Vaporization method device

A device for vaporizing a liquid, the device comprising:

• at least one flexible porous sheet having a pre-determined width and a thickness, the thickness being between about 0.05 mm and about 5 mm, said sheet further having an upstream portion and a downstream portion;
• liquid supply means for supplying said flexible porous sheet with said liquid from said upstream portion, along at least a major part of said determined width thereof;
• and
• heating means for heating said flexible porous sheet to a temperature adapted for vaporizing said liquid, the device configured such that, for a given thermal flux and substrate surface area, the quantity of liquid to be vaporized entering the porous substrates is optimally balanced with the thermal flux and substantially all of said liquid is vaporized out of said flexible porous sheet between said upstream portion and said downstream portion thereof such that virtually no liquid remains in said substrate at said downstream portion.

A device for vaporizing a liquid, the device comprising:

• at least one porous rigid plate having a determined width, an upstream portion, and a downstream portion and having at least one major surface exposed for vaporization of said liquid therefrom;
• liquid supply means for supplying said porous rigid plate with said liquid from said upstream portion, along at least a major part of said determined width thereof;
• and
• heating means for heating said porous rigid plate to a temperature adapted for vaporizing said liquid, so that at least a part of said liquid is vaporized out of said porous rigid plate between said upstream portion and said downstream portion thereof.

A device for vaporizing a liquid, the device comprising:

• at least one porous thin substrate subjected over part of its length to a pre-determined ambient pressure, said at least one substrate having a pre-determined width, a higher portion, and a lower portion;
• liquid supply means extending along at least a major part of said pre-determined width of said at least one substrate and near said high portion thereof and adapted to create a column of liquid in said at least one substrate under a pressure which is higher than said ambient pressure, thereby forcing a flow of liquid under pressure greater than said ambient pressure between said high and low portions of said at least one substrate along at least said major part of the width thereof;
• and
• heating means for heating said at least one substrate to a temperature adapted for vaporizing said liquid, so that at least a part of said liquid is vaporized out of said at least one substrate between said higher portion and said lower portion thereof.

A device for vaporizing a liquid, the device comprising:

• a porous substrate subjected over part of its length to a pre-determined ambient pressure, said substrate having a pre-determined width and a thickness, the thickness being between about 0.05 mm and about 5 mm, said substrate further having an upstream portion and a downstream portion;
• liquid supply means for supplying said substrate with said liquid, said liquid supply means being in liquid communication with at least a major part of said pre-determined width of the substrate upstream portion;
• pressurizing means for pressurizing said liquid in said substrate to a pressure higher than said ambient pressure, thereby forcing said liquid to flow along at least said major part of the width of the substrate between said upstream and downstream portions;
• and
• heating means for heating said substrate to a temperature adapted for vaporizing said liquid so that at least a part of said liquid is vaporized out of said flexible porous sheet between said upstream portion and said downstream portion thereof.

A device for vaporizing a liquid, the device comprising:

• a porous thin film subjected to a pre-determined ambient pressure, said porous thin film having an upstream portion, a downstream portion, and a pre-determined width;
• liquid supply means for supplying said film with said liquid, said liquid supply means being in liquid communication with at least a major part of the width of said film upstream portion;
• pressurizing means for pressurizing said liquid in said substrate to a pressure higher than said ambient pressure, thereby forcing said liquid to circulate in said porous thin film from said upstream portion to said downstream portion thereof;
• liquid collecting means for collecting said liquid circulating in said downstream portion of the porous thin film, said upstream and downstream portions of the thin film being partially immersed in said liquid supply means and said liquid collecting means, respectively;
• and
• heating means for heating said porous thin film to a temperature adapted for vaporizing said liquid so that at least a part of said liquid is vaporized out of said film between said upstream portion and said downstream portion thereof.

A device for vaporizing a liquid, the device comprising:

• a plurality of porous thin substrates, each having a pre-determined width and a thickness, the thickness being between about 0.05 mm and about 5 mm, said substrates each further having an upstream portion and a downstream portion;
• liquid supply means in liquid communication with the upstream portion of said substrates for supplying said liquid thereto and for creating a circulation of said liquid along said substrates from said upstream portion to said downstream portion thereof;
• and
• heating means for heating said substrates to a temperature adapted for vaporizing said liquid so that at least a part of said liquid is vaporized out of said substrates between said upstream portion and said downstream portion thereof, said plurality of substrates being inclined relative to a horizontal axis and some of said plurality of substrates overlapping others and forming therebetween a gap for the circulation of the vapour.