IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0422367
(2003-04-23)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- TeGrotenhuis,Ward E.
- Stenkamp,Victoria S.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Battelle Memorial Institute
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
24 |
초록
Wick-Containing apparatus capable of separating fluids and methods of separating fluids using wicks are disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. A condenser comprising the following elements in the order listed: a first cooling channel; a first gas flow channel adjacent to the first cooling channel; a liquid flow path comprising a wick; a second gas flow channel; and a second cooling channel adjacent to the second gas flow chan
We claim: 1. A condenser comprising the following elements in the order listed: a first cooling channel; a first gas flow channel adjacent to the first cooling channel; a liquid flow path comprising a wick; a second gas flow channel; and a second cooling channel adjacent to the second gas flow channel; wherein the liquid flow path comprises an open liquid flow channel sandwiched between a first wick and a second wick. 2. The condenser of claim 1 wherein the condenser is a laminated device and the first cooling channel, first gas flow channel, liquid flow path, second gas flow channel and second cooling channel are essentially planar. 3. The condenser of claim 1 further comprising a first pore throat disposed between the first gas flow channel and the liquid flow path, and a second pore throat disposed between the second gas flow channel and the liquid flow path. 4. The condenser of claim 1 further comprising the following elements in the order listed: a third gas flow channel adjacent to the second cooling channel; a second liquid flow path comprising a wick; a fourth gas flow channel; and a third cooling channel adjacent to the fourth gas flow channel. 5. The condenser of claim 4, wherein the condenser is a laminated device, further comprising: a fluid inlet connected to a header, wherein the header is connected to the first, second, third and fourth gas flow channels; a gas outlet connected to a footer, wherein the footer is connected to the first, second, third and fourth gas flow channels; and a liquid outlet connected to the liquid flow paths. 6. The condenser of claim 4, comprising: at least one fluid inlet connected to the first, second, third and fourth gas flow channels, and at least one gas outlet connected to the first, second, third and fourth gas flow channels; wherein a fluid can enter the condenser through the at least one fluid inlet, pass through a gas flow channel, and exit the condenser through the at least one gas outlet, all without passing through a wick. 7. The condenser of claim 1, comprising: a fluid inlet connected to the first gas flow channel, and a gas outlet connected to the first gas flow channel such that a fluid can enter the condenser through the one fluid inlet, pass through the first gas flow channel, and exit the condenser through the gas outlet, without passing through a wick; wherein the first gas flow channel has a first length; wherein the first cooling channel comprises coolant flow path that is adjacent to the first gas flow channel, wherein a portion of the first gas flow channel is closer to the gas outlet by at least 10% of the first length than is any portion of the coolant flow path; and wherein a portion of the first wick is closer to the gas outlet than is any area of the first cooling channel containing a coolant flow path. 8. The condenser of claim 1 wherein a fluid comprising at least two components flows into the device through a fluid inlet at a first temperature; wherein the fluid inlet connects to the first gas flow channel; wherein the first gas flow channel comprises a gas; wherein the first wick comprises a liquid; wherein the first cooling channel comprises a coolant at a second temperature; and wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature. 9. The condenser of claim 1 wherein the device possesses high energy density steady-state performance such that, when ambient air at 20째 C. is passed through the cooling channel at a superficial velocity of 840 cm/s and a feed stream containing 40.0 mol % water vapor in air is passed through the gas flow channel at a superficial velocity of 1700 cm/s at the entrance, the decrease in pressure of the ambient air stream through the cooling channel is no more than 4 inches (10 cm) of water column, and wherein the first cooling channel is defined by cooling channel walls; and wherein the energy density calculated from the volume of the sum of the first cooling channel and the first gas flow channel, including the volume of walls defining the first cooling channel, is at least 2.0 W/cm3; and wherein at least 50% of the water vapor in the feed stream condenses into a liquid that flows into the liquid flow path. 10. The condenser of claim 1 wherein the first gas channel is a microchannel. 11. The condenser of claim 1 wherein the first wick has capillary pore sizes in the range of 100 nm to 0.1 mm. 12. A process of separating fluids, comprising: passing a fluid mixture into the first gas flow channel of the condenser of claim 1. 13. A system comprising a fuel cell comprising an outlet that is connected to the condenser of claim 1. 14. The condenser of claim 8 wherein the coolant is being moved by a blower or fan connected to the cooling channel. 15. A gravity independent system comprising the condenser of claim 2. 16. The condenser of claim 1 wherein the first wick and the second wick each have a thickness of less than 500 μm. 17. The condenser of claim 9 wherein the first wick and the second wick each have a thickness of less than 500 μm. 18. The condenser of claim 1 wherein the first wick and the second wick each have a thickness of between 50 and 150 μm. 19. The condenser of claim 9 wherein the first wick and the second wick each have a thickness of between 50 and 150 μm. 20. The condenser of claim 1 wherein a wall separates the first cooling channel from the first gas flow channel; wherein the wall constitutes a primary heat transfer surface; and further wherein a transport structure extends from the liquid flow path into the gas flow channel to either the primary heat transfer surface or near to the heat transfer surface such that a liquid condensed on the primary heat transfer surface can flow along the structure into the liquid flow path. 21. A process of separating fluids, comprising: passing a fluid mixture into the first gas flow channel of a condenser comprising the following elements in the order listed: a first cooling channel; a first gas flow channel adjacent to the first cooling channel; a liquid flow path comprising a wick; a second gas flow channel; and a second cooling channel adjacent to the second gas flow channel; wherein the condenser comprises a liquid outlet and a gas outlet; wherein the fluid mixture comprises a first component that is a liquid in the wick and a second component that substantially remains a gas during the process; wherein conditions during the process are such that the ratio of the gas to liquid Reynolds numbers, ReGS/ReLS, is greater than about (4500)•(Su)-0.67; removing the first component through the liquid outlet; and removing the second component through the gas outlet. 22. The process of claim 21 wherein the ratio of the gas to liquid Reynolds numbers, ReGS/ReLS, is in the range of (4600 to 100,000)•(Su)-0.67 with the liquid Reynolds number based on condensation rate. 23. The process of claim 21 wherein the fluid mixture consists essentially of 2 components. 24. The process of claim 23, wherein one of the components comprises liquid water. 25. The process of claim 21 wherein a wall separates the first cooling channel from the first gas flow channel; wherein the wall constitutes a primary heat transfer surface; and further wherein a transport structure extends from the liquid flow path into the gas flow channel to either the primary heat transfer surface or near to the heat transfer surface such that a liquid condensed on the primary heat transfer surface can flow along the structure into the liquid flow path. 26. A condenser, comprising: a cooling channel; a gas flow channel adjacent to the cooling channel; and a liquid flow path comprising a wick; wherein the liquid flow path is adjacent to the gas flow channel; wherein the cooling channel is defined by cooling channel walls; a primary heat transfer surface between the gas flow channel and the cooling channel, wherein this surface has an area; wherein the device possesses high energy density steady-state performance such that, when ambient air at 20째 C. is passed through the cooling channel at a superficial velocity of 840 cm/s and a feed stream containing 40.0 mol % water vapor in air is passed through the gas flow channel at a superficial velocity of 1700 cm/s at an entrance of the gas flow channel, the decrease in pressure of the ambient air stream through the cooling channel is no more than 4 inches (10 cm) of water column, and at least one of the following: (1) the energy density calculated from the volume of the sum of the cooling channel and the gas flow channel, including the volume of walls defining the cooling channel, is at least 2.0 W/cm3, or (2) the specific energy, calculated from the weight of materials defining the cooling channel and the gas flow channel, is at least 1000 W/kg, or (3) the overall mean heat transfer coefficient is at least 500 W/cm2쨌K based on the area of the primary heat transfer surface between the gas flow channel and the cooling channel, or (4) at least 70% of the water vapor in the feed stream condenses into a liquid. 27. The condenser of claim 26 wherein the condenser is a laminated device wherein the liquid flow path and the gas flow channel are substantially planar; and the liquid flow path and the cooling channel are disposed on opposing sides of the gas flow channel. 28. The condenser of claim 27 wherein the gas flow channel is a microchannel and the cooling channel is a microchannel. 29. The condenser of claim 27, further comprising: a second gas flow path disposed on a side of the liquid flow path that is opposite a side of the liquid flow path that is adjacent to the gas flow channel; and a second cooling channel, wherein the second cooling channel is adjacent to the second gas flow path. 30. The condenser of claim 27 wherein the energy density calculated from the volume of the sum of the cooling channel and the gas flow channel, including the volume of walls defining the cooling channel, is at least 2.0 W/cm3; and wherein at least 50% of the water vapor in the feed stream condenses into a liquid that flows into the liquid flow path. 31. The condenser of claim 30 comprising the structure recited in claim 2. 32. The condenser of claim 26 wherein a transport structure extends from the liquid flow path into the gas flow channel to either the primary heat transfer surface or near to the heat transfer surface such that a liquid condensed on the primary heat transfer surface can flow along the structure into the liquid flow path.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.