Droplet ejecting coatings
AssigneeNelumbo Inc.
InventorsLance R. Brockway, David C. Walther
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Abstract
Coating compositions are provided that eject droplets of condensed fluid from a surface. The coatings include a nanostructured coating layer and in some embodiments, also include a hydrophobic layer deposited thereon. The coating materials eject droplets from the surface in the presence of non-condensing gases such as air and may be deployed under conditions of supersaturation of the condensed fluid to be ejected. A heat exchanger design utilizing the coating is described herein.
Claims23
A heat exchanger that comprises coated surfaces,
- wherein the coated surfaces comprise a nanostructured coating material deposited on regions of a metal surface of the heat exchanger and a hydrophobic functional layer coated over the nanostructured coating material,
- wherein when the heat exchanger is in operation and is exposed to a process fluid under conditions in which condensation of at least a portion of condensable components in the process fluid occurs, droplets of a condensate from the condensable components are formed on the coated surfaces and the coated surfaces eject the droplets, and
- wherein the nanostructured coating material comprises a metal oxide that is deposited onto the metal surface of the heat exchanger without the introduction of an electric current.
A heat exchanger that comprises coated surfaces,
- wherein the coated surfaces comprise a nanostructured coating material deposited on regions of a metal surface of the heat exchanger and a hydrophobic functional layer coated over the nanostructured coating material,
- wherein when the heat exchanger is in operation and is exposed to a process fluid under conditions in which condensation of at least a portion of condensable components in the process fluid occurs, droplets of a condensate from the condensable components are formed on the coated surfaces and the coated surfaces eject the droplets, further comprising one or more hydrophilic surface(s),
- wherein at least one hydrophilic surface is adjacent to at least one coated surface,
- wherein the adjacent coated surface is hydrophobic, and
- wherein when the heat exchanger is in operation, at least a portion of the droplets that are formed on the hydrophobic coated surface transfer to and traverse the hydrophilic surface as a liquid condensate.
A heat exchanger that comprises coated surfaces,
- wherein the coated surfaces comprise a nanostructured coating material deposited on regions of a metal surface of the heat exchanger and a hydrophobic functional layer coated over the nanostructured coating material,
- wherein when the heat exchanger is in operation and is exposed to a process fluid under conditions in which condensation of at least a portion of condensable components in the process fluid occurs, droplets of a condensate from the condensable components are formed on the coated surfaces and the coated surfaces eject the droplets, and
- wherein the hydrophilic surface(s) comprise a nanostructured material.
A heat exchanger that comprises coated surfaces,
- wherein the coated surfaces comprise a nanostructured coating material deposited on regions of a metal surface of the heat exchanger and a hydrophobic functional layer coated over the nanostructured coating material,
- wherein when the heat exchanger is in operation and is exposed to a process fluid under conditions in which condensation of at least a portion of condensable components in the process fluid occurs, droplets of a condensate from the condensable components are formed on the coated surfaces and the coated surfaces eject the droplets, and
- wherein the nanostructured coating material is deposited onto the metal surface of the heat exchanger in a solution comprising:
- an alkaline earth metal or a transition metal salt;
- and hexamine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.