Method and apparatus for thermocapillary evaporation
First Claim
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1. An evaporation apparatus comprising:
- (a) an evaporator means for evaporating a liquid, said liquid defining in the evaporator means a surface area, the surface area defining a liquid-gas interface; and
(b) a displacement means for displacing vapor created by the evaporator means;
whereinthe evaporator means includes at least one heating element disposed to contact the liquid-gas interface and evaporate the liquid by thermocapillary convectionand whereinsaid evaporation apparatus further comprises a storage system for storing a liquid to be evaporated, the storage system being operable for maintaining said liquid in said evaporator means such that said at least one heating element is in contact with said liquid-gas interface.
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Abstract
A vaporization apparatus and related vaporization method is provided that relies on thermocapillary convection. The apparatus of a thermocapillary evaporator has three sections: an evaporation section, a displacement section, and a storage system for storing the liquid to be evaporated. The evaporation section is operable to distribute thermal energy substantially along the entire liquid-gas interface. The method of the present invention includes providing a thermocapillary evaporator. Advantageously, the present invention provides substantial evaporation from relatively low temperature heat sources, compared to conventional evaporators.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An evaporation apparatus comprising:
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(a) an evaporator means for evaporating a liquid, said liquid defining in the evaporator means a surface area, the surface area defining a liquid-gas interface; and (b) a displacement means for displacing vapor created by the evaporator means; wherein the evaporator means includes at least one heating element disposed to contact the liquid-gas interface and evaporate the liquid by thermocapillary convection and wherein said evaporation apparatus further comprises a storage system for storing a liquid to be evaporated, the storage system being operable for maintaining said liquid in said evaporator means such that said at least one heating element is in contact with said liquid-gas interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An evaporation method comprising:
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(a) providing an evaporation apparatus, said evaporation apparatus comprising; (i) an evaporator means for evaporating a liquid, said liquid defining in the evaporator means a surface area, the surface area defining a liquid-gas interface, said evaporator means including at least one heating element; and (ii) a displacement means for displacing vapor created by the evaporator means; (iii) a storage system for storing said liquid to be evaporated, the storage system being operable for maintaining said liquid in said evaporator means such that said at least one heating element is in contact with said liquid-gas interface; (b) passing said liquid through said evaporator means such that said liquid-gas interface is in contact with said at least one heating element; (c) activating said at least one heating element to thereby heat and evaporate said liquid by thermocapillary convection; (d) displacing vapor produced by said evaporator means using said displacement means; (e) maintaining a level of said liquid in said evaporator means such that said liquid-gas interface is in contact with said at least one heating element.
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Specification