# US 10,502,409 B2 · Microfluidic-based apparatus and method for vaporization of liquids

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- Number: US 10,502,409 B2
- Document ID: US10502409B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/885,822
- Filed: 2015-10-16
- Published: 2016-05-19
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-18
- Assignees: Numerical Design, Inc.
- Applicants: Numerical Design, Inc.
- Inventors: Carl D. Meinhart; Brian Piorek; Nicholas B. Judy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502409B2

## CPC

- F22B 1/284: {with water in reservoirs}
- A61L 9/037: {comprising a wick}
- B01B 1/005: {Evaporation for physical or chemical purposes; Evaporation apparatus therefor, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions}
- B05B 7/1686: {involving vaporisation of the material to be sprayed or of an atomising-fluid-generating product}
- F24F 6/025: {using electrical heating means (F24F6/105 takes precedence)}
- G06F 17/18: for evaluating statistical data {, e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis (forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)}
- G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30)
- G06N 3/08: Learning methods
- G06N 7/01: Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
- G06Q 10/0639: Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
- G06F 2111/04: Constraint-based CAD
- G06F 2111/10: Numerical modelling
- G06N 3/042: Knowledge-based neural networks; Logical representations of neural networks
- Y02A 90/10: Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
- F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- B01B: BOILING; BOILING APPARATUS {; EVAPORATION; EVAPORATION APPARATUS}
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid into the surrounding environment, including directing liquid from a liquid source to a vaporization port where the vaporization port has lateral dimensions varying from 10 um to 300 um, applying heat to the liquid in the vaporization port with an at least one heating element located in thermal communication to the vaporization port, and releasing vaporized liquid from the vaporization port into the surrounding environment so that fluid is transported through the depth of the structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vaporization apparatus that is placed within a surrounding environment to vaporize liquid into the surrounding environment, comprising;
at least one liquid source;
a plurality of vaporization ports formed in a planar structure comprising a through hole, the through hole with lateral dimensions ranging from 10 um to 300 um, that is in fluid communication with the liquid source on a first side and the surrounding environment on a second side, wherein fluid is transported from the first side of the structure to the second side of the structure through the through hole;
at least one planar heating element formed on the second side of the planar structure and disposed around a plurality of vaporization ports, wherein
the at least one planar heating element and the plurality of vaporization ports are microfabricated,
the dimension of the vaporization ports and the planar structure materials are selected to wick liquid from the liquid source by surface tension, and
heat applied from the heating element, through the planar structure to liquid that is in direct contact with the planar structure, vaporizes the liquid thereby releasing vapor through the vaporization ports into the surrounding environment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid communication between the liquid source and the surrounding environment, occurs throughout the depth of the apparatus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

Apparatus of claim 2 wherein the structure comprises a thin structural region, with a thickness varying from 1 um to 100 um.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

Apparatus of claim 3, wherein a protective layer is formed on the structure that surrounds the heating element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Apparatus of claim 4, wherein the protective layer comprises deposited glass.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

Apparatus of claim 3, wherein a surface coating is formed on the structure but masked from forming on the walls of the vaporization ports.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

Apparatus of claim 6, wherein the surface coating comprises fluoropolymers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

Apparatus of claim 4, wherein a surface coating is formed on the structure but masked from forming on the walls of the vaporization ports.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

Apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heating element is a thin-film resistive heating element.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

Apparatus of claim 9, wherein the resistances of the resistive heating elements are varied to provide a controlled thermal distribution.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

Apparatus of claim 10, wherein the resistive heating elements, are electrically connected in parallel and series combination.

### Claim 12

A method for vaporizing liquid into the surrounding environment, comprising;
forming a plurality of vaporization ports, wherein the vaporization ports are comprise of a through hole in a planar structure, the holes with lateral dimensions varying from 10 um to 300 um, and are in fluid communication with the liquid on a first side and the surrounding environment on a second side;
selecting the dimension of the ports and the planar structure materials to enable wicking of liquid from the liquid source by surface tension;
wicking the liquid from a liquid source;
applying heat from at least one planar heating element through the planar structure to the liquid that is in direct contact with the planar structure with the at least one planar heating element disposed around a plurality of vaporization ports, and;
releasing vaporized liquid from the vaporization ports into the surrounding environment so that fluid is transported from the first side of the planar structure to the second side of the planar structure through the through hole
wherein,
the at least one planar heating element and the plurality of vaporization ports are microfabricated.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

Method of claim 12, wherein during operation, liquid continuously flows from the liquid source to the vaporization port, changes phase from liquid to vapor, and the vapor continuously flows from the vaporization port to the surrounding environment.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

Method of claim 13, wherein a thin structural region substantially confines thermal energy to close proximity of the at least one heating element and the at least one vaporization port.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

Method of claim 14, wherein the thin structural region reduces thermally-induced stresses that occur in close proximity to the at least one heating element and the at least one vaporization port.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vaporization ports are arranged in clusters of seven ports.