Method and apparatus for applying magnetic fields to fluids

Abstract

A fluid treatment system .Iadd.and method .Iaddend.for changing the rates of growth of certain crystals and other solids formed within a fluid is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a variable speed motor having a shaft, and a wheel assembly mounted on the shaft. The wheel assembly includes two circular ferro-magnetic disks separated from each other on the shaft a pre-determined distance to form a gap, and a ferro-magnetic spacer member concentrically arranged about the shaft and located in the gap between the disks. An array of magnets is concentrically arranged in a circular pattern about the shaft on the inner surface of each of the disks with the polarity of the inner pole faces of the magnets on one of the disks bang the same as each other and the polarity of the inner pole faces of the magnets on the other of the disks being the same as each other but opposite to the polarity of the inner pole faces of said magnets on the one disk. An elongated fluid conduit having a U-shaped non-magnetic portion is located in the gap formed by the disks between the inner pole faces of the magnets, the U-shaped non-magnetic portion of the conduit being hollow so as to have no obstruction for continuous fluid flow therethrough, wherein sufficient magnetic force is provided by the combination of the strength of the magnets, velocity of the fluid, and rotation of the magnets to accomplish beneficial effects on impurities in the fluid.

I claim: 
     
       1. A fluid . .treatmemt.!. .Iadd.treatment .Iaddend.system for changing the rates of growth of certain crystals and other solids formed within a fluid comprising: a. . .and.!. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.electrical power source;   b. a speed control unit connected to said power source, said unit having an adjustable knob;   c. a motor connected to said speed control unit, and having a rotatable shaft;   d. a wheel assembly mounted on said shaft consisting of two circular ferro-magnetic disks separated from each other on said shaft a pre-determined distance to form a gap, said disks being oriented perpendicular to and being concentrically mounted about said shaft, each said disk having an inner surface facing said gap;   e. a ferro-magnetic spacer member concentrically arranged about said shaft and located in said gap between said disks, said spacer member having a pair of spaced apart ends, a respective said end of said spacer member contacting a respective said inner surface of said disks;   f. an array of magnets concentrically arranged in a circular pattern about said shaft on a said inner surface of each of said disks, each said magnet having an inner pole face facing the gap, each magnet having a polarity parallel to a longitudinal direction of said shaft, the number of said magnets on each said disk being equal, each respective said magnet on one of said disks being located directly opposite to a respective said magnet on said other disk;   g. the polarity of the inner pole faces of said magnets on one of said disks being the same as each other and the polarity of the inner pole faces of said magnets on the other of said disks being the same as each other but opposite to the polarity of the inner pole faces of said magnets on said one disk;   h. an elongated fluid conduit having a U-shaped non-magnetic portion located in the gap formed by said disks between said inner pole faces of said magnets, wherein fluid flows in said conduit through said gap in a continuous flow into and out of said gap;   i. said U-shaped non-magnetic portion of said conduit being hollow so as to have no obstruction for continuous fluid flow therethrough, wherein sufficient magnetic force is provided by the combination of the strength of the magnets, velocity of the fluid, and rotation of the magnets to accomplish beneficial effects on impurities in the fluid.   
     
     
       2. The fluid treatment system of claim 1 wherein said magnets are attached to said disks with epoxy glue, said glue coating said magnets to prevent oxidation. 
     
     
       3. The fluid treatment system of claim 1 wherein said magnets are located in slots formed in said inner surfaces of said disks. .Iadd.4. A fluid treatment system for changing the rates of growth of certain crystals and other solids formed within a fluid comprising: a rotatable shaft;   an assembly mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, said assembly comprising two ferro-magnetic disks separated from each other on said shaft a predetermined distance to form a gap, each said disk having an inner surface facing said gap;   a ferro-magnetic spacer member concentrically arranged about said shaft and located in said gap between said disks, said spacer member having a pair of spaced apart ends, a respective said end of said spacer member contacting a respective said inner surface of said disks;   a magnet device on at least one of said disks and being separate from said spacer member for providing a magnetic field across said gap in a direction parallel to said shaft; and   an elongated fluid conduit having a U-shaped non-magnetic portion located in the gap formed by said disks and intersecting said magnetic field, said U-shaped non-magnetic portion of said conduit being hollow so as to have no obstruction for continuous fluid flow therethrough..Iaddend..Iadd.5. The fluid treatment system of claim 4, wherein said magnetic field forming device includes first and second pluralities of magnets distributed, respectively, on the opposing inner surfaces of said disks, and wherein the magnetic field across said gap is unidirectional, whereby when said shaft is rotated, the fluid in said conduit portion is subjected to a non-reversing, moving magnetic field..Iaddend..Iadd.6. The fluid treatment system of claim 5, wherein said magnets are attached to said disks with epoxy glue, said glue coating said magnets to prevent   
     
     
        oxidation..Iaddend..Iadd.7.  The fluid treatment system of claim 5, wherein said magnets are located in slots formed in said inner surfaces of said disks..Iaddend..Iadd.8. The fluid treatment system of claim 4, further including a variable speed drive for rotating said shaft selected from the group consisting of electrical and mechanical drives..Iaddend..Iadd.9. The fluid treatment system of claim 8, wherein the peripheral speed of said rotating disks and the strength of said magnet device together provide a Lorentz force greater than about 10,000 gauss-meters/sec in the fluid in said conduit portion..Iaddend..Iadd.10. An apparatus for treating solids within a flowing fluid, said apparatus comprising: an unobstructed conduit portion for establishing a flow direction for said flowing fluid, said conduit portion being formed of a non-magnetic material; and   a device including a rotatable assembly having an axis of rotation, a pair of magnetic disks separated along the axis of rotation to form a gap, wherein said disks have opposed inner surfaces facing said gap, and wherein a magnetic spacer member is interposed between and in abutting contact with said opposed inner surfaces, and a magnet device on at least one of said disks and being separate from said spacer member, for generating a non-reversing, moving magnetic field within said fluid in said conduit portion, said field being oriented in a direction generally parallel to said axis of rotation and perpendicular to said flow direction, said conduit portion being disposed within said gap and said conduit portion being configured such that said flow is unidirectional through said gap relative to a rotational direction of said disks..Iaddend..Iadd.11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said magnet device comprises a plurality of magnets disposed on said disks as opposed magnet pairs..Iaddend..Iadd.12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the Lorentz force generated by said device in said flowing fluid is greater   
     
     
        than 10,000 gauss-meters/sec..Iaddend..Iadd.13.  The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said magnet device includes at least one permanent magnet mounted on each of said disks, said magnets configured as an opposed pair..Iaddend..Iadd.14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said conduit portion has an arcuately shaped longitudinal axis..Iaddend..Iadd.15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said conduit portion is U-shaped..Iaddend..Iadd.16. The apparatus of claim 10, further including a variable speed drive for rotating said disks selected from the group consisting of electrical and mechanical drives..Iaddend..Iadd.17. An apparatus for inhibiting the formation of calcite within a fluid containing dissolved calcium carbonate, said apparatus comprising: an elongated conduit for establishing a flow direction for confining said calcium carbonate-containing fluid, said conduit having an unobstructed portion with a longitudinal axis and defined by a non-magnetic material; and   a device including a rotatable assembly for generating a non-reversing, moving magnetic field within said fluid in said conduit portion, said rotatable assembly having an axis of rotation, a pair of magnetic disks separated along the axis of rotation to form a gap, wherein said disks have opposed inner surfaces facing said gap, and wherein a magnetic spacer member is interposed between and in abutting contact with said opposed inner surfaces, and a magnet device on at least one of said disks and being separate from said spacer member, for generating a non-reversing, moving magnetic field, wherein said field is generally parallel to the axis of rotation, and wherein said conduit portion is disposed within said gap, said field being oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said conduit portion, said conduit portion being configured such that said flow is unidirectional in said gap relative to a rotational direction of said disks..Iaddend..Iadd.18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said magnet device comprises a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on said disks as opposed pairs..Iaddend..Iadd.19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said longitudinal axis of said conduit portion is arcuate, wherein said disks when rotated have a velocity with a circumferential component, and wherein the circumferential component of the velocity of said disks is generally parallel to said conduit portion longitudinal axis..Iaddend..Iadd.20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said conduit portion is U-shaped..Iaddend..Iadd.21. The apparatus of claim 17, further including a variable speed drive for rotating said disks selected from the group consisting of electrical and mechanical drives..Iaddend..Iadd.22. A method of treating crystalline solids within a fluid using a rotatable assembly having an axis of rotation, a pair of disks separated along the axis of rotation to form a gap, and a magnet device associated with the disks forming a unidirectional magnetic field across the gap generally parallel to the axis of rotation, said method comprising the steps of:   generating a non-reversing moving magnetic field in said gap by rotating the rotatable assembly; and   flowing said fluid through said gap through a non-magnetic conduit portion in a flow direction, said flow direction being generally perpendicular to said field, and being unidirectional in said gap relative to a rotational   
     
