JP5478070B2 - Improved capillary force evaporator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to liquid evaporation and vapor pressurization in a capillary force evaporation apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices and methods incorporating these novel features, as well as new developments in the assembly and structure of capillary force evaporation devices.

  Many applications make use of gas generated from a liquid source. The evaporation device is designed to evaporate the liquid and release the vapor generated thereby under pressure. In applications requiring a pressurized vapor stream, conventional devices generally require that liquid be supplied to the device under pressure or that the vapor be pressurized by external means. For example, in a pressurized boiler, the liquid must generally be supplied under a pressure that is at least equal to the pressure of the generated steam. Pressurized liquid sources are usually difficult to use, difficult to move, can explode and are prone to leakage. In many applications, it is desirable to generate a stream of pressurized vapor directly from a liquid that is at or near atmospheric pressure.

In the past, several devices that achieve the aforementioned objectives are known as capillary pumps, capillary evaporation modules or capillary force evaporation devices. Both of these devices use direct heat from unpressurized liquid by utilizing heat to boil the liquid in the capillary member and at least partially constraining the vapor to increase pressure. To generate pressurized steam. Steam is jetted out of the device through one or more orifices. Other features that these devices have in common are that they are both thermally operated, small in size, and generally have no moving parts, and are used for liquid evaporation and vapor pressurization. Has advantages over other technologies. In addition to capillary pumps, capillary evaporation modules and capillary force evaporators, devices incorporating these are described in Young et al., US Pat.
US Pat. No. 6,162,046 US Pat. No. 6,347,936 US Pat. No. 6,585,509 US Pat. No. 6,634,864 No. 10 / 691,067 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,570) US Application No. 11 / 355,461 PCT / US2006 / 018696 (US Pat. No. 7,920,777)

  Many of the devices described above have advantages over other liquid evaporation techniques, but many of the devices are not strong enough to allow operation for extended periods of time or under various operating conditions. For example, some devices showed good performance characteristics when operated for several minutes or hours. However, some anomalies were found in the performance of the material during longer periods of operation, ie days or weeks. None of these devices are suitable or compatible for use in a pressurized environment. That is, none of the devices described above are configured for use with a pressurized vapor stream or a pressurized liquid source. The apparatus described above is mainly intended for use when converting an unpressurized liquid into a vapor, and the vapor generated by the apparatus is released at a pressure close to atmospheric pressure. The ability to generate steam at pressures higher than atmospheric pressure is desired for a number of reasons. The present invention provides an improved capillary force evaporation device for use in a variety of environments under a variety of operating parameters.

  The present invention overcomes the limitations of conventional capillary force evaporators (CFVs) for liquid evaporation and pressurized vapor generation and provides improved features that are superior to the capillary force evaporators. The CFV is suitable for use under various operating parameters. These operating parameters are not limited to the following, but long-term reliability when the CFV is used intermittently, increased time interval when the CFV is activated, variation in power density to the CFV, different Includes the use of a liquid supply or combination of supplies, changes in ambient operating conditions, etc. The capillary force evaporation apparatus according to the present invention provides better reliability and improved response to changes in input heat and output, in addition to providing other advantages over conventional devices, as will be described in detail below. Characterize the new operating parameters provided.

  In early applications using capillary devices, liquid is supplied or placed in the device at atmospheric pressure or a pressure approximately equal to atmospheric pressure. The liquid is generally a fuel or combustible, and the purpose of the capillary pump or capillary evaporation is to generate a cooking or lighting flame. For this reason, the device is typically operated with a flame temperature of about 1090 ° C. (2000 ° F.) or less and a surface temperature of the device above about 350 ° C. (660 ° F.). However, such conventional devices can fail due to the burning of the material that they vaporize and burn. The device is often clogged with the liquid used. In addition, many devices may crack due to constraints imposed on the components of the device by the peripheral glaze used to seal and pressurize the device.

  In the course of the invention and investigation described herein, a capillary force evaporation device (hereinafter “CFV”) is suitable for use in a variety of applications. Many involve operation at temperatures much lower than conventional capillary devices, ie, 250 ° C., preferably below 200 ° C., and often below about 150 ° C. For example, CFV is used with non-fuel feed materials. Examples of the non-fuel supply material include triethylene glycol, insecticides such as allethrin and transfluthrin, inhaled health compounds such as eucalyptus oil, menthol and camphor oil, water, perfume, fragrance, and fragrance. There are mixtures and fragrances, solvents such as isopropyl alcohol, toluene and acetone, mixtures for fuel cell materials such as aqueous methanol and saline. Other non-fuel feed materials used with the CFV of the present invention include, but are not limited to, nicotine formulations used for smoking cessation and tobacco replacement, and formulations comprising morphine, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC and Other pain management compounds, formulations containing substances that are inhaled or taken up by smoking, various glycol ether formulations used, for example, for moistening and lubricating the eyes, and loratadine, which is useful for allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and palsy And antihistamines containing any of these and mixtures of any of these. In addition to the above materials, feed materials may be used with the CFV according to the present invention. The above list is representative of CFV feed materials and is not exhaustive.

