Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FLUID PURIFIER HAVING MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATION
Harusuke Naito
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a purifier for fluids
and, more particularly, to a water purifier having a magnetic
field generation device such as a permanent magnet or magnet
pieces.
[0002] Known in the art of devices for purifying tap
water are devices which utilize granular activated carbon, etc.
to remove residual chlorine and other impurities in the tap
water. Also known are devices which have an additional function
of adjusting the water quality such as pH by electrolytic
treatment or by using an ion exchange resin. Also recently
developed are devices which utilize infrared radiation or a
magnetization treatment to activate water molecules.
i
[0003] U.S. Patent No. 562900 discloses a water
purifier including a filter having a cylindrical housing formed
with a water inlet at one end and a water outlet on the other
end and containing a granular activated carbon layer and a
ceramic layer comprising granular ceramic, a magnetite layer '
comprising broken pieces of magnetite in a layer and provided at
least above or below the ceramic layer, and annular magnets
provided above and below the ceramic layer in such a manner that
these annular magnets coincide with each other in the sense of
magnetic lines of force and that the direction of the magnetic
lines of force are parallel to the direction of flow of water.
Water molecules are activated while passing through the magnetic
field produced by the annular magnets and the magnetite layers
which are magnetized by the annular magnets.
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[0004] It is an object of the present invention to
provide an improved purifier for fluids, such as water, which is
capable of applying a magnetic field to the fluid to be treated
more effectively than the above described prior art water
purifier and thereby more effectively removing contaminants in
the fluid to be treated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In the present invention it has been found that
the effectiveness of a magnetization treatment to activate
molecules of fluid, such as water, depends on two maj or factors
- how effective the fluid flow is through the magnetic field and
the speed of fluid flow.
[0006] An annular magnet with or without a certain
amount of magnetite forms a magnetic layer having a fixed
strength of the magnetic field. The density of the magnetic
field depends on the cross-section of the magnetic layer - the
larger the cross section, the lower the density of the magnetic
field. Vise versa, the smaller the cross section, the higher the
density of the magnetic field.
[0007] For a fixed strength of the magnetic field of a
magnetic layer - the density of the magnetic field is inversely
proportional to the cross-section of the magnetic layer.
[0008] The effectiveness of a magnetization treatment to
activate molecules of fluid, such as water, is proportional to
the density of the magnetic field.
[0009] For a fixed fluid flow rate, the larger the cross
section of the fluid flow, the lower the speed of the fluid
flow. