Method and arrangement of rotating magnetically inducible particles

• US 20050286342A1
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anil K. Vuppu, Antonio A. Garcia
• Original Assignee: Anil K. Vuppu, Antonio A. Garcia
• Inventors: Vuppu, Anil K., Garcia, Antonio A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,344,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/273
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/451 wherein the mixture is directly exposed to an electromagnetic field without use of a stirrer, e.g. for material comprising ferromagnetic particles or for molten metal

Abstract

This invention provides a device and method for rotating magnetically inducible particles suspended in a fluid by rotating a multidirectional magnetic field through the suspended particles. A rare earth magnet is positioned adjacent to the suspended particles and oriented such that the axis of a magnetic field generated by the magnet passes through the suspension. The magnetic flux lines of the magnet'"'"'s field radiate in multiple directions through the suspended particles, them to form long multidirectional chains. The magnet and the chains of suspended particles are rotated with respect to one another, the axis of the rotation being approximately parallel to the magnetic axis of the multidirectional magnetic field. This causes the particle chains to rotate about the magnetic axis, thus mixing the fluid.

Claims

1. A method for mixing a fluid that includes magnetically inducible particles, the method comprising the step of:

orienting a magnetic field source such that the lines of magnetic flux produced by the magnetic field source radiate in multiple directions through the fluid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetically inducible particles form chains aligned along the lines of flux.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of providing a relative rotational motion between the magnetic field and the fluid, such that an axis of the relative rotational motion is approximately parallel to an axis of the magnetic field, the relative rotational motion causing the chains of the magnetically inducible particles to rotate in the fluid.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of arranging the magnetic field source such that the magnetic field axis is oriented to be approximately perpendicular to a plane through which a top surface of the fluid extends.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of aligning the axis of the relative rotational motion such that it passes through the fluid'"'"'s center.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the magnetic field source comprises at least one magnet.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising orienting the at least one magnet with respect to the fluid such that a magnetic axis of the at least one magnet passes through the fluid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one magnet has the shape of a disc.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one magnet has the shape of a sphere.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is produced by the magnetic field source and a further magnetic field source, the magnetic field source being ring-shaped, and the further magnetic field source being a core source, the method further comprising the steps of:

disposing the core source at an approximate center of the ring-shaped source;

aligning the magnetic field of the core source along a direction that is opposite and approximately parallel to a direction of the magnetic field of the ring-shaped source;

positioning the fluid between the core source and the ring-shaped source; and

rotating the core source and the ring-shaped source in tandem about a magnetic field axis of the core source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ring-shaped source comprises two or more ring-shaped magnets.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the core source comprises two or more disc-shaped magnets.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the core source is a cylindrical bar magnet, and the ring-shaped source is a tube magnet.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of positioning a first magnet above a plane extending along a top surface of the fluid, and a second magnet below the plane extending along the top surface of the fluid, such that the magnetic axis of the first magnet is aligned in the same direction as a direction of the magnetic axis of the second magnet.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

providing the fluid in a container comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

pumping the fluid into the container through the fluid inlet;

maintaining the fluid in the container for a particular period of time during the providing step; and

draining the fluid from the container through the fluid outlet after the particular period of time has expired.

16. An arrangement for mixing a fluid, the fluid including magnetically inducible particles, the arrangement comprising:

a magnetic field source generating a magnetic field that is oriented such that lines of magnetic flux of the magnetic field radiate in multiple directions through the fluid.

17. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the magnetically inducible particles form chains aligned along the lines of flux.

18. The arrangement of claim 17, further comprising a mechanism that provides a relative rotational motion between the magnetic field source and the fluid, such that an axis of the relative rotational motion is approximately parallel to an axis of the magnetic field, the relative rotational motion causing the chains of magnetically inducible particles to rotate in the fluid.

19. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the magnetic field source is arranged such that the magnetic field axis is oriented to be approximately perpendicular to a plane through which a top surface of the fluid extends.

20. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the axis of the relative rotational motion passes through the fluid'"'"'s center.

21. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the magnetic field source comprises at least one magnet.

22. The arrangement of claim 21, wherein the at least one magnet is oriented with respect to the fluid such that a magnetic axis of the at least one magnet passes through the fluid.

23. The arrangement of claim 21, wherein the at least one magnet has the shape of a disc.

24. The arrangement of claim 21, wherein the at least one magnet has the shape of a sphere.

25. The arrangement of claim 22, further comprising a first magnet and a second magnet, the first magnet being positioned above a plane extending along a top surface of the fluid, and the second magnet being positioned below the plane extending along the top surface of the fluid, such that the magnetic axis of the first magnet is aligned in the same direction as a direction of the magnetic axis of the second magnet.

26. The arrangement of claim 18, further comprising a container, the container including:

a fluid inlet through which the fluid is pumped into the container; and

a fluid outlet through which the fluid is drained from the container after the chains of magnetically inducible particles have rotated for a particular period of time.

27. An arrangement for mixing a fluid, the fluid including magnetically inducible particles, the arrangement comprising:

a ring-shaped magnetic field source producing a first magnetic field; and

a core magnetic field source located at the approximate center of the ring-shaped source and producing a second magnetic field, the second magnetic field being aligned along a direction that is opposite and approximately parallel to the first magnetic field,

wherein the fluid is located between the core source and the ring-shaped source such that magnetic lines of flux produced by the core source and the ring-shaped source radiate in multiple directions through the fluid.

28. The arrangement of claim 27, wherein the magnetically inducible particles form chains aligned along the lines of flux.

29. The arrangement of claim 28, further comprising a mechanism that rotates the core source and the ring-shaped source in tandem about a magnetic field axis of the first magnetic field produced by the core source, such that the axis of the rotation is approximately parallel to the magnetic axes of the first and second magnetic fields, and wherein the rotation causes the chains of magnetically inducible particles to rotate in the fluid.

30. The arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the ring-shaped source comprises two or more ring-shaped magnets.

31. The arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the core source comprises two or more disc-shaped magnets;

32. The arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the core source is a cylindrical bar magnet and the ring-shaped source is a tube magnet.