Microfluidic-based apparatus and method for vaporization of liquids
AssigneeNumerical Design, Inc.
InventorsCarl D. Meinhart, Brian Piorek, Nicholas B. Judy
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims45
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 at desired locations in a structure, each of the vaporization ports comprising a single through hole, having desired lateral dimensions, that is in fluid communication with the liquid source on a first side of the structure and the surrounding environment on a second side of the structure, 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 heating element formed on the second side of the structure and disposed around the plurality of vaporization ports, wherein sufficient heat from the heating element applied to the fluid transported through the structure releases vapor into the surrounding environment
A vaporizing structure, for use with a vaporization apparatus that is placed within a surrounding environment to vaporize a liquid from a liquid source into the surrounding environment, the vaporizing structure comprising:
- a plurality of vaporization ports formed at desired locations in a structure, each of the vaporization ports comprising a single through hole, having desired lateral dimensions, that is adapted to transport a fluid from a first side of the structure to a second side of the structure;
- at least one heating element formed on the second side of the structure and disposed around the plurality of vaporization ports, wherein sufficient heat from the heating element applied to a fluid that is to be transported through the structure releases vapor into the surrounding environment.
A process for fabricating a vaporizing structure, for use with a vaporization apparatus that is placed within a surrounding environment to vaporize a liquid from a liquid source into the surrounding environment, the process comprising:
- providing a structure having a first side and a second side;
- treating the structure at desired locations to modify the structure at the desired locations;
- etching the structure to form a plurality of vaporization ports at the desired locations, wherein the plurality of vaporization ports each comprise a single through hole, having desired lateral dimensions, that is adapted to transport a fluid from the first side of the structure to the second side of the structure;
- depositing a heating element on the second side of the structure, wherein sufficient heat from the heating element applied to a fluid that is to be transported through the structure releases vapor into the surrounding environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.