     
        direction of said disks..Iaddend..Iadd.23.  The method of claim 22, wherein the direction of flow is generally opposed to the direction of movement of said magnetic field..Iaddend..Iadd.24. The method of claim 22, wherein said generating step includes selecting the magnet device to have a predetermined strength and rotating the rotatable assembly at a predetermined peripheral velocity, such that the solids are subjected to a Lorentz force in excess of 10,000 gauss meters/sec..Iaddend..Iadd.25. The method of claim 22, wherein the flowing step includes flowing the solid-containing fluid through an unobstructed arcuate conduit formed of a non-magnetic material positioned in the gap..Iaddend..Iadd.26. The method of claim 22, wherein in said rotating step an angular speed of rotation is selected in accordance with surface charge characteristics of the solids..Iaddend..Iadd.27. A method for inhibiting the formation of calcite in a aqueous solution containing calcium carbonate using a rotatable assembly, said rotatable assembly having an axis of rotation, a pair of disks separated along the axis of rotation to form a gap, and a magnet device associated with said disks forming a unidirectional magnetic field across the gap generally parallel to the axis of rotation, said method comprising the steps of: generating a non-reversing, moving magnetic field in said gap by rotating the rotatable assembly, the magnetic field moving in a direction;   exposing said solution to said moving magnetic field in the gap for inducing a Lorentz force field of a predetermined level in the solution including the step of flowing the fluid through a non-magnetic conduit portion, said flow being unidirectional relative to a rotational direction of the disks; and   applying said non-reversing, moving magnetic field to said solution for a time sufficient for said predetermined Lorentz force field to promote the   
     
     
        formation of aragonite form of calcium carbonate..Iaddend..Iadd.28.  The method of claim 27, wherein said direction of movement of said magnetic field is generally opposite to said flow direction..Iaddend..Iadd.29. The method of claim 27, wherein a Lorentz force of greater than 10,000 gauss-meters/sec is produced in said flowing fluid magnetic field..Iaddend..Iadd.30. The method of claim 27, wherein said flowing step includes flowing the solution in a conduit arcuately about the axis of rotation in a direction generally opposite the direction of motion of the 
     
     
        moving field..Iaddend..Iadd.31.  The method of claim 27, wherein in said rotating step an angular speed of rotation is selected in accordance with surface charge characteristics of calcium carbonate..Iaddend..Iadd.32. A method of mixing and stabilizing a water-oil emulsion using a rotatable assembly having an axis of rotation, a pair of disks separated along the axis of rotation to form a gap, and a magnet device associated with the disks forming a unidirectional magnetic field across the gap generally parallel to the axis of rotation, said method comprising the steps of: generating a non-reversing moving magnetic field in said gap by rotating the rotatable assembly; and   flowing said emulsion through said gap through a non-magnetic conduit portion in a flow direction, said flow direction being generally perpendicular to said field, and being unidirectional in said gap relative to a rotational direction of said disks..Iaddend.