Method for improving critical heat flux
AssigneeThe Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges
InventorPrem Kumar Bikkina
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed which utilize liquid-philic surfaces and liquid-phobic surfaces to more safely and efficiently boil liquids and/or condense vapors. The methods and systems generally utilize two separated surfaces for nucleate boiling, where one of the surfaces is liquid-philic and the other is liquid-phobic. The methods and systems can utilize a condensing surface for condensing vapors, where the condensing surface can have liquid-philic regions and liquid-phobic regions.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- introducing liquid into a vessel, wherein the vessel contains a liquid-philic surface having a first surface temperature, and the vessel contains a liquid-phobic surface spaced apart and separated from the liquid-philic surface so that the liquid-phobic surface is not in contact with the liquid-philic surface, wherein the liquid-phobic surface has a second surface temperature less than the first surface temperature;
- heating the liquid-philic surface so as to heat the liquid to saturation temperature at the surrounding conditions wherein the temperature difference between the first surface temperature and the saturation temperature is sufficient so that nucleation on the liquid-phobic surface occurs to produce a vapor from the liquid.
A system comprising:
- a heater;
- a vessel having a chamber configured to contain the liquid, the vessel having:
- a wall having an inner liquid-philic surface defining the chamber such that the inner liquid-philic surface is in contact with the liquid when liquid is introduced into the chamber, and wherein the heater heats the liquid-philic surface to thus heat the liquid;
- and
- a liquid-phobic surface spaced apart and separated from the liquid-philic inner surface so that the liquid-phobic surface is not in contact with the liquid-philic surface.
A method for desalinating water containing one or more salts, the method comprising:
- introducing the water containing one or more salts into a vessel, wherein the vessel comprises a hydrophilic inner surface having a first surface temperature, and the vessel contains a hydrophobic surface spaced apart and separated from the hydrophilic inner surface so that the hydrophobic surface is not in contact with the hydrophilic surface, wherein the water at least partially contacts the hydrophilic inner surface and the hydrophobic surface, and wherein the hydrophobic surface has a second surface temperature less than the first surface temperature;
- heating the hydrophilic surface so as to heat the water to saturation temperature at the surrounding conditions wherein the temperature difference between the first surface temperature and the saturation temperature is sufficient so that nucleation on the hydrophobic surface occurs to produce a vapor from the liquid such that the water in the vessel increases in concentration of salt;
- and
- condensing the vapor to produce a desalinated water, which is lower in concentration of salt than the water introduced into the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.