SGER: Biomimetic Electrospray Vapor Chamber

CBET-0840370陈这个探索性项目的目的是证明一个前所未有的仿生电喷雾蒸汽室（BEVAC）的概念验证。 所提出的蒸汽室具有甲虫启发的超疏水冷凝器，该冷凝器具有嵌入的亲水贴片，工作流体的冷凝物在该贴片处积聚。工作流体通过电喷雾雾化返回到蒸发器。这种创新的液体返回机构完全消除了芯结构，并使微处理器芯片直接用作无芯蒸发器。BEVAC系统的成功开发需要克服许多科学和技术挑战。在文献中既没有传导甲虫状结构，也没有蒸发电喷雾冷却，更不用说在所提出的冷凝器和蒸发器上的相变过程背后的物理学。美国国家科学基金会的SGER赠款是适当的早期阶段，这一高风险，高回报的研究奋进具有丰富的物理和广泛的适用性。在试验阶段，将开发一个原型BEVAC来证明这一概念。相当大的努力将被导向一个冷凝器，有利于优先冷凝和电喷雾雾化的发展。所提出的研究的智力价值在于一个新的一类无芯蒸汽室的原始概念的发展。BEVAC技术将高热通量喷雾冷却和低温度梯度蒸汽室的优点结合到自适应两相冷却系统中。仿生冷凝器和电喷雾冷却即使作为独立组件也很重要，并且在能源系统中具有广泛的应用，例如自主水管理和热点热管理。这项工作将揭示优先冷凝和电喷雾蒸发背后的物理机制，并为电喷雾蒸发室作为一种新的冷却技术奠定基础，其更广泛的影响在于它有可能改变芯片级的散热技术，以实现广泛的军事和商业应用。英特尔公司对这项技术表示了浓厚的兴趣和热情的支持。凭借英特尔的支持和PI自身在两项授权专利方面的成功，PI将严格寻求这一变革性工作的技术过渡机会。另一方面，BEVAC项目是一个很好的教育推广展示，其生物启发的冷凝器设计和实际的冷却应用，对K-12学生来说既有趣又有形。这些试点项目将转化为面向拥有大量非裔美国人的达勒姆市高中生的科学演示。

CBET-0840370ChenThe objective of this exploratory project is to demonstrate the proof-of-concept for an unprecedented biomimetic electrospray vapor chamber (BEVAC). The proposed vapor chamber has a beetle-inspired superhydrophobic condenser with embedded hydrophilic patches where condensate of the working fluid accumulates. The working fluid is returned to the evaporator by electrospray atomization. This innovative liquid return mechanism completely eliminates wick structures and enables the direct use of a microprocessor chip as a wickless evaporator. Numerous scientific and technical challenges need to be overcome for the successful development of a BEVAC system. Neither conducting beetle-like structures nor evaporative electrospray cooling have been reported in the literature, not to mention the physics behind the phase change processes on the proposed condenser and evaporator. The NSF SGER grant is appropriate for the early stage of this high-risk, high-payoff research endeavor with rich physics and broad applicability. In the pilot phase, a prototypical BEVAC will be developed to prove the concept. Considerable efforts will be directed toward the development of a condenser that is conducive to both preferential condensation and electrospray atomization. The intellectual merits of the proposed research lie in the development of an original concept for a new class of wickless vapor chamber. The BEVAC technology combines the merits of high-heat-flux spray cooling and low-temperature-gradient vapor chamber into an adaptive two-phase cooling system. Biomimetic condenser and electrospray cooling are important even as stand-alone components, and have wide-ranging applications in energy systems such as autonomous water management and hotspot thermal management. The proposed work will unveil the physics behind preferential condensation and electrospray evaporation which have been largely unexplored so far, and lay the foundation for electrospray vapor chamber as a new cooling technology.The broader impacts of the proposed work lie in its potential to transform heat-spreading technology at the chip level for a wide spectrum of military and commercial applications. Intel Corporation has expressed keen interest and enthusiastic support for the proposed technology. Drawing upon Intel's support and the PI's own success with two licensed patents, the PI will rigorously pursue opportunities for technological transition of this transformative work. On the other hand, the BEVAC project is an excellent showcase for educational outreach with its bioinspired condenser design and practical cooling applications, both interesting and tangible for K-12 students. The pilot projects will be converted to science demos for high school students at the City of Durham with a large African American population.