Patent ID: 11883762
Assignee: NUMERICAL DESIGN, INC.
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  A  F  H | IPC A  B  F  H

Claim 3:
4. A vaporization apparatus that is placed within a surrounding environment to vaporize liquid into the surrounding environment, comprising:
at least one liquid source;
a microfluidic chip, comprising:
a plurality of vaporization ports formed in a planar structure comprising a through hole, the through hole with lateral dimensions ranging from 10 urn to 300 um, that is in fluid communication with the liquid source on a first side and the surrounding environment on a second side, wherein fluid is transported from the first side of the structure to the second side of the structure through the through hole;
at least one planar heating element formed on the second side of the planar structure and disposed around a plurality of vaporization ports, wherein
the at least one planar heating element and the plurality of vaporization ports are microfabricated,
the dimension of the vaporization ports and the planar structure materials are selected to wick liquid from the liquid source by surface tension, and
heat applied from the heating element, through the planar structure to liquid that is in direct contact with the planar structure, vaporizes the liquid thereby releasing vapor through the vaporization ports into the surrounding environment;

a body comprising:
a housing comprising a mounting region for the microfluidic chip;
a retaining element configured to retain the microfluidic chip comprising a vaporization region;
an electrical connection from the exterior of the body to the microfluidic chip; and,
a second planar structure in fluid contact with the liquid source, configured with at least one ridge structure and at least one through hole to deliver liquid from the liquid source to the first planar structure by surface tension.