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US 9,067,152 B2Granted
Systems and methods for improving rate of evaporation
OwnerKevin Shurtleffinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for increasing the rate of evaporation for a liquid. Systems and methods include use of evaporation membranes having large surface areas exposed to the ambient environment.
Claims20
An evaporation device, comprising:
- a container configured to hold an operable amount of a liquid;
- a first membrane having at least one of (a) multiple interstices configured to hold a portion of the liquid via capillary action and (b) a hydrophilic material, wherein the first membrane is movably coupled to the evaporation device such that when the operable amount of the liquid is disposed in the container, a first portion of the first membrane is configured to be disposed below a surface of the operable amount of the liquid in the container and such that a second portion of the first membrane is configured to be disposed above the surface of the liquid in the container and to be exposed to ambient air;
- and
- a motor that is operably connected to the first membrane such that the motor is configured to rotate the first membrane through the liquid in the container such that the first portion and the second portion of the first membrane are each moved through both the liquid in the container and the ambient air and such that a portion of the liquid in the container is carried by the first membrane above the surface of the liquid in the container to the ambient air such that an evaporable fluid in the portion of the liquid is able to evaporate into the ambient air.
1 more element
A method for evaporating a liquid, the method comprising:
- obtaining a membrane having a first surface area and a second surface area;
- obtaining a container having an opening, wherein the container is configured to hold an operable amount of the liquid, and wherein the membrane is movably coupled to the container such that when the operable amount of the liquid is disposed in the container a first portion of the membrane is submerged below a surface of the operable amount of the liquid and the second portion of the membrane is exposed to ambient air above the surface of the operable amount of the liquid;
- placing the operable amount of the liquid in the container such that the first portion of the membrane is submerged below the surface of the operable amount of the liquid and such that the second portion of the membrane is exposed to the ambient air;
- moving the membrane such that the second portion of the membrane is submerged below the surface of the operable amount of the liquid, such that the first portion of the membrane is exposed to the ambient air, and such that the first portion of the membrane carries a portion of the liquid to the ambient air for evaporation.
1 more element
A system for evaporating a liquid, the system comprising:
- a membrane having a surface for collecting a liquid, the surface comprising a first portion and a second portion and further comprising at least one of (a) multiple interstices configured to hold a portion of the liquid via capillary action and (b) a hydrophilic material;
- a container having a volume configured to hold an operable amount of the liquid such that the first portion of the membrane is configured to be positioned below a surface of the operable amount of the liquid in the container and such that the second portion of the membrane is configured to be positioned outside of the operable amount of the liquid when the operable amount of the liquid is disposed within the container;
- and
- a mechanism configured to cycle the membrane through the operable amount of the liquid such that the first portion of the membrane is able to be positioned external to the operable amount of the liquid when the second portion of the membrane is able to be positioned within the operable amount of the liquid, when the operable amount of the liquid is disposed in the container.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.