# US 11,999,634 B2 · Evaporator for solar desalination, preparation method therefor and use thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,634 B2 - Document ID: US11999634B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/062,283 - Filed: 2022-12-06 - Published: 2024-01-18 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-07-13 - Assignees: City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute - Applicants: City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute - Inventors: Jian Lu; Zhengyi Mao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999634B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/043: {Details} - C02F 1/08: Thin film evaporation - C02F 1/042: {Prevention of deposits} - C02F 1/14: using solar energy - C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination - C02F 2201/004: Seals, connections - C02F 2303/22: Eliminating or preventing deposits, scale removal, scale prevention (C02F1/042, C02F1/4602, C02F5/00 take precedence) - Y02A 20/124: Water desalination - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract An evaporator for solar desalination and a preparation method thereof and use thereof are provided. The evaporator has a porous skeleton, interconnected channels, and a hydrophobic decoration. The interconnected channels are formed from gaps of the porous skeleton, and the hydrophobic decoration is positioned on the surface of the porous skeleton. The evaporator is for sustainable solar water evaporation even in highly salty water. Specifically, the continuous evaporation for 24 h without salt precipitation in 20 wt % NaCl solution can be realized. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An evaporator, comprising: a porous skeleton and a hydrophobic coating disposed on a surface of the porous skeleton, wherein the porous skeleton contains interconnected channels, wherein the porous skeleton comprises a plurality of layers of filaments, wherein each layer of filaments comprises an array of filaments and the filaments between two adjacent layers are arranged in a staggered manner, and wherein the hydrophobic coating comprises an organopolysiloxane, a silane coupling agent, and an inorganic oxide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The evaporator according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic coating is disposed by immersing the porous skeleton in a solution comprising a prepolymer for the organopolysiloxane, the silane coupling agent, and the inorganic oxide selected from TiO2, SiO2, and a mixture thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The evaporator according to claim 1, wherein the interconnected channels reside in gaps amongst the filaments. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The evaporator according to claim 2, wherein the gaps reside between filaments residing in a same layer of filaments and between filaments residing in two adjacent layers arranged in the staggered manner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A preparation method for the evaporator according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: 1) Preparing the porous skeleton containing interconnected channels by 3D printing; and 2) applying the hydrophobic coating on the porous skeleton to obtain the evaporator, wherein the hydrophobic coating comprises the organopolysiloxane, the silane coupling agent, and the inorganic oxide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The preparation method according to claim 5, wherein in step 1), 3D printing is performed layer by layer to obtain the porous skeleton. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The preparation method according to claim 5, wherein step 1) comprises printing a first layer of filaments using a 3D printable ink by a 3D printing device; and printing a second layer of filaments a staggered manner on the first layer of filaments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The preparation method according to claim 5, wherein in step 2), the porous skeleton obtained from step 1) is immersed in a solution containing the organopolysiloxane, the silane coupling agent, and the inorganic oxide for a period of time to form the hydrophobic coating on the surface of the porous skeleton. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A water collection system, comprising: a water collection device; and an evaporation module in contact with a brine, wherein the evaporation module comprises the evaporator according to claim 1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The water collection system according to claim 9, wherein stable evaporation for 7 days in 20 wt % NaCl solution is realized; and/or, wherein continuous evaporation for 24 h without salt precipitation in 20 wt % NaCl solution is realized; and/or wherein over 99% of metal ions (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+) were removed from the brine; and/or wherein purified water obtained from the water collection system is used for industry and agricultural applications. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The evaporator according to claim 1, wherein the filament comprises polyurethane, carbon nanotubes, and a rheology modifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The preparation method according to claim 7, wherein the 3D printable ink comprising a precursor for polyurethane, carbon nanotube, and a rheology modifier.