  According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the CFV has a porous member and a heat source such as a heater. The porous member has an insulating portion and an arbitrary evaporation portion. The heater has one or more orifices that emit steam and a grooved surface that contacts the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner to collect steam and simultaneously increase steam pressure. The CFV optionally has a mechanical force generator or holding means for holding the porous material and the heater in contact with each other so as to allow heat exchange.

  The holding means includes a tensioning device such as a spring clip, a clamp and a clamping device, a friction fit, a snap fastener, an insertion fastener, a screw fastener, a twist fastener, a conical washer, a wave washer, Various spring devices known to those skilled in the art, including leaf springs and coil springs, welding, chemical, physical or mechanical bonding, sintering, chemical reaction, and any combination thereof There is. The screw fastener or the twist fastener can be composed of components of the heater and the porous member, and does not require additional parts, metal fittings, and the like. As will be explained in detail below, the earth's gravity can constitute one aspect of the holding means that can be used with the CFV according to the present invention. Regardless of the type of means used to provide mechanical force or to keep the heater in close proximity to the porous member, an important difference between the CFV of the present invention and a conventional capillary evaporator The conventional device is characterized by a sealing member covering or wrapping the components of the device. In contrast, the holding means of the present invention applies a compressive force to the components of the CFV.

Furthermore, the CFV optionally has a housing. In many applications, the housing facilitates placing the CFV in or as part of a large device, instrument, engine or device, facilitating placement of the CFV in close proximity to the heater controller, It is useful to make it convenient to place a specific position in a room. Various types of devices incorporating CFV, particularly with respect to in-line humidification, are described in US Application No. 11 / 606,375 (2011 ) by Weinstein et al. Filed Nov. 30, 2006 for in-line evaporators. U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,113 issued on May 10, 1980) .

  Capillary forces carry liquid to the heat source during operation of the CFV. The heat source evaporates the liquid, and the liquid is released from the CFV at atmospheric pressure or slightly higher than atmospheric pressure. The liquid must be transported to the heat source so that evaporation occurs in a controlled manner. At the same time, heat and excess vapor must be prevented from moving from the heat source to the liquid to prevent failure of the CFV. Conventional capillary devices used with flammable liquids for heating, lighting and cooking have a core and a heat source. The core material carries fuel to the heat source, but the capillary device causes insufficient fuel evaporation for the intended application. The core material cannot prevent excessive heat and pressurized steam from moving from the heater in the direction of the incoming liquid, and the amount of evaporation produced for combustion purposes is small.

  In a conventional capillary device, the core material is made of a material having small holes. The small holes create a high capillary pressure in the core and prevent excess vapor from moving from the heater to the liquid. However, the small holes are very small and produce unacceptably high capillary forces. The capillary device incorporating the core moves substantially insufficient flow of fuel.

  Recent capillary devices incorporate a combination of the above. That is, a core material having a large hole is used in addition to a core material having a small hole. A region having a small hole is called an evaporation layer or an evaporation portion, and a region having a large hole is called an insulating layer or an insulating portion. The evaporating part and the insulating part are made of a porous member. The insulating portion provides liquid supply to the heater or the heat source by capillary force for liquid evaporation without allowing excessive heat to flow from the heater to the proceeding liquid. As will be explained in detail below, overall dimensions, capillary pore dimensions, and liquid supply are all factors that are considered when adapting an insulating portion to a particular application.

  It has been found that preventing a large amount of pressurized vapor from moving from the heater in the direction of the incoming liquid is achieved in the CFV without the use of a separate evaporation portion. In conventional capillary devices, the evaporating portion was considered the layer necessary to prevent a large amount of gas or pressurized vapor from flowing or moving from the heater to the liquid. The evaporating portion was considered necessary when, for example, the CFV was operated with a very large amount of liquid at a very high operating temperature, such as in a long time and / or combustion application.

  In recent years, the desire to operate the CFV for a longer time at lower temperatures and pressures has necessitated a re-evaluation of materials suitable for use as evaporating and insulating parts. The insulating part maintains the essential characteristics of the porous member, whereas the evaporating part or layer is operated at a lower temperature of the CFV and is very high experienced with the combustion of liquids such as fuel. It has been found to be optional if no internal pressure is generated or if very high flow rates and high temperatures are required. In addition, CFVs for intermittent use, i.e., applications that require a small amount of vapor explosion without the need for high internal pressure accumulation, have been developed without the use of an evaporating portion.

  A series of studies have been conducted to evaluate materials suitable for use as the evaporating and insulating parts. By judicious selection of insulating and evaporating portion materials, it has been found that the relative amount of evaporating portion relative to the insulating portion required for a particular application is greatly modified if not completely eliminated. Thereby, in some cases, as in the use of CFV for water and perfume evaporation, the CFV can operate continuously and evaporate the liquid without using a separate evaporation portion of the porous member. I knew it was possible. In this case, without being bound by theory, it is theorized that the region of the insulating portion in contact with the heater functions as a region in which the liquid evaporates in the capillary hole of the insulating portion. Of course, the absence of an evaporating layer is not the most efficient technique to prevent the gas generated from the liquid from moving from the heater through the insulating portion to the flowing liquid. In the absence of an evaporating layer, the steam generated by CFV does not show uniformity in the form of the steam and the size of the water droplets. Sputtering and release of liquid that does not evaporate may occur. For many low flow applications and / or applications where the CFV is operated intermittently and without using high boiling liquids, the evaporating portion is not required. When CFV is used with water supplied at a flow rate of a few grams per minute, some loss of water may be observed when the evaporating portion is not used. At lower water volumes of 1 gram per minute or less, many tests have shown that no evaporation portion is required. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for generating pressurized vapor from an unpressurized liquid comprises: (a) a porous member having an insulating portion and an optional evaporation portion, wherein the liquid is A porous member having a receiving surface and an area for pressurizing vapor generated from the liquid; and (b) a heater for transferring heat to the porous member to evaporate the liquid and collecting the vapor. And (c) holding means for holding the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner; and (d) The porous material pulls the liquid to the heater by capillary force.

A. Material selection Many materials have sufficient permeability to provide the liquid flow required by the porous member of the CFV, but sufficient capillary force, no excessive pressure, and A combination of material properties is suitable to ensure that heat and mass transfer requirements are met. In other words, the liquid must be moved to the CFV evaporation region and the porous member during operation of the CFV can be maintained at an appropriate temperature and pressure even at high power levels. The liquid flow must provide sufficient cooling without an accompanying increase in pressure. Capillary forces due to small holes in the candidate material are essential to achieve these goals. The capillary force is quantified and compared using a “boiling point” measurement.

  The boiling point of the material refers to a specific test of passing air through a porous material saturated with liquid. The pressure at which the liquid bubbles begin to form on the surface of the porous material due to gas permeation of the saturated material is known as the boiling point. Common porous materials include simple filter paper, gas diffusers, and building materials such as bricks. The foregoing has very large holes and is easy to pass liquid. This is because the surface tension caused by the wetness of the holes by the liquid passing through the holes can be overcome relatively easily. In this case, the pressure required for the gas to start flowing through the porous material can be very low.

  The smaller the hole diameter of the material, the higher pressure is required to move the liquid through the hole. Technical porous materials, ie, materials designed for applications where the pore size distribution is critical, are often represented by a maximum pore size, which is easily calculated from the boiling point. For evaporation applications, the boiling point must be high enough to prevent liquid drainage from the pores, but low enough that a sufficient amount of liquid flows through the material. The tolerance depends on the nature of the fluid and the specific application. A material with a very low boiling point can provide a very high flow rate, whereas a material with a very high boiling point can only provide a very low flow rate. For many applications, materials with very low flow rates and very high boiling points are undesirable.

  Various technical porous materials are being evaluated for use. Materials considered included those listed in Table 1 below.

The results of several boiling point studies of the materials described above are shown in FIG. The sample numbers of the materials evaluated in FIG. 1 and the corresponding data are shown in Table 2 below. The evaluation is performed at a pressure of about 0.14 kg-f / cm ² ( ² psi) using water as the liquid. The material is evaluated in the form of a monolithic disk having a height of 1 cm and a diameter of 2 cm.

About 0. Boiling points of several kg-f / cm ² (several psi) have been found to be suitable for use in water applications. Thus, depending on the application, the relatively small area of FIG. 1 can exhibit the appropriate operating characteristics of the CFV. For samples with a region of about 3 cm ² used for water evaporation, the region of interest in FIG. 1 is between 0.01 cm ³ / sec and 10 cm ³ / sec, more preferably 0.1 cm ³ / sec and 5 cm. ^{Between 3} / sec, more preferably between 0.5 cm ³ / sec and 3 cm ³ / sec, 0.001 to 10 kg-f / cm ² , more preferably 0.01 to 0.5 kg- It has a boiling point of f / cm ² , more preferably 0.025 to 0.2 kg-f / cm ² .

  Higher boiling points may be appropriate for other fluids and operating conditions. When CFV is used to provide vapor to a pressurized gaseous environment, for example, a sufficient boiling point is required so that the liquid does not leak or drain from the CFV before it is evaporated. Is done. In this case, a higher boiling point with the associated higher flow rate is generally desirable. The discharge of liquid without evaporation prevents a stable flow of liquid from reaching the evaporation area adjacent to the heat source. Liquid that evaporates in a high pressure environment may require a flow of pressurized liquid to the CFV, as described in detail below.

Depending on the requirements of a particular CFV evaporation application, different combinations of these two parameters, namely boiling point and flow rate, may be desirable. For example, some humidification applications, a boiling point of about 0.01 to 0.15 kg-f / cm ^2, 1cm when the diameter thickness at 2cm is the pressure of 1400 kg / m ² to 1cm of the disk was added ³ / Requires a flow rate or penetration rate of sec.

  Since the boiling point of the material is determined by the pore structure of the material, it depends not on the thickness of the material but on the maximum value of the pore size. The penetration rate generally decreases as the thickness of the material increases. The material thickness can be manipulated to provide sufficient flow for the desired power level and steam power. This is one reason why different vaporization portion thicknesses are used when it is desirable to prevent excessive back pressure in the porous member. Reference is made to the above description of the use of CFV with fuel and flammable liquid.

  In the case of an insulating part, regardless of the material selected, the insulating part cannot be made very thin or the temperature of the CFV becomes excessive. A suitable length of the insulating portion is sufficient to ensure that the CFV is maintained at a temperature well below the boiling point of the fluid as fluid passes through the insulating portion during evaporation. It is long enough to provide cooling. Steam is generated only in the vicinity of the heat source, and most of the steam generated by the CFV is released through the orifice. The appropriate thickness chosen for a particular insulating part depends on parameters such as the nature of the fluid to be evaporated, the duration of operation of the CFV, the required liquid flow rate and power level, and the thermal conductivity of the material. It depends.

  If the boiling point and permeability for a particular CFV evaporation application are not satisfied by a porous member made of a monolithic material, the CFV can be a combination of the insulating and optional evaporation portions described above for fuel and flammable liquids. As described above, the porous member can be made of two or more materials. Appropriate combinations of materials for the insulating and evaporating portions can be realized in a variety of ways using one or more members that differ in pore size distribution and other characteristics.

  The combination of materials for a porous member having an insulating portion and an optional evaporating portion is satisfied by the following preferred structure. Finer pores and higher boiling material are placed adjacent to the heat source, and larger pores and higher permeability material are placed away from the heat source. The area of the fine pores can provide the necessary capillary force and provide sufficient penetration even if it is thinner than the thickness of the insulating portion at a given diameter. Large pore areas are thicker to provide sufficient thermal insulation. CFVs having layers with two or more different pore sizes may be considered. The porous member has not only a material having a constant pore size but also a material having various pore sizes, such as a gradient material whose pore size changes when the material is traversed from the first surface to the second surface. It can be.

  A composite structure having a combination of fine pores and large pore regions consists of one material having a pore size distribution introduced during the manufacturing process, for example. This is a “gradient” material that has a gradient in the pore size distribution as it passes through the material. Gradient material is made in many processes where a material with fine pores is bonded together to a material with large pores. Alternatively, the same result may be achieved using two different materials that are in close proximity to each other.

Although permeability and boiling point are not sufficient parameters to predict suitability for all CFV parts, they can be used to evaluate materials as new materials are developed. Other parameters that can be important factors include, for example, an assessment of the energy density that the material can provide for high performance CFV applications. Several monolithic materials evaluated for maximum sustainable power levels are shown in FIG. The material is evaluated in the shape of a disc having a height of 1 cm and a diameter of 2 cm . Repeated tests for the samples numbered 4 and 8 are included in FIG.

  The study of FIG. 2 is being conducted to evaluate materials used in water applications that require power levels of about 100 watts. Sample numbers are shown in Table 1. The fact that many samples showed good reliability up to about 120 watts indicates that there is more solid material. Materials that show stability at higher power levels are generally more preferred.

  Other variables used to assess the suitability of a given material for use in CFV are reaction time, long-term reliability, potential for polluting the vapor stream, ease of manufacturing, and related Including elements such as cost to do. The results obtained for various porous materials evaluated as usable as the porous member of CFV are shown in Table 3 below. The following operating characteristics have been evaluated. (1) Maximum main power, ie, sustainable maximum operating power, preferably having a higher value, (2) Heater temperature, in other words, preferably lower temperature, the CFV being operated at maximum power (3) CFV temperature, that is, preferably the lower temperature, temperature of the CFV when the CFV is at maximum power, (4) brittle, in other words, operation of the CFV Properties of the porous material that give rise to particulate matter or release other by-products, also called “contaminants”.

表３の説明：
「−」は、性能が悪いことを示す。
「○」は、性能が十分であることを示す。
「＋」は、性能が良いことを示す。
「＋＋」は、性能が非常に良いことを示す。

Explanation of Table 3:
“-” Indicates that the performance is poor.
“◯” indicates that the performance is sufficient.
“+” Indicates that the performance is good.
“++” indicates that the performance is very good.

  The materials evaluated in Table 3 are ZAL-45AA, Mott Grade 5, AF6, AF15, AF30, AF50 and MeAF3, and the information is as shown in Table 1. The results in Table 3 show that not all porous materials are equally suitable for the development of high performance CFV. Samples showing the most preferred features in Table 3 include 5 and 8, which correspond to AF30 and MeAF3, respectively. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a capillary device that generates pressurized vapor from an unpressurized liquid is ZAL-45AA, Mott Grade 5, AF6, AF 15, AF30, AF50, MeAF3, Micromass. , T-Cast, P-IO-C, P-16-C, P-40-C and P-55-C, more preferably ZAL-45AA, Mott Grade 5, AFl 5, AF30, AF50 , MeAF3, Micromass, T-Cast, P-40-C and P-55-C, more preferably having an insulating portion characterized by a material selected from AF30 and MeAF3.

B. CFV Structure It has been shown that during operation of a CFV having a structure, bubbles tend to be generated from the side and bottom of the CFV. Without being bound by theory, the bubbles can be generated in various ways, i.e., accumulation of gas dissolved in the liquid, the porous member, i.e., the pores in the insulating portion are not saturated, etc. It is expected to occur. In particular, when the liquid is water, such as when the CFV is used for humidification purposes, the air bubbles jeopardize the operation of the CFV because the accumulation of air bubbles prevents the flow of liquid to the insulating part. There is.

  Depending on the liquid, the power level at which the CFV is operated and the details of the CFV structure, a failure in this mode may occur in minutes or hours. In the past, bubble formation has been observed during the use of many evaporating parts that have been operated for hours, minutes or seconds. On the other hand, the CFV can be stably and reliably operated for several days to several weeks even at a high output setting if it has appropriate air permeability.

  In many conventional evaporating parts, if the insulating part is tightly housed in a sheath, tube or similar containing device, or around the insulating part by a coating or other integral housing There is no opportunity for bubbles to escape as if an attempt has been made to seal. Accumulation of gas within the porous structure of the insulating portion of the evaporation portion can cause a significant problem in the operation of the CFV by the gas impeding the flow of liquid to the heater. As described above, this causes overheating of the CFV and heater failure, making the CFV inoperable. However, not all conventional evaporation parts fail. Due to the microscopic roughness, the housing that only surrounds the evaporating portion happens to provide an empty area or an area for containing the fluid to be evaporated, providing a substantial escape path for bubble generation.

  FIG. 3 shows what can happen if the CFV does not have a sufficient escape path. The graph shown in FIG. 3 is a plot of heater temperature versus time for a CFV operating at 100 Watts. The increase in the heater temperature is realized by the formation of bubbles for a long time. The heater temperature rises while a constant power level is maintained until the bubbles have a chance to escape. Thereafter, the temperature drops rapidly and new bubbles begin to accumulate. This thermal circulation process can harm the good control of the evaporation process and place an unnecessary burden on the power supply and control circuit. This places an undesirable burden on the CFV member and exposes the CFV to overheating and failure.

  Various modifications may be made to the CFV to prevent bubbles from accumulating or to provide a simple escape path when bubbles are formed. Those skilled in the problem of gas generation and bubble formation will understand that bubbles can be suppressed by bringing the porous member and the housing close together. It is desirable to appropriately design the local environment of the CFV. A region may be provided between the housing that is continuous or discontinuous and the porous member, so that the generated bubbles are quickly directed or guided out of the CFV. This is accomplished, for example, by providing a passage or gap in a continuous or selected portion around the device. The gap may be filled with fluid or contain gas. Various structures can be used to improve the bubble formation situation. The housing adjacent to the lower part of the porous member or insulating part is characterized by directing the formed bubbles towards the periphery of the device, whereby the bubbles can be eliminated. Another method is to reduce the height of the CFV container or housing so that the peripheral area of the CFV is not completely covered and bubbles are likely to be dispersed from the CFV to its surrounding environment.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a CFV that does not have an escape path, and reference numeral 400 shows a CFV that has an escape path according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a CFV 600 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used to indicate like parts or features.

  As shown in FIG. 4, device 400 is one example of a capillary force evaporation device according to the present invention. The porous member that conveys liquid by capillary force has an insulating portion 404 and an optional evaporation portion 402. The porous member is in contact with a heater, and the heater includes a heating member 406 and a heat exchanger 408. The heat generating member 406 is in contact with the heat exchanger 408, and the heat exchanger has an orifice 410 that discharges the steam collected in the steam collecting passage 412 and pressurized in the steam collecting passage. The orifice 410 is located at a contact portion between the porous member and the heater (not labeled). Conductive wire 414 connects heat generating member 406 to a power source (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the device 400 is positioned over the overhanging portion 418 of the housing 420 that exists along the bottom of the wall 422 of the housing 420 and is directed inwardly. The outer housing 416 can have a variety of shapes and configurations, and serves to provide a location for mounting, securing or restraining the lead 414. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the lead 414 may have a spring clip. According to other embodiments of the present invention, the lead 414 may have features (not shown) such as a bed, tab, hook, etc. that engage the outer housing 416. The housing 420 is continuous and contacts the heater and the porous member of the apparatus 400 along the wall 422.

  The device 500 shown in FIG. 5 is slightly different from the device 400 shown in FIG. 4 in the overall structure of the housing 420. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the wall 422 of the housing 420 is spaced from the porous member and the heater of the apparatus 500, and an opening is provided between the wall 422 and the porous member and the heater. Or there is a gap 524. Other features of the device 500 are similar to the device 400 described above, but the presence of the gap 524 is in terms of operability and durability of the device 500 relative to the device 400 and similar conventional capillary force evaporation devices. Bring great benefits.

  The gap 524 need not be very wide in order to provide a significant operational improvement to the CFV compared to a device without a gap. A gap between the CFV and the wall 422 with an overall spacing of about 3 mm, preferably 2 mm, most preferably 1 mm is suitable for the application where the housing is needed and used or desired. If the gap is too large, the surface tension of the bubbles generated from the CFV will be insufficient. As a result, the bubbles cannot fill the gap 524 between the CFV and the wall 422. For this reason, in particular, when the fluid is water, the fluid may leak from the device if the device is inverted.

  Although the gap 524 is shown in FIG. 5, the specific shape or structure of the gap between the CFV and the wall is not considered, and the shape, arrangement, and dimensions of the gap 524 shown in FIG. It is intended only for this purpose. In practice, many different structures have been tried and evaluated. Viewed from above the CFV, i.e., along the imaginary line in the paper from top to bottom in FIG. 5, the structure has three or three concentric circular arrays similar to three or four leaf clovers. For example, it may be an annular arrangement composed of four passages or many passages. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing 422 and the gap 524 are coaxially disposed around the central CFV device.

  FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the CFV at 600. This device differs from the device 500 shown in FIG. 5 in that the wall 622 is lower than the wall 422 in FIG. 5 and does not sufficiently hide or protect the CFV. In this structure, there are few gaps, there are many porous members, and the evaporation portion 402 and the insulating portion 404 are exposed to the atmosphere. For this reason, the amount of air bubbles collected is small and the air bubbles freely diverge from the device.

  In an extreme example, the wall 622 may have a height of zero. That is, the housing 420 can be made of a disk having an overhanging portion 418 in which the CFV is disposed. In this case, there is no gap and the CFV has a structure that is substantially infinitely open. The only requirement in this case is that there is some attachment or fixing means that provides the necessary mechanical force to hold the various CFV members together. From the foregoing, according to one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for generating pressurized vapor from an unpressurized liquid is (a) a porous member having an insulating portion and an optional evaporation portion. A porous member having a surface for receiving the liquid, a region for pressurizing vapor generated from the liquid, and (b) a heater for transferring heat to the porous member to evaporate the liquid. A heater having an area for collecting steam and at least one orifice for discharging the steam at a speed greater than zero; and (c) a holding means for holding the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner. And (d) an optional housing having walls spaced 3 mm, preferably 2 mm, most preferably 1 mm from the porous member, the heater and the holding means. .

C. Gravity as a suitable mechanical force In its simplest form, the CFV is a porous member, a heater, and a holding means or mechanical force generator that holds the porous member and the heater in contact with each other in a heat exchangeable manner. With a bowl. The porous member has an insulating portion and an optional evaporation portion, and the heater has a vapor collection region and at least one orifice for releasing vapor.

  The various mechanical force generators or mechanical force generating means are as described above. Application PCT / US2006 / 018,696 filed on May 15, 2006 discloses mechanical force generating means such as clamps, springs and clips. In the course of the current investigation, it has been found that, in addition to the above, even an attractive force such as gravity existing on the earth can provide an appropriate mechanical force for continuous operation of the CFV in some situations. In one embodiment of the present invention, a capillary force evaporation device includes (a) a porous member having an insulating portion and an optional evaporation portion, (b) a heater, and (c) heating the heater to the porous material. Holding means for holding in exchangeable contact, said holding means comprising gravity, tensioning devices such as spring clips, clamps and clamping devices, friction fits, snap fasteners, plug-in fasteners, Various spring devices known to those skilled in the art, including screw fasteners, twist fasteners, conical washers, wave washers, leaf springs and coil springs, welding and chemical, physical or mechanical couplings And sintering, fitting, chemical reaction, and any combination thereof.

D. Operation of CFV under higher ambient pressure During normal CFV operation, capillary force moves the liquid to a heat source, which heats the liquid at a pressure above or slightly above atmospheric pressure. Evaporate to be released from. When the CFV is located and the operated air or other ambient environment is at or near atmospheric pressure, the CFV device functions normally. However, when the CFV is operated under high atmospheric pressure, the back pressure of the CFV device eventually returns the fluid to the device, preventing continuous discharge of evaporated liquid.

  Depending on the situation, even under high pressure, CFV can be used to generate pressurized steam and release the steam into the steam flow without causing flooding or failure of the CFV device It is. The key to achieving this goal is to make sure that there is no pressure drop in the CFV device. However, it is not easy to solve this problem.

  In the operation of CFV in a pressurized environment, the generation of high back pressure prevents vapor release and causes the CFV to be accidentally flooded. The capillary force acting on the fluid in the CFV is sufficient to transport the material to be evaporated to the atmospheric environment, but when the steam is used in a pressurized environment, a very large pressure drop occurs. In an attempt to overcome the back pressure problem by simply pressurizing the fluid, so much fluid is carried through the CFV that the large, visible drop of fluid drops in the orifice of the CFV device.

  By pressurizing the liquid as close as possible to the liquid at ambient environmental pressure, it is possible to operate the CFV to generate vapor that is not suppressed by the conveying means or environmental pressure. According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for generating a vapor flow from a liquid for use in an environment having a first pressure higher than atmospheric pressure comprises: (a) a surface that receives the liquid and vapor generated from the liquid. A porous member having a region to be pressurized; (b) a heater for transferring heat to the porous member to evaporate the liquid; a region for collecting the vapor; and at least releasing the vapor at a rate greater than zero. And a heater having a hole, wherein the liquid is at least under the first pressure.

  In an environment having a first pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, a method of generating pressurized vapor includes (a) pressurizing the liquid to the second pressure, and (b) supplying the pressurized liquid to the capillary force evaporator. The capillary force evaporation device includes a porous member, a heater that transfers heat to the porous member to evaporate the liquid, and at least one hole that releases vapor at a rate greater than zero. The porous member includes an insulating portion having a surface for receiving the liquid, and an optional evaporation portion having an evaporation region for collecting and pressurizing vapor generated from the liquid, and the second pressure. Is at least equal to the first pressure. There is no need to pressurize the fluid supplied to the CFV operated at or near atmospheric pressure. Small changes in atmospheric or ambient pressure are handled by the CFV without harming the operation of the CFV.

  The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments, figures and examples. These embodiments, figures and examples do not narrow the scope of the invention, but facilitate the understanding of the invention and the manner in which it is implemented and enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is an example for explanation. It will be appreciated that various changes and substitutions not only in the described capillary force evaporation apparatus, modules and systems, but also in materials, manufacturing methods and applications, without departing from the broad scope of the invention discussed herein. May be made. The invention is set out in the claims.

Graph of boiling point versus flow rate of water flowing through various evaluated monolithic materials according to the present invention at a feed pressure of about 0.14 kg-f / cm ² ( ² psi). The bar graph which shows the result of the maximum output test with respect to the porous material of various monolithic structures evaluated based on this invention. Plot of heater temperature against time for unfavorable CFV operating at 100 Watts. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a capillary force evaporator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Sectional drawing of the capillary force evaporation apparatus which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention. Sectional drawing of the capillary force evaporation apparatus which concerns on 3rd Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

400, 500, 600 CFV
410 Orifice 402 Evaporating part 404 Insulating part 420 Housing 422 Wall

Claims (14)

A capillary force evaporation device for generating pressurized vapor from unpressurized liquid,
a) a porous member having an insulator for moving the liquid toward a heat source by capillary force, and having a region for pressurizing vapor generated from the liquid;
b) a heater that conducts heat to the porous member to evaporate the liquid and has a region that collects vapor and at least one orifice that releases the vapor at a rate greater than zero;
c) a mechanical force generator that positions the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner;
d) a platform including a wall that does not cover the entire peripheral area of the porous member;
The said porous member is a capillary force evaporation apparatus which pulls up the said liquid to the said heater by capillary force by making the height of the said wall low. The mechanical force generator includes a tensioning device including a spring clip, a clamp and a clamping device, a friction fit, a snap fastener, an insertion fastener, a screw fastener, a twist fastener, a conical washer, a wave washer, It is selected from a spring device having leaf springs and coil spring, the capillary force evaporation device according to claim 1. Said wall, said placed in the porous member and the spacing of less than the heater or et 3 mm, the capillary force evaporation device according to claim 1. The capillary force evaporation device according to claim 1, wherein the insulator is selected from porous alumina, synthetic porous alumina, and porous sintered metal . Said porous member when said porous member liquids the unpressurized is a water has a surface area of 3 cm ^2, 0.01 to 10 cm ³ / flow sec and 0.001 to 10 kgf / cm ² The capillary force evaporator according to claim 1, having a boiling point of A capillary force evaporation device for generating pressurized vapor from a liquid in an environment having a first pressure higher than atmospheric pressure,
a) a porous member comprising an insulator that moves the liquid toward a heat source by capillary force and having an evaporation region that collects and pressurizes vapor generated from the liquid;
b) transferring heat to the porous member in order to evaporate the liquid, and heaters having at least one hole for discharging the steam at greater than zero speed,
c) a mechanical force generator that positions the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner;
d) a platform including a wall that does not cover the entire peripheral area of the porous member;
e) Capillary force evaporator , wherein the porous member pulls the liquid up to the heater by capillary force by reducing the height of the wall, and the liquid is at least under the first pressure. A method of generating pressurized steam in an environment having a first pressure higher than atmospheric pressure,
a) pressurizing the liquid supply source to a second pressure;
b) supplying the pressurized liquid to a capillary force evaporator;
The capillary force evaporator is
i) a porous member having an evaporation region that collects and pressurizes vapor generated from the liquid, and includes an insulator that moves the liquid toward a heat source by capillary force;
ii) a heater that transfers heat to the porous member to evaporate the liquid,
And heaters containing at least one hole for discharging the steam at greater than zero speed,
iii) a mechanical force generator that positions the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner;
iv) a platform including a wall that does not cover the entire peripheral area of the porous member;
The porous member raises the liquid to the heater by capillary force by reducing the height of the wall,
The method wherein the second pressure is at least equal to the first pressure. The mechanical force generator includes a tensioning device including a spring clip, a clamp and a clamping device, a friction fit, a snap fastener, an insertion fastener, a screw fastener, a twist fastener, a conical washer, a wave washer, It is selected from a spring device having a curved leaf spring and coil spring, the capillary force evaporation device according to claim 6. The porous member is water in which the liquid is not pressurized, and when the porous member has a surface area of 3 cm ² , a flow rate of 0.01 to 10 cm ³ / sec and 0.001 to 10 kgf / cm ² The capillary force evaporator according to claim 6, having a boiling point of The mechanical force generator includes a tensioning device including a spring clip, a clamp and a clamping device, a friction fit, a snap fastener, an insertion fastener, a screw fastener, a twist fastener, a conical washer, a wave washer, It is selected from a spring device having a curved plate spring and the coil spring, the method of claim 7. The porous member has a flow rate of 0.01 to 10 cm ³ / sec and 0.001 to 10 kgf / cm when the liquid is non-pressurized water and the porous member has a surface area of about 3 cm ^2. The process of claim 7 having a boiling point of ^two . The effect of positioning the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner is selected from welding, chemical, physical or mechanical bonding, sintering, chemical reaction, and gravity. The capillary force evaporation device according to claim 1, provided by The effect of positioning the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner is selected from welding, chemical, physical or mechanical bonding, sintering, chemical reaction, and gravity. The capillary force evaporation device according to claim 6, provided by The effect of positioning the heater in contact with the porous member in a heat exchangeable manner is selected from welding, chemical, physical or mechanical bonding, sintering, chemical reaction, and gravity. The method of claim 7, provided by.

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