Hydrophobic barrier layer for ceramic indirect evaporative cooling systems
AssigneePresident and Fellows of Harvard College
InventorsJonathan L. Grinham, Jack Alvarenga, Martin Bechthold, Joanna Aizenberg
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Abstract
An evaporative cooling system includes a porous ceramic body with a plurality of dry channels and a plurality of wet channels. The plurality of dry channels are configured to inhibit transfer of water vapor into the dry channels and include a barrier layer that includes a roughened layer with a features size less than 1000 nm and a hydrophobic chemical modification disposed on the roughened layer. The plurality of wet channels are configured to allow transfer of water vapor.
Claims24
An evaporative cooling system comprising:
- a porous ceramic body comprising
- a plurality of dry channels configured to inhibit transfer of water vapor into the dry channels and comprising a roughened layer with a features size less than 1000 nm and a hydrophobic chemical modification disposed on the roughened layer;
- and
- a plurality of wet channels configured to allow transfer of water vapor,
- wherein the porous ceramic body has a pore volume of 1 to 80 percent.
A method of making an evaporative cooling system comprising:
- providing a porous ceramic body, wherein providing the porous ceramic body comprises forming the ceramic according to a method selected from the group consisting of extrusion, co-extrusion, pressing, casting, foaming, additive manufacturing, and multi-material additive manufacturing,
- forming a roughened layer with a feature size less than 1000 nm within a first region of the porous ceramic body, and
- chemically modifying the roughened layer within the first region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.