Massachusetts Institute of Technology

University System of Maryland

Ryan Enright

Evelyn N Wang

Rong Xiao

Nenad Miljkovic

Shankar Narayanan

Shalabh Chandra Maroo

Ian Salmon McKay

Reza Ghodssi

Daniel John Preston

James N Culver

Matthew McCarthy

Young Suk Nam

Nenad Milikovic

Konstantinos Gerasopoulos

Rishi Raj

Condensation can be an important process in both emerging and traditional power generation and water desalination technologies. Superhydrophobic nanostructures can promise enhanced condensation heat transfer by reducing the characteristic size of departing droplets via a surface-tension-driven mechanism. A superhydrophobic surface can include nanostructures of a metal oxide having further surface modification.

Superhydrophobic nanostructures

A uniform external field can enhance condensation on a superhydrophobic surface. Jumping droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces accumulate a positive charge which promises the manipulation and control of jumping behavior using external electric fields.

Condensation on surfaces

An adsorption system can be used as part of a climate control system in a vehicle or in any other space requiring heating or cooling. An adsorbent bed can include a plurality of plates, a layer including an adsorbent material adjacent to a portion of at least one plate; and a plurality of passages between the plates.

Adsorption system

Evaporative heat transfer system. The system includes a substrate and a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced-apart ridges extending from the substrate forming vertical liquid manifolds therebetween. A nanoporous membrane is supported on the ridges and a pump delivers a dielectric fluid across the ridges. The fluid is drawn through the liquid manifolds via capillarity provided by the nanoporous membrane and evaporates to dissipate heat flux through the substrate. A preferred dielectric fluid is pentane. It is preferred that membrane porosity vary across the membrane to tailor thermal resistances to limit temperature rises.

Evaporative heat transfer system

Condensation can be an important process in both emerging and traditional power generation and water desalination technologies. Superhydrophobic nanostructures can promise enhanced condensation heat transfer by reducing the characteristic size of departing droplets via a surface-tension-driven mechanism. A superhydrophobic surface can include a heterogeneous surface.

Heterogeneous surfaces

Surfaces having a hierarchical structure&#x2014;having features of both microscale and nanoscale dimensions&#x2014;can exhibit superhydrophobic properties and advantageous condensation and heat transfer properties. The hierarchical surfaces can be fabricated using biological nanostructures, such as viruses as a self-assembled nanoscale template.

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Ryan Enright