Benjamin Franklin was first to show that evaporation causes cooling. The process is used in all kinds of industries today.
In fact one of the more exotic forms of computer cooling is an evaporative cooler. Recycling an amount of water through a shower head to promote evaporation can lead to extraordinarily low temperatures. The main reason it remains a niche method is the need to regularly replenish the water supply.
It strikes me that decorative water fountains, for instance those situated in Trafalgar square, are encouraging evaporation and as such reach a rather chilly temperature, as anyone who has jumped into one will testify.
The Self Pumping Fountain differs little in looks but as you can probably guess from the preceding paragraphs, it derives its pumping power from the as-yet unharnessed energy that is latent in the fontis pools.
The upper dish is the cold reservoir and its closed system is the one into which the fountaining occurs. The lowest dish - a large, shallow pond, if you will - is the (relatively) hot reservoir and its black base helps absorb heat from the sun.
A heat pump works on this temperature difference to provide the aqueous elevation.-- mitxela, Sep 28 2011 seakettle http://www.gizmag.c...er-drinkable/15903/taken from a smaller idea called the watercone. [4whom, Oct 02 2011] Very cool. I plan to build a variation on this to pump water to an elevated storage tank. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermosiphon [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 02 2011] Methinks there's going to be a shortage of energy required to lift the water here. But it made me think for a little, so bun for that.-- RayfordSteele, Sep 29 2011 There is a portable, potable water, solution that uses this. You know....for life rafts.-- 4whom, Oct 02 2011 Even 'enclosed' solar stills suffer evaporation loss.-- Alterother, Oct 02 2011 Of course, but to the detriment of what? Nothing wrong with this idea. In fact I would go as far to say it will be implemented. Naturally photographs of you and your loved one next to the Trevi Fountain Evapourative Enclosure may yeild less "likes" on farcebook than you would have otherwise have garnered.-- 4whom, Oct 02 2011 After re-reading very closely: [+]-- Alterother, Oct 02 2011 random, halfbakery