Devices, Systems And Methods For Treatment Of Liquids With Electromagnetic Fields

• US 20150239757A1
• Filed: 02/17/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reverse Ionizer Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Reverse Ionizer, LLC
• Inventors: Hughes, Patrick J, Fraser, Desmond A., Sutherland, Robert A., Nik, Hossein Ghaffari, McMurray, Richard B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,781,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/463 by electrocoagulation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/465 by electroflotation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/487 using high frequency electromagnetic fields, e.g. pulsed electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/006 Radioactive compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4612 Controlling or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4614 Current
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/05 Conductivity or salinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/10 Solids, e.g. total solids [TS], total suspended solids [TSS] or volatile solids [VS]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/22 Eliminating or preventing deposits, scale removal, scale prevention C02F1/042, C02F1/4602, C02F5/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 9/10 by flocculation

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for applying electromagnetic fields to liquids, such as water, to treat unwanted material in the liquid are disclosed. Such devices, systems and methods may include a cylindrically shaped, water-immersible probe configured to generate electromagnetic fields that are effective to treat unwanted materials, such as scale, and microbes in the water.

Claims

1. A system for treating a liquid that contains unwanted material comprising:

an immersible device comprising a positive conductive element, and a negative conductive element, the elements configured with respect to one another to reduce fringing effects, and to generate an electromagnetic field to treat unwanted material in a liquid.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein a surface area or length of the positive conductive element is 0.75 to 0.90 the surface area or length of the negative conductive element.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the positive conductive element comprises a first cylindrical structure, and the negative conductive element comprises a second cylindrical structure, the elements being coaxially aligned with one another.

4. The system as in claim 1 further comprising an electromagnetic waveform generator for generating an output signal, and for applying the output signal to the immersible device to generate the electromagnetic field.

5. The system as in claim 4 further comprising a microcontroller for controlling the generator.

6. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a smart probe control system operable to adjust an impedance, the smart probe control system comprising:

a microcontroller operable to compute a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) based on forward and reflected powers.

7. The system as in claim 6 wherein the smart probe control system further comprises an impedance tuning section, the tuning section comprising one or more capacitors and inductors.

8. The system as in claim 7 wherein the microcontroller is further operable to configure the tuning section by selecting one or more of the capacitors and inductors.

9. The system as in claim 6 wherein the microcontroller is further operable to select a low impedance or high impedance relay.

10. The system as in claim 6 wherein the microcontroller is further operable to continuously compute VSWR values and compare such computed values to a stored reference.

11. The system as in claim 10 wherein the stored reference comprises a VSWR value of 1.5:

1.

12. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a microcontroller operable to communicate data related to treatment of the liquid to a testing apparatus.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein the testing apparatus comprises a portable or handheld test set.

14. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a modem for transmitting or receiving data related to treatment of the liquid to, or from, a remote station.

15. The system as in claim 1 further comprising an interface at a remote station operable to permit data, related to treatment of the liquid, exchanged between the system and the remote station to be viewed or otherwise accessed by service or maintenance personnel.

16. A device for treating a liquid that contains unwanted material comprising:

a cylindrical, positive conductive element, and a cylindrical, negative conductive element, the elements being coaxially aligned with one another and where a length of the positive conductive element is 0.75 to 0.90 the length of the negative conductive element, the elements configured to generate an electromagnetic field to treat unwanted material in a liquid.

17. A device for treating a liquid that contains unwanted material comprising:

a cylindrical, positive conductive element, and a cylindrical, negative conductive element, the elements being coaxially aligned with one another and configured to generate an electromagnetic field to treat unwanted material in a liquid.

18. A method for treating a liquid that contains unwanted material comprising:

immersing a device comprising a positive conductive element, and a negative conductive element in a liquid that contains unwanted material;

configuring the elements with respect to one another to reduce fringing effects, and

generating an electromagnetic field to treat the unwanted material in the liquid.

19. The method as in claim 18 further comprising configuring the elements such that a surface area or length of the positive conductive element is 0.75 to 0.90 the surface area or length of the negative conductive element.

20. The method as in claim 18, further comprising configuring the positive conductive element and the negative conductive element as cylindrical structures, and coaxially aligning the elements with one another.

21. The method as in claim 18 further comprising generating an output signal, and applying the output signal to the immersible device to generate the electromagnetic field.

22. The method as in claim 18 further comprising adjusting an impedance.

23. The method as in claim 22 further comprising computing a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) based on forward and reflected powers.

24. The method as in claim 22 further comprising adjusting the impedance by selecting one or more of capacitors and inductors in a tuning section.

25. The method as in claim 22 further comprising adjusting the impedance by selecting a low impedance or high impedance relay.

26. The method as in claim 23 further comprising continuously computing VSWR values and comparing such computed values to a stored reference.

27. The method as in claim 26 wherein the stored reference comprises a VSWR value of 1.5:

1.

28. The method as in claim 18 further comprising communicating data related to treatment of the liquid to a testing apparatus.

29. The method as in claim 18 further comprising transmitting or receiving data related to treatment of the liquid to, or from, a remote station.

30. The method as in claim 18 further comprising viewing data, related to the treatment of the liquid, by service or maintenance personnel.