THERMALLY-POWERED NONMECHANICAL FLUID PUMPS USING RATCHETED CHANNELS

摘要

Thermally-powered non-mechanical fluid pumps induce flow of fluid through a channel [500] when the temperature in a ratcheted segment [502] of the channel exceeds a pump activation temperature. Channel diameters may range from several centimeters down to several micrometers. The drag between the fluid and the ratcheted channel wall is extremely small at the pump activation temperature due to film boiling of the fluid at the pump activation temperature and/or the use of superhydrophobic surfaces inside the channel. The pumps may be used in thermally-driven heat exchangers for various large-scale and micro-scale applications. They may also be used as agitators for mixing microfluids, and as droplet ejection or spraying devices.