Porous Hydrophilic Material for Capillary Cooling Without Liquid Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems face inefficiencies in water evaporation and dissociation, leading to increased water vapor content, high energy costs, and limited temperature reduction, especially in environments where liquid presence needs to be avoided, and there is a lack of materials that can efficiently promote capillary ascension and hydrogen production from water.
Innovation Solution
A porous, hydrophilic material with a porosity range of 50-80% and interconnected pores greater than 90% is developed, featuring a fractal structure with hydrophilic surfaces that maximizes water evaporation, prevents gravity-driven percolation, and facilitates capillary ascension, allowing for efficient cooling and hydrogen production without increasing water vapor content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional absorbing materials (sponges) are used to maximize water evaporation, then cooling efficiency is improved, but liquid leakage by gravity occurs and water vapor content increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous ceramic material with specifically controlled pore size distribution (5-50 micrometers) and high porosity (60-80%) to enable efficient water evaporation while retaining liquid through capillary forces. The porous structure provides extensive surface area for evaporation without requiring the material to be saturated, thus preventing gravity-driven leakage and limiting water vapor release to only what evaporates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the absorbing material by using ceramic with controlled pore diameter (5-50 μm) and porosity (60-80%), creating optimal capillary pressure to hold water against gravity while maintaining high evaporation rates. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between evaporation efficiency and liquid retention.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If indirect cooling systems are used to avoid increasing water vapor content, then water vapor control is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to bulky exchangers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of water retention, evaporation promotion, and heat exchange into a single porous ceramic component. This eliminates the need for separate exchangers and complex multi-circuit systems, achieving indirect cooling effects while simplifying device structure and reducing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous ceramic material performs multiple functions simultaneously: it retains water through capillary action, promotes evaporation through its porous structure, and facilitates heat exchange. This multi-functionality replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate components, reducing system complexity.
3Productivity
If known porous materials are used for water evaporation, then evaporation is promoted, but energy efficiency is limited due to insufficient evaporation/dissociation capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses porous ceramic with optimized pore dimensions (5-50 μm) and high porosity (60-80%) to maximize the surface area available for evaporation while maintaining appropriate capillary pressure. This structural optimization enables high evaporation rates with improved energy efficiency compared to conventional materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The material effectively enhances cooling efficiency by maintaining low temperatures, reducing energy consumption, and enabling the production of hydrogen from water while preventing liquid percolation, making it suitable for use in cooling systems and hydrogen production without the need for additional energy-intensive processes.
Implementation Method 1
promote capillary ascension of liquids
Implementation Method 2
maximize the evaporation of liquids; cool
Implementation Method 3
absorb liquids
Data Source
AI summary
Material, use thereof and method to manufacture said material; wherein the material is porous and has: a total porosity ranging from 50% to 80%, in particular from 60% to 70%; interconnected pores; at least a part made of a hydrophilic material, in particular at least a part of the inner surfaces of the pores is made of a hydrophilic material; a permeability coefficient (k) greater than 10~6 m/sec; and wherein, in a given volume of the material (1), the total volume of pores with a diameter ranging from 0.1 μπι to approximately 0.3 nm is at least greater than 15% of the total volume of the pores, preferably it ranges from 15 to 36%.