Electrowetting effect-based solar-driven high efficiency humidifier system and working method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12533601-B2
Application number	US-202218575818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2022
Priority date	Feb 28, 2022
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

An electrowetting effect-based solar-driven high efficiency humidification system and a working method. A photovoltaic power generation module and an electrowetting high efficiency humidification module are combined, which conform to a solar energy transfer principle in a PV/T device, while liquid droplets are also sprayed at regular intervals on an upper surface of a heat exchange flow channel in the PV/T device, the principles of acceleration of liquid droplet internal flow and a change to surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity by electrowetting technology are used, liquid drop evaporation is accelerated, and highly efficient humidification of air is achieved. By means of coupled utilization of electrowetting technology and a PV/T system, water is saved while a large amount of moist air and clean electric energy which can be used for actual production are obtained.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An electrowetting effect-based solar-powered high efficiency humidifier system, comprising:
a water pump ( 1 ), a flow control valve ( 2 ), a photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) device ( 3 ), a gas- liquid separator ( 4 ), a humid air tank ( 5 ), a water tank ( 6 ), and a blower ( 7 ), wherein the PV/T device ( 3 ) successively comprises a compound parabolic condenser (CPC) ( 10 ), a photovoltaic panel and various cover plates ( 11 ), and a heat exchange channel ( 8 ) from top to bottom; the heat exchange channel ( 8 ) is surrounded by an insulation layer ( 9 ); the heat exchange channel consists of an upper plate, a lower plate, and a side plate; a water flow pipeline ( 14 ) is embedded in the lower plate, and an upper surface of the lower plate is provided with a droplet nozzle ( 12 ) in communication with the water flow pipeline; a lower surface of the upper plate is provided with an electrode array plate ( 15 ); a surface of the electrode array plate ( 15 ) is coated with a dielectric waterproof layer ( 16 ); the electrode array plate ( 15 ) consists of spaced positive and negative microelectrode plates ( 17 ) arranged in an equidistant and dense manner; the electrode array plate ( 15 ) is powered by electric energy generated by the PV/T device ( 3 ); and an outlet of the water pump ( 1 ) is connected to an inlet of the flow control valve ( 2 ), and an outlet of the flow control valve ( 2 ) is connected to a water flow pipeline inlet of the heat exchange channel of the PV/T device ( 3 ); an outlet of the heat exchange channel of the PV/T device ( 3 ) is connected to an inlet of the gas-liquid separator ( 4 ), and a humid air outlet of the gas-liquid separator ( 4 ) is connected to the humid air tank ( 5 ); a bottom water outlet of the gas-liquid separator ( 4 ) is connected to an inlet of the water tank ( 6 ), and an outlet of the water tank ( 6 ) is connected to an inlet of the water pump ( 1 ); and an inlet ( 7 ) of the blower is connected to the outside, and an outlet thereof is connected to the heat exchange channel of the PV/T device ( 3 ).

2 . A operation method of a high efficiency humidifier, comprising:
providing an electrowetting effect-based solar-powered humidifier system of claim 1 ; extracting water from the water tank ( 6 ) using the water pump ( 1 ); flowing the water through the flow control valve ( 2 ), wherein the flow control valve ( 2 ) intermittently supplies water to the heat exchange channel of the PV/T device ( 3 ); supplying dry air to the PV/T device ( 3 ) via the blower ( 7 ); heating the water in the heat exchange channel of the PV/T device ( 3 ), thereby rapidly evaporating the water; entraining a gas-liquid mixture in the dry air, and flowing the mixture through the gas-liquid separator ( 4 ); storing separated humid air in the humid air tank ( 5 ); and flowing separated water into the water tank ( 6 ) for reuse; wherein an operation process of the PV/T device of the electrowetting effect- based solar-powered humidifier, comprising: converting part of solar energy into electrical energy via the photovoltaic panel and various cover plates ( 11 ) in the PV/T device ( 3 ); converting another part of the solar energy into heat, and transferring the heat to the heat exchange channel ( 8 ); intermittently passing the water flow through the water flow pipeline ( 14 ) of the heat exchange channel; ejecting the water flow from the small droplet nozzle ( 12 ) on the upper surface of the lower plate, forming small droplets attached to the lower surface of the upper plate of the heat exchange channel; coating the surface of the electrode array plate with the dielectric waterproof layer ( 16 ) for waterproof treatment; distributing the small droplets in the positive and negative microelectrode plates ( 17 ); accelerating the internal flow of the small droplets rapidly under the action of the electric field, resulting in the small droplets evaporating in a very short time; entraining and carrying away water vapor and a small number of tiny small droplets suspended in the air by the passing dry air; decreasing the temperature of the heat exchange channel ( 8 ), thereby increasing power generation efficiency and obtaining more electrical energy; completely evaporating the small droplets within a certain time interval, followed by the opening of the intermittent flow control valve ( 2 ) to provide a new round of droplets, repeating the cycle; generating electrical energy during the day via the photovoltaic panel of the system, acting as a power source needed for the humidification process of the system.

Assignees

• Univ Nanjing Aeronautics & Astronautics

Inventors

• He Weifeng
• Gao Yanfei
• Han Dong
• Pu Wenhao
• Yao Zhaohui
• Shi Qile

Classifications

• H02S40/44

  Means to utilise heat energy, e.g. hybrid systems producing warm water and electricity at the same time (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/67) · CPC title

• F28D5/02

  in which the evaporating medium flows in a continuous film or trickles freely over the conduits · CPC title

• B01B1/005 Primary

  Evaporation for physical or chemical purposes; Evaporation apparatus therefor, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions · CPC title

• B01D5/006

  with evaporation or distillation · CPC title

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title