Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid into the surrounding environment, including directing liquid from a liquid source through an inverse-opal wicking structure to a vaporization port where the vaporization port is formed by a through-hole in a structure connecting a first side of the structure to a second side, with all dimensions ranging from 10 um to 300 um, that is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the surrounding environment so that fluid is transported through the vaporization port between the first and the second side. The methods and apparatus includes plurality of heating elements that may be individually and/or selectively addressable by at least three electrode leads.

Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid into the surrounding environment, including directing liquid from a liquid source through an inverse-opal wicking structure to a vaporization port where the vaporization port is formed by a through-hole in a structure connecting a first side of the structure to a second side, with all dimensions ranging from 10 um to 300 um, that is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the surrounding environment so that fluid is transported through the vaporization port between the first and the second side. The methods and apparatus includes plurality of heating elements that may be individually and/or selectively addressable by at least three electrode leads.

The invention relates to heat engineering, power engineering and the field of electric heating of liquids, water for instance; it can be used in circulation water heating systems and hot water supply, and as a universal device for diverse electric heaters. An object of the invention are to enhance the ease of fabrication, fabricability, and operability for block electrodes and electrode heating boilers on the whole, to increase the reliability of device both in static and dynamic modes ones. The invention meets an object of extended performance capabilities, versatility and flexibility of the device, potential diversification and enhancement of adaptability in solving particular problems. Moreover, the invention allows improvement of convection in water heating boilers and reduction of uniformity of sludge and rust deposition on electrodes thus increasing the heater effective performance time. The invention object comprises an improvement of protection against breakdowns between the electrodes as well, phase current load imbalance reduction, electrode protection against non-uniform deformation during operation in dynamic conditions. It is also an object of the invention to extend i the range of constructional capacity control without design and dimensional changes. FIG. 2 provides a schematic of electrodes (1) arrangement on the basis (3) located on the inner case (2) side with electrodes (1) slightly deviating from the longitudinal symmetric axis of the case (2) and irregularly spaced on the basis, electrode longitudinal axes deviating from each other at small angles. (4)—outer electrode terminals (1).

The invention relates to heat engineering, power engineering and the field of electric heating of liquids, water for instance; it can be used in circulation water heating systems and hot water supply, and as a universal device for diverse electric heaters. An object of the invention are to enhance the ease of fabrication, fabricability, and operability for block electrodes and electrode heating boilers on the whole, to increase the reliability of device both in static and dynamic modes ones. The invention meets an object of extended performance capabilities, versatility and flexibility of the device, potential diversification and enhancement of adaptability in solving particular problems. Moreover, the invention allows improvement of convection in water heating boilers and reduction of uniformity of sludge and rust deposition on electrodes thus increasing the heater effective performance time. The invention object comprises an improvement of protection against breakdowns between the electrodes as well, phase current load imbalance reduction, electrode protection against non-uniform deformation during operation in dynamic conditions. It is also an object of the invention to extend i the range of constructional capacity control without design and dimensional changes. FIG. 2 provides a schematic of electrodes (1) arrangement on the basis (3) located on the inner case (2) side with electrodes (1) slightly deviating from the longitudinal symmetric axis of the case (2) and irregularly spaced on the basis, electrode longitudinal axes deviating from each other at small angles. (4)—outer electrode terminals (1).

A tunable boiling system includes a fluid having a solvent and an ionic surfactant in the solvent, a counter electrode disposed within the fluid, and a working electrode having a surface in contact with the fluid. The system is configured to apply a voltage between the surface and the counter electrode in order to affect bubble formation in the fluid at the surface. Methods of making and using the system are also provided.

The present application relates to apparatus for generating steam. It comprises a water inlet, a evaporation surface, and a heater disposed adjacent to the evaporation surface to heat the evaporation surface to a predetermined temperature such that water fed onto the evaporation surface via the water inlet forms a film on the evaporation surface and is evaporated. The apparatus is configured so that water is fed to one or more regions of the evaporation surface, and the temperature of the water fed onto the evaporation surface is lower than the predetermined temperature, so that scale on the or each region of the evaporation surface to which water is fed cools at a different rate at which water on a remainder of the evaporation surface cools. This causes scale on the evaporation surface to break apart and be dislodged from the evaporation surface.

The present application relates to apparatus for generating steam. It comprises a water inlet (19), a evaporation surface (24), and a heater (26) disposed adjacent to the evaporation surface (24) to heat the evaporation surface (24) to a predetermined temperature such that water fed onto the evaporation surface (24) via the water inlet (19) forms a film on the evaporation surface (24) and is evaporated. The apparatus is configured so that water is fed to one or more regions of the evaporation surface (24), and the temperature of the water fed onto the evaporation surface (24) is lower than the predetermined temperature, so that scale on the or each region of the evaporation surface (24) to which water is fed cools at a different rate at which water on a remainder of the evaporation surface (24) cools. This causes scale on the evaporation surface (24) to break apart and be dislodged from the evaporation surface (24).

A plasma heating apparatus including a boiler vessel for holding water to be heated, a cathode housed in the vessel, the cathode defining a watertight cathode chamber isolated from the water in the vessel, and, an anode housed in the cathode chamber, the anode including an internal passage for receiving a gas from outside of the vessel when the passage is connected to a gas supply, and wherein the anode is connectable to a power source for receiving power for generating a plasma in the cathode chamber. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a heat or power generating system or plant including the plasma heating apparatus.

A system for generating high pressure steam from dirty water uses a combination of submerged plasma arcs and electrical resistive heating. Dirty water from steam assisted gravity drainage, or other dirty water producing process. Which needs to be converted into high pressure steam, is fed directly without any pre-treatment, into a plasma fired steam generator, powered by submerged electrodes. The combination of electric arc plasma and resistive heating is created between the submerged electrodes. The heat so generated will boil the water portion of the dirty water feed to generate steam that is collected in a steam space and then removed therefrom. The solids and other residues (residual sludge) present in the feed water settle down at the bottom of the steam generator and are removed via a blow-down stream. The plasma arcs are used to intermittently remove any scaling or solid deposits that can accumulate on the electrodes.

A system for generating high pressure steam from dirty water uses a combination of submerged plasma arcs and electrical resistive heating. Dirty water from steam assisted gravity drainage, or other dirty water producing process. Which needs to be converted into high pressure steam, is fed directly without any pre-treatment, into a plasma fired steam generator, powered by submerged electrodes. The combination of electric arc plasma and resistive heating is created between the submerged electrodes. The heat so generated will boil the water portion of the dirty water feed to generate steam that is collected in a steam space and then removed therefrom. The solids and other residues (residual sludge) present in the feed water settle down at the bottom of the steam generator and are removed via a blow-down stream. The plasma arcs are used to intermittently remove any scaling or solid deposits that can accumulate on the electrodes.