November 27, 2012
...AND CHEAPER...:
Nanoparticles Make Steam without Bringing Water to a Boil : A new trick could reduce the energy needed for many industrial processes and make solar thermal energy much cheaper. (Phil Muncaster on November 27, 2012, Technology Review)
Steam is a key ingredient in a wide range of industrial and commercial processes--including electricity generation, water purification, alcohol distillation, and medical equipment sterilization.Generating that steam, however, typically requires vast amounts of energy to heat and eventually boil water or another fluid. Now researchers at Rice University have found a shortcut. Using light-absorbing nanoparticles suspended in water, the group was able to turn the water molecules surrounding the nanoparticles into steam while scarcely raising the temperature of the remaining water. The trick could dramatically reduce the cost of many steam-reliant processes.
Posted by Orrin Judd at November 27, 2012 5:30 AM
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