Tunable Nucleate Boiling using Electric Fields and Ionic Surfactants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015167959-A1
Application number	US-201414568927-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 12, 2013
Publication date	Jun 18, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tunable boiling system includes a fluid having a solvent and an ionic surfactant in the solvent, a counter electrode disposed within the fluid, and a working electrode having a surface in contact with the fluid. The system is configured to apply a voltage between the surface and the counter electrode in order to affect bubble formation in the fluid at the surface. Methods of making and using the system are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tunable boiling system comprising:
a fluid comprising a solvent and an ionic surfactant in the solvent; a counter electrode disposed within the fluid; and a working electrode having a surface in contact with the fluid, the system configured to apply a voltage between the surface and the counter electrode in order to affect bubble formation in the fluid at the surface.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface includes two or more electrically conductive areas, and the system is configured to apply the voltage between one or more of the electrically conductive areas and the counter electrode.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to apply a negative voltage between the surface and the counter electrode.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more heaters, configured to heat the fluid, in thermal contact with the working electrode, the fluid, or both.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the solvent is deionized water.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ionic surfactant is sodium dodecyl sulfate or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide.

7 . A method of selectively boiling a fluid, the method comprising:
providing the tunable boiling system of claim 1 ; and applying the voltage between the surface and the counter electrode in order to affect the bubble formation in the fluid at the surface.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the surface includes two or more electrically conductive areas, and applying the voltage includes applying the voltage between one or more of the electrically conductive areas and the counter electrode.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein applying the voltage includes applying the voltage between a first electrically conductive area and the counter electrode and then applying the voltage between a second electrically conductive area and the counter electrode in order to affect the bubble formation in the fluid at different locations on the surface.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the bubble formation is increased with increasing negative voltage.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the bubble formation is decreased with increasing negative voltage.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the solvent is deionized water.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the ionic surfactant is sodium dodecyl sulfate or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide.

14 . A method of forming a tunable boiling system, the method comprising:
providing a solvent; dissolving an ionic surfactant in the solvent to form a fluid; disposing a counter electrode within the fluid; placing a surface of a working electrode in contact with the fluid; and configuring the system so that a voltage is applied between the surface and the counter electrode in order to affect bubble formation in the fluid at the surface.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the surface includes two or more electrically conductive areas, and the system is configured so that the voltage is applied between one or more of the electrically conductive areas and the counter electrode.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the system is configured so that a negative voltage is applied between the surface and the counter electrode.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
providing one or more heaters, configured to heat the fluid, in thermal contact with the working electrode, the fluid, or both.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the solvent is deionized water.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the ionic surfactant is sodium dodecyl sulfate or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Cho Han-Jae Jeremy
• Wang Evelyn N

Classifications

• H05B3/80

  Portable immersion heaters · CPC title

• F22B1/30 Primary

  Electrode boilers · CPC title

• F24H1/106

  with electrodes · CPC title

• F23B1/30 Primary

  characterised by the form of combustion chamber · CPC title