Vaporizer and methods relating to same
First Claim
1. An apparatus for vaporizing a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one heat transfer wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface capable of receiving heat and transferring the heat to the inner surface;
a wick material for receiving a liquid and directing the liquid to the inner surface, at least a portion of the wick material in contact with the inner surface;
a wick support in contact with the wick material opposite the inner surface, the wick support providing a path for a vaporized liquid to flow from the wick material; and
a superheater disposed downstream of the wick support, the superheater in fluid communication with the wick support for receiving a vaporized liquid and heating the vaporized liquid to an elevated temperature.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for vaporizing a liquid and heating the vaporized liquid to an elevated temperature. The apparatus has a heat transfer wall having an outer surface for receiving heat and transferring the heat to an inner surface. A wick material is disposed so that a portion of the wick material is in contact with the inner surface and another portion is remote from the heat transfer wall. A wick support in contact with the wick material opposite the inner surface of the heat transfer wall provides structural support to the wick material and further provides a path for vaporized liquid to flow from the wick material. Vaporizable liquid is delivered to the portion of the wick material that is remote from the heat transfer wall and is allowed to migrate to the portion that is in contact with the inner surface. Heat from the inner surface converts the liquid to a vaporized liquid. Optionally, a gaseous fuel may be introduced into the wick support for pre-heating and mixing with the vaporized liquid. Vaporized liquid flows out of the wick material through the wick support and into a downstream superheater that preferably houses a heat exchange device. The heat exchange device is in thermal communication with the inner surface of the heat transfer wall for receiving and transferring heat to the vaporized liquid. The apparatus can include multiple vaporization units connected to common and/or different heat sources. Methods for making an apparatus for vaporizing a liquid and methods for vaporizing a liquid are also disclosed.
31 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for vaporizing a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one heat transfer wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface capable of receiving heat and transferring the heat to the inner surface; a wick material for receiving a liquid and directing the liquid to the inner surface, at least a portion of the wick material in contact with the inner surface; a wick support in contact with the wick material opposite the inner surface, the wick support providing a path for a vaporized liquid to flow from the wick material; and a superheater disposed downstream of the wick support, the superheater in fluid communication with the wick support for receiving a vaporized liquid and heating the vaporized liquid to an elevated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for vaporizing a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of vaporization units, each vaporization unit comprising; a liquid inlet; a wick material for receiving a liquid from the liquid inlet and conducting the liquid to a heat transfer wall; at least one heat transfer wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface capable of receiving heat and transferring the heat to the inner surface and at least a portion of the inner surface in contact with the wick material; a wick support in contact with the wick material opposite the inner surface, the wick support providing a path for a vaporized liquid to flow from the wick material; a superheater disposed downstream of the wick support, the superheater in fluid communication with the wick support for receiving a vaporized liquid and heating the vaporized liquid to an elevated temperature; and a vapor outlet in fluid communication with the superheater; a heat source inlet manifold capable of providing a flow of heated fluid to the outer surface of one or more of the vaporization units; and an outlet manifold capable of directing the flow of heated fluid out of the one or more vaporization units. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method for making an apparatus for vaporizing a liquid, the method comprising the steps of:
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overlaying a wick material over at least an upstream portion of a wick support having an extended surface area; placing a heat conductor adjacent a downstream portion of the wick support; and enclosing the wick support, wick material and heat conductor with at least one heat transfer wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, a portion of the wick material in contact with an upstream portion of the inner surface and the heat conductor adjacent a downstream portion of the inner surface. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for vaporizing a liquid, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing heat to an outer surface of a heat transfer wall, the heat transfer wall capable of transferring heat from the outer surface to an inner surface for vaporizing a vaporizable liquid and for heating a vaporized liquid to an elevated temperature; delivering a vaporizable liquid to a portion of a wick material remote from the heat transfer wall, the wick material conducting the vaporizable liquid to a portion of the wick material in contact with the inner surface of the heat transfer wall where the vaporizable liquid is heated to produce a vaporized liquid; and contacting the vaporized liquid with a heat conductor in thermal communication with the inner surface of the heat transfer wall to heat the vaporized liquid to an elevated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification