Radiofrequency particle separator

Abstract

A method of separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid includes providing a housing along a surface of the fluid, moving the housing along the surface of the fluid with a driver, and applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the fluid with a generator. Applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing a temperature of the mineral bearing particle contained within the fluid to a boiling point of the fluid whereby the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid, comprising:
 providing a housing along a surface of the fluid;   moving the housing along the surface of the fluid with a driver; and   applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the fluid with a generator, wherein applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing a temperature of the mineral bearing particle contained within the fluid to a boiling point of the fluid whereby the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising floating the housing along the surface of the fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing the temperature of the mineral bearing particle within a region defined by an outer surface of the mineral bearing particle and extending inward to a specified skin depth. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising boiling the fluid to form a plurality of vapor bubbles within the fluid at a formation rate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising moving the mineral bearing particle through the fluid with the plurality of vapor bubbles. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing the temperature of the mineral bearing particle homogeneously. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes a specified wave form. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , the fluid defining a first fluid, further comprising varying a condition of a second fluid with a regulator, the second fluid disposed adjacent the first fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein varying the condition of the second fluid includes at least partially surrounding the first fluid with a case of the regulator. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein varying the condition of the second fluid includes varying a pressure of the second fluid within the case with a pressure controller. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the pressure controller includes a piston pump. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a heating characteristic associated with the mineral bearing particle by varying a parameter of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field with a controller. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising varying the parameter of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field based on a specified target unit size for the mineral bearing particle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heating characteristic is a specified skin depth. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heating characteristic is a specified thermal gradient. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising varying the parameter of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field based on a specified target unit density for the mineral bearing particle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heating characteristic is a specified skin depth. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heating characteristic is a specified thermal gradient. 
     
     
         19 . A method for separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid, comprising:
 providing a housing;   containing the fluid within the housing, the fluid containing the mineral bearing particle;   applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the mineral bearing particle using a generator; and   increasing a temperature of a portion of the mineral bearing particle with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field, wherein the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid to produce a heated fluid, the heated fluid imposing motion-inducing forces on the mineral bearing particle.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by at least one of size and density, wherein differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by at least one of size and density includes varying a field intensity of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising resistively heating the mineral bearing particle with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field to generate a specified temperature gradient. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising heating the mineral bearing particle by magnetic hysteresis with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field to generate a specified temperature gradient. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising dielectrically heating the mineral bearing particle with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field to generate a specified temperature gradient. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising boiling the fluid to form a plurality of vapor bubbles within the fluid at a formation rate. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising moving the mineral bearing particle through the fluid with the plurality of vapor bubbles. 
     
     
         26 . A method for separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid, comprising:
 providing a housing;   containing the fluid within the housing, the fluid containing the mineral bearing particle;   applying a non-uniform radio-frequency field to the mineral bearing particle using a generator; and   moving the mineral bearing particle within the fluid with a propulsion force induced by the non-uniform radio-frequency field.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising moving the mineral bearing particle at least one of laterally, vertically, and rotationally within the fluid. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by size, wherein differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by size includes varying a field intensity of the non-uniform radio-frequency field. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein moving the mineral bearing particle includes inducing a plurality of currents within the mineral bearing particle to generate a force produced by interaction of the plurality of currents with a magnetic component of the non-uniform radio-frequency field. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein moving the mineral bearing particle includes generating a gradient in the force applied to the mineral bearing particle. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein applying the non-uniform radio-frequency field includes applying a specified wave form. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the specified wave form comprises a continuous wave having a specified frequency and a specified intensity. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the specified wave form comprises a pulsed electromagnetic field, wherein the pulsed electromagnetic field includes a gradient and a field strength. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the specified wave form comprises a continuous electromagnetic field, wherein the continuous electromagnetic field includes a gradient and a field strength. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein applying the specified wave form includes differentially manipulating the mineral bearing particle.