Dropwise Condensation on an Ultraphobic ETFE Coated Copper Pipe Surface that Enhances Heat Flow and Increases Fresh Water Production on a Smaller Surface Area
Author | : Tareq Isam Ismail |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 594 |
Release | : 2015 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:1017759732 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (32 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: The lotus is a thing of beauty, a symbol of awakening to the spiritual reality of life in Hinduism and Buddhism, and creation and rebirth for the Egyptians. Also associated with purity since it is able to emerge from murky waters in the morning and be perfectly clean. Water, the number one most important resource in the world for without it all life will die. The connection between the lotus and creation of pure potable (life sustaining) water is the underlying focus of this research. It is well known that some plant leaves just can't get wet or dirty. These leaves such as the lotus leaf have superhydrophobic surfaces. Water drops that fall or develop on them bead up and roII off. These leaves not only stay dry, but the droplets pick up small particles of dirt as they roll, so that the lotus leaves are even self-cleaning. Using a specially coaled standard copper pipe this research presents a new (patent pending) coating and application technique based on the lotus leaf's ability to transform the humidity in the air into water droplets that form more rapidly and shed faster than any other known technique. Implementation of this invention will aid in the supply of potable water throughout the world. The coating used is Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), a fluorine based plastic (i.e., not fully fluoridated). It is a copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene. ETFE can function at the constant temperature of 149°C (300°F) and has excellent chemical resistance. ETFE resin is the toughest of all the fluoroplastics and it can be applied as thick as 1,000[mu] (40 mils). In this dissertation, we review polymer's adhesion and wetting properties, modern methods, and techniques to modify surfaces that are used to produce superhydrophobic materials. Also we explain the surface chemistry and wetting of hierarchal structure composed of microstructures and nanostructure that are produced via sand blasting of a copper pipe and hot embossing of Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) substrates. This dissertation introduces a new NANO technology that uses Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) coating surfaces that can stay dry and clean themselves by replicating the self-cleaning technique and properties of lotus leaf. This new nano technology, once coated on a pipe, will enhance the heat flow through the pipe's surface while cold water runs through the pipe, producing approximately five times the amount of condensation on pipe than any current method without having to change the size of the pipes. This Lotus leaf effect is achieved by using a fluorine based polymer, ETFE, with source-based name of poly(ethene-cotetrafluoroethene) and International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) name poly(1,1,2,2-tetrafluorobutane-1,4-diyl) treatments on structured surfaces with compositions containing combination of nano-scale and micro-scale particulates. This technology will increase fresh water production that could be used for human consumption, farming, and power plant and nuclear energy cooling towers.