airwell valley. This corresponds to 70 mm of precipitation per hour.

In simplified terms:
70 liters/m²/hour × 2,000,000 m² = 140,000,000 liters of water per hour of rainfall

At this design rainfall intensity, each hour of precipitation would therefore correspond to approximately 140 million liters of water across the CC Airwell valley. Extended over a theoretical 12-hour precipitation scenario, this would correspond to approximately 1.68 billion liters of water per day, illustrating the scale of the additional water potential targeted in Phase 3.

The precipitation also becomes part of the CC Airwell thermal and water cycle. It infiltrates the ground, provides large-scale re-cooling of the soil surrounding the underground heat-exchange system and is collected through the underground drainage system at depths of up to 30 meters. Beyond the water collected within the system, increased local precipitation is also intended to support soil moisture, vegetation and the broader microclimate surrounding the CC Airwell.

Unlike Phases 1 and 2, Phase 3 is a development and optimization stage of the first full-scale CC Airwell. The interaction between the cold-air reservoir and the surrounding atmosphere will be measured, modeled and progressively optimized during operation over an estimated period of up to 1 year. The technical and economic operation of Phases 1 and 2 does not depend on achieving the Phase 3 precipitation targets. Phase 3 therefore represents substantial additional upside beyond the independently operating base system.

Phase 3 at a glance:

  • Design rainfall scenario: up to 70 liters/m²/hour
  • Water volume per hour at design intensity: up to 140 million liters
  • Theoretical 12-hour precipitation potential: up to 1.7 billion liters
  • Phase 3 development and optimization: up to 1 year following Phase 1 commissioning
  • Dependency of Phases 1 + 2 on Phase 3: none

Powered by the Sun

CC Airwell is designed to operate on renewable energy generated directly at the project site. For the first installation in Tanzania, the energy concept includes a 500 MWp solar power plant. The solar plant will provide the energy required for CC Airwell operation while generating substantial surplus electricity for supply to the local power grid, creating an additional revenue stream for the project.

A phased approach to technical and economic development

The three-phase structure of CC Airwell provides a clear framework for technical development and investment risk management. Phase 1 is designed to establish the economic base case of the project independently. The technical principles underlying Phases 1 and 2 are incorporated in the patented CC Airwell system.

Phase 3 represents the further development potential of the system. Following construction of the first full-scale CC Airwell, a development and optimization period of 1 year is planned for this phase. This development can take place alongside the operation of Phases 1 and 2, without their technical operation or economic performance depending on the successful implementation of Phase 3.

We are shaping the future

CC Airwell is a groundbreaking, life-giving technology that provides millions of people affected by drought and water scarcity with the most precious resource: water, the basis of life.

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