Microemulsion-enabled heat transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209090-A1
Application number	US-201414912376-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2014
Priority date	Aug 19, 2013
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat transfer apparatus ( 102 ) including: (i) an evaporation chamber ( 116 ) in heat transfer communication with a first heat source, wherein the first heat source causes a liquid in the evaporation chamber ( 116 ) to evaporate into a gas; (ii) an adsorption/absorption chamber ( 134 ) in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber ( 116 ) and in heat transfer communication with a cooling source, the adsorption/absorption chamber ( 134 ) containing a microemulsion which adsorbs/absorbs the gas, when cooled, as droplets of the liquid sequestered within the microemulsion to form a used microemulsion; and (iii) a desorption chamber ( 136 ) in fluid communication with the adsorption/absorption chamber ( 134 ) and the evaporation chamber ( 116 ), and in heat transfer communication with a second heat source capable of desorbing the liquid droplets out of the used microemulsion as the liquid, without vaporizing the liquid, to form a regenerated microemulsion. Also, methods of using the heat transfer apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heat transfer apparatus comprising:
(i) an evaporation chamber in heat transfer communication with a first heat source, wherein the first heat source causes a liquid in the evaporation chamber to evaporate into a gas; (ii) an adsorption/absorption chamber in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber and in heat transfer communication with a cooling source, the adsorption/absorption chamber containing a microemulsion which adsorbs/absorbs the gas, when cooled, as droplets of the liquid sequestered within the microemulsion to form a used microemulsion; and (iii) a desorption chamber in fluid communication with the adsorption/absorption chamber and the evaporation chamber, and in heat transfer communication with a second heat source capable of desorbing the liquid droplets out of the used microemulsion as the liquid, without vaporizing the liquid, to form a regenerated microemulsion.

2 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first heat source comprises steam exiting a steam turbine of a power plant, and wherein the steam is condensed into water as a result of said evaporation of the liquid.

3 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the desorption chamber comprises a separating device capable of (a) separating the liquid from the regenerated microemulsion; (b) routing the liquid to the evaporation chamber; and (c) routing the regenerated microemulsion to the adsorption/absorption chamber.

4 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion comprises at least one oil and at least one surfactant, the at least one surfactant molecules comprising a hydrophobic end and a hydrophilic end.

5 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one oil has a boiling point greater than about 100° C. at 100 kPa, optionally wherein the at least one oil has a carbon-hydrogen atomic fraction of greater than about 70%.

6 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one oil comprises at least one polyalphaolefin.

7 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one surfactant comprises at least one of organosulfate salts, sulfonate salts or anhydride amino esters, optionally wherein the at least one surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate or dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate.

8 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 1 ,
(i) wherein the evaporation chamber comprises a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side, (ii) wherein the first side comprises an inlet and an outlet, (iii) wherein the second side comprises an inlet and an outlet, (iv) wherein the first side inlet is in fluid communication with the desorption chamber to receive the liquid from the desorption chamber, (v) wherein the first side outlet is in fluid communication with the adsorption/absorption chamber to exhaust the gas to the adsorption/absorption chamber, (vi) wherein the second side is in heat transfer communication with the first heat source.

9 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second side inlet is in fluid communication with a steam turbine of a power plant to receive steam exiting the steam turbine, and wherein the second side outlet is in fluid communication with a steam generator of a power plant to exhaust the water to the steam generator.

10 . The heat transfer apparatus of claim 3 ,
(i) wherein the desorption chamber comprises a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side, (ii) wherein the first side comprises an inlet and an outlet, (iii) wherein the first side inlet is in fluid communication with the adsorption/absorption chamber to receive the used microemulsion, (iv) wherein the first side outlet is in fluid communication with the separating device to exhaust the regenerated microemulsion and the liquid to the separating device, (v) wherein the second side is in direct or indirect heat transfer communication with a heat source supplied from a steam generator of the power plant.

11 . A method of condensing steam exiting a steam turbine of a power plant comprising:
(i) condensing the steam in an evaporation chamber which causes a liquid in the evaporation chamber to evaporate into a gas, resulting in the steam being condensed to water; (ii) transporting the gas into an adsorption/absorption chamber containing a microemulsion; (iii) providing the adsorption/absorption chamber with a cooling source to cause the microemulsion to adsorb/absorb the gas as droplets of the liquid sequestered within the microemulsion, forming a used microemulsion; (iv) transporting the used microemulsion into a desorption chamber; (v) providing the desorption chamber with a heat source to cause the liquid droplets in the used microemulsion to be released from the used microemulsion as the liquid, forming a regenerated microemulsion; (vi) separating the liquid from the regenerated microemulsion; (vii) routing the liquid to the evaporation chamber; and (viii) routing the regenerated microemulsion to the adsorption/absorption chamber.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the microemulsion comprises at least one oil and at least one surfactant, the at least one surfactant molecules comprising a hydrophobic end and a hydrophilic end.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one oil has a boiling point greater than about 100° C. at 100 kPa, optionally wherein the at least one oil has a carbon-hydrogen atomic fraction of greater than about 70%.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one oil comprises at least one polyalphaolefins.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one surfactant comprises at least one of organosulfate salts, sulfonates salts or anhydride amino esters, optionally wherein the at least one surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate or dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the water is transported to a steam generator of the power plant.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooling source is supplied from an ambient environment.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the heat supplied to the desorption chamber is directly or indirectly supplied from a waste heat source supplied from a steam generator of the power plant.

Assignees

• Univ Maryland

Inventors

• Yang Bao
• Radermacher Reinhard
• Shi Baolan Jessica

Classifications

• F01K23/02

  the engine cycles being thermally coupled · CPC title

• C09K5/047 Primary

  for absorption-type refrigeration systems · CPC title

• F01K9/003

  condenser cooling circuits · CPC title

• F25B35/02 Primary

  using a liquid as sorbent, e.g. brine · CPC title

• F28F23/00

  Features relating to the use of intermediate heat-exchange materials, e.g. selection of compositions (heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00) · CPC title