Surface for promoting droplet formation
AssigneeQinetiq Limited
InventorsChristopher Robert Lawrence, Andrew Richard Parker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surface (30) suitable for promoting the formation of liquid (35) is provided comprising alternating regions of liquid repelling (32) and liquid attracting (33) material in at least one direction across the surface wherein the diameter of the droplets is controlled by the size of the smallest dimension of the liquid attracting material. The surface (30) may be textured and/or form a pattern. Also disclosed are a method and a system of collecting a liquid (35) carried by or condensed out of a vapour comprising passing a vapour across such a surface (30) and a method of purifying a liquid by passing a vapour containing droplets of a liquid over such a surface.
Claims17
A method of collecting a liquid carried by or condensed out of a vapour comprising
- passing a vapour across a surface;
- and
- collecting droplets of liquid formed on the surface in collecting means;
- wherein the surface comprises alternating regions of liquid repelling and liquid attracting material in at least one direction across the surface and wherein the surface is inclined to the horizontal plane.
A method of liquid purification comprising
- passing a vapour containing droplets of a liquid over a surface that is inclined to the horizontal plane, said surface having alternating regions of liquid repelling and liquid attracting material in at least one direction across the surface;
- and
- collecting the liquid droplets formed on the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.