TrapJump · Trapping airborne particles by Jumping-droplet condensation on superhydrophobic surface
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-01-01 → 2022-12-31
- EU contribution
- €174,806
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Trapping airborne particles by Jumping-droplet condensation on superhydrophobic surface
Airborne particles smaller than 10µm in diameter are generally recognized as one of the most prevalent pollutants which can cause serious health problems via inhalation. The European Environment Agency reports that the micro-particles can exist in higher concentration indoors than outdoors. This indoor particle pollution will be especially harmful to vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases. Developing efficient and durable particle-trapping methods is therefore of significant importance for the health of European residents. The equipment commonly used to remove particles includes wet scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, and fabric filters, which normally require a large amount of energy or frequent maintenance. Recent studies of nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces found that the microscale condensing droplets can spontaneously jump off the superhydrophobic surface during the condensation. Different from the droplet bouncing or sliding powered by external force such as gravity, the droplet self-jumping on superhydrophobic surfaces relies on the released surface energy upon droplet coalescence. This jumping-droplet condensation provides us an alternative method to trap airborne particles without additional energy consumption. By utilizing the ubiquitous condensation process occurring in household air conditioners, dehumidifiers, or central air cooling systems, the superhydrophobic nanostructured surface can generate abundant jumping micro-droplets to remove floating particles in polluted air. The main goal of the project TrapJump is to explore the effects of jumping-droplet condensation on airborne particle trapping and develop a cost-effective approach for indoor air quality control. The project TrapJump includes three objectives. Objective 1: Develop a hierarchical nanostructured surface with durable condensate repellency and determine the optimal surface design to activate continuous droplet jumping by characterizing micro-droplet condensation dynamics. Objective 2: Characterize the effects of condensing droplet initial temperature, size, and velocity on the particle-droplet interaction from single-droplet perspective. Objective 3: Explore the correlation between global droplet condensation dynamics and overall particle trapping performance under different condensation heat fluxes. This project cannot only develop a new technique for indoor air purification, but also enhance the energy efficiency of many heat transfer devices. From a broader perspective, this action is helpful in decreasing the global health burden and reducing the carbon emission for indoor air conditioning.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Inhalation of microscale particles can cause severe health issues in respiratory and cardiovascular systems of humans. Trapping airborne particles by water droplets is one of the most widely used methods to reduce the particle concentration in polluted air. However, generating intensive micro-droplets via spraying or ultrasonic atomization normally requires specialized equipment and a large amount of energy. In this project, I propose a novel and cost-effective approach to capture particles by utilizing abundant self-jumping droplets generated during condensation on a superhydrophobic surface. Since the condensation process is ubiquitous and can be found in various heat transfer devices such as air conditioners, the proposed strategy will significantly reduce the expenses and energy costs for particle removal. In particular, to enhance the particle trapping rate, I intend to explore the rational superhydrophobic surface topography that allows continuous jumping-droplet condensation. I will first analyze the condensing droplet wetting dynamics using the cutting-edge confocal microscopy developed by the host lab. The results obtained will help to optimize the surface structures to achieve the durable condensate repellency. Next, I will investigate the effects of jumping droplet characteristics on the particle-droplet interaction from a single-droplet perspective. Finally, I will use my expertise in thermal physics to quantitatively correlate global condensation heat transfer and particle trapping performance. By integrating these interdisciplinary studies, the project will make a conceptual breakthrough in mitigating air pollution without additional energy consumption, and pave the way for the next-generation climate control devices with built-in air purification capabilities.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV · MUNCHENCoordinatorGermany
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union