Earlier this month, the Icelandic hardware startup Hydram Research successfully generated large cavitation bubbles in its newest prototype. These tests were a resounding success, proving the concept that water can be efficiently boiled using momentum and gravity.

“We were relieved to see how cleanly our equipment generates low-pressure steam. Academic research on this subject is scarce, and our tests operate on a much larger
scale, so we couldn’t be certain we could traverse the liquid-gas barrier so effectively. Having proved the viability of boiling liquids by these means, we’ll now
focus fully on the other steps in the oscillating process—namely, heating, pressurizing, and ejecting superheated steam for industrial use,” said Lydur Thorgeirsson, CEO of Hydram Research.

Image of large bubble cavitation tests at Hydram’s industrial facilities in Reykjavik. Low-pressure steam is visible in the thick transparent pipe segment (left) and the liquid piston (right).