Air water collecting device based on Laplace differential pressure driving

Abstract

The invention discloses an air water collecting device based on Laplace differential pressure driving. The air water collecting device comprises a top cover, a collector and a base. The top cover is provided with an air hole, the side part of the base is provided with a water outlet, and the side wall of the collector is provided with a micron-scale or nano-scale frustum through hole structure; the upper end and the lower end of the collector are detachably connected with the top cover and the base respectively. According to the device, the special structure of the frustum through hole is utilized, one-way spontaneous driving of cooling water drops from the outer surface to the inner surface of the device is achieved, and the collecting efficiency of water vapor in air is effectively improved. The invention provides an air water collection solution which is simple in structure, high in water collection efficiency and low in operation cost through a micron-scale or nano-scale frustum through hole structure and inner and outer layer temperature difference control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of water collection in air, and in particular to an air water collection device driven by Laplace pressure difference. Background Art

[0002] In arid and water-scarce areas, traditional ways of obtaining water often rely on natural water sources such as groundwater and rainwater, but these water sources are often limited and unstable in water-scarce areas.

[0003] In recent years, researchers have proposed methods for collecting airborne mist using structures that mimic the ridges of cactus spines or beetle shells. However, these methods suffer from complex structures, high droplet evaporation losses, and unstable condensation. Furthermore, droplet collection requires air condensation, which these devices struggle to maintain, or requires external energy, making condensation inconvenient. Therefore, an air-based water collection device was developed that prevents water droplet loss and maintains a condensation effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, the present invention provides an air-water collection device driven by Laplace pressure differential to achieve the directional drive and collection of condensed water vapor droplets from the air. This device utilizes a frustum-shaped through-hole structure to achieve directional transfer of droplets, effectively preventing loss of droplets during the collection process. Furthermore, an insulating layer between the inner and outer layers of the structure maintains a temperature differential between the inside and outside, enhancing the condensation effect.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0006] The present invention provides an air water collection device driven by Laplace pressure difference, comprising: a top cover, a collector and a base;

[0007] The top cover is provided with air holes, the side of the base is provided with a water outlet, and the side wall of the collector is provided with a micron or nanometer-scale frustum through-hole structure; the upper and lower ends of the collector are detachably connected to the top cover and the base respectively.

[0008] Furthermore, the side walls of the top cover, collector and base are all composed of an inner layer, a middle heat-insulating layer and an outer layer. The bottom of the base is a heat-conducting partition without a middle heat-insulating layer.

[0009] Furthermore, the frustum through hole structure on the collector is arranged in an array; the frustum through hole is trumpet-shaped and has the property of spontaneous unidirectional transport of water droplets; the diameter of the outer opening of the frustum through hole is smaller than the diameter of the inner opening of the frustum through hole, so as to realize unidirectional spontaneous driving of the droplets through capillary force and Laplace pressure difference.

[0010] Furthermore, a hydrophilic material is provided in the frustum through hole to enhance the adhesion and transmission capabilities of water droplets.

[0011] Furthermore, the sum of the semi-cone angle of the frustum and the contact angle of the water droplet on the hydrophilic material is less than 90°, so as to ensure the unidirectional transmission of the droplet.

[0012] Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of the collector are respectively threadedly connected to the top cover and the base.

[0013] Furthermore, the method of using the air water collection device driven by Laplace pressure difference is: burying the base of the device underground, and using the lower temperature underground to provide a stable low-temperature environment for the inner layer of the container.

[0014] When mist droplets condense on the outer surface of the frustum, the Laplace pressure differential and capillary forces cause the droplets to spontaneously migrate from the outer small hole to the inner large opening, effectively collecting the mist droplets. Furthermore, the thermal insulation layer maintains a temperature difference between the inner and outer structures, facilitating the condensation of water vapor in the air. The base is partially buried underground, utilizing the lower temperatures below ground to provide a stable, low-temperature environment for the inner container.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0016] The air-to-water collection device provided by the present invention has the advantages of a simple structure, minimal water droplet loss, excellent condensation efficiency, and low operating costs. The device utilizes a frustum-shaped through-hole structure to achieve directional transfer of droplets, effectively preventing water loss during the collection process. Furthermore, an insulating layer between the inner and outer layers of the structure maintains a temperature differential between the inside and outside, enhancing condensation efficiency. Through its optimized design, the present invention maximizes water collection efficiency, providing a stable and reliable water resource solution for arid and water-scarce regions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the air water collection device of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a middle cross-sectional view of the air water collection device of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of the collector frustum hole of the present invention.

[0021] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0022] 1-air vent; 2-top cover; 3-collector; 4-base; 5-water outlet; 6-outer layer; 7-insulation layer; 8-inner layer; 9-inner opening of the frustum through hole; 10-outer opening of the frustum through hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in combination with the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] Refer to the attached Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the air water collection device provided in this embodiment mainly consists of a top cover 2, a collector 3, and a base 4; an air vent 1 is provided on the top of the top cover 2 to maintain the balance of the internal and external atmospheric pressures. A water outlet 5 is provided on the side of the base 4 to facilitate the user to take out the water collected in the device through a conduit. The upper and lower ends of the collector 3 are threadedly connected to the top cover 2 and the base 4 respectively, which can facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the device. Among them, the side walls of the top cover 2, the collector 3 and the base 4 are all composed of an inner layer 8, an intermediate heat insulation layer 7 and an outer layer 6. The bottom of the base 4 is a heat-conducting baffle, and the intermediate heat insulation layer 8 is not provided at the bottom of the base 4; among them, the outer layer 6 of the device is connected to the outside air and has a higher temperature; because when in use, the base 4 of the device is partially buried underground, the lower temperature underground is used to provide a stable low-temperature environment for the inner layer of the container, and the heat insulation layer 7 between the inner and outer layers can reduce the heat exchange between the inner layer 8 and the outer layer 6.

[0025] The sidewalls of the collector 3 are equipped with micron- or nanometer-scale frustum-shaped through-hole structures. These frustum-shaped through-holes are arranged in an array. These extremely small frustum-shaped through-holes not only prevent the loss of droplets entering the container but also avoid excessive heat exchange between the inner and outer layers. These frustum-shaped through-holes are trumpet-shaped and exhibit the property of spontaneous unidirectional transport of droplets. The diameter of the outer opening 10 of the frustum-shaped through-hole is smaller than the diameter of the inner opening 9 of the frustum-shaped through-hole, enabling unidirectional spontaneous propulsion of droplets through capillary forces and Laplace pressure differential. In this embodiment, the diameter of the outer opening 10 of the frustum-shaped through-hole is 100±25μm, while the diameter of the inner opening 9 of the frustum-shaped through-hole is 200±50μm.

[0026] Furthermore, a hydrophilic material is provided within the frustum through-hole to enhance the adhesion and transport of water droplets. While the material of the frustum through-hole is not particularly limited, the sum of the frustum half-cone angle and the contact angle of the water droplet on the material must be less than 90° to ensure unidirectional transport of the droplet. In this embodiment, a polyvinyl alcohol coating is provided within the frustum through-hole.

[0027] The top cover 2 is designed to prevent external sediment from entering the device, while maintaining atmospheric pressure equilibrium inside and outside the device through the air vent 1. The base 4 is primarily connected to the ground. The base 4 lacks an insulating layer at the bottom to ensure smooth heat transfer with the ground, thereby maintaining a low temperature inside. The water outlet 5 on the base allows users to remove collected water through a conduit or other means.

[0028] In practice, by partially burying the device base 4 underground and utilizing the subterranean low-temperature environment, the interior of the container is kept at a relatively low temperature. When air contacts the outer layer of the collector 3, the temperature difference between the inner and outer layers causes water vapor to condense into droplets at the outer opening 10 of the frustum. Subsequently, under the combined effects of the Laplace pressure difference and capillary forces, these droplets spontaneously migrate through the frustum from the outer opening 10 to the inner opening 9. Ultimately, the collected droplets gather at the container base 4 and can be easily extracted from the water outlet 5 using a pump or other device.

[0029] In summary, the air-water collection device provided by this invention achieves efficient collection of moisture from the air through its unique frustum-shaped through-hole design and internal and external temperature differential control strategy. This device not only has a simple structure and low operating costs, but also boasts high water collection efficiency and minimal water droplet loss, providing a stable and reliable water resource solution for arid and water-scarce regions.

[0030] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the same. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air water collection device driven by Laplace pressure difference, characterized in that: include: Top cover (2), collector (3) and base (4); The top cover (2) is provided with an air vent (1), the side of the base (4) is provided with a water outlet (5), and the side wall of the collector (3) is provided with a micrometer or nanometer-scale frustum through-hole structure; the upper and lower ends of the collector (3) are detachably connected to the top cover (2) and the base (4), respectively.

2. The air water collection device based on Laplace pressure difference drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side walls of the top cover (2), collector (3) and base (4) are all composed of an inner layer (8), an intermediate heat insulation layer (7) and an outer layer (6); the bottom of the base (4) is a heat-conducting partition without an intermediate heat insulation layer.

3. The air water collection device based on Laplace pressure difference drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frustum through hole structures on the collector (3) are arranged in an array; the frustum through holes are trumpet-shaped, and the diameter of the outer opening (10) of the frustum through hole is smaller than the diameter of the inner opening (9) of the frustum through hole.

4. The air water collection device based on Laplace pressure difference drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: A hydrophilic material is arranged in the frustum through hole.

5. The air water collection device based on Laplace pressure difference drive according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sum of the frustum semi-cone angle and the contact angle of a water drop on the hydrophilic material is less than 90°.

6. The air water collection device based on Laplace pressure difference drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper and lower ends of the collector (3) are respectively threadedly connected to the top cover (2) and the base (4).

7. The air water collection device based on Laplace pressure difference drive according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The method of using the device is as follows: partially burying the base (4) of the device underground, and utilizing the lower temperature underground to provide a stable low-temperature environment for the inner layer of the container.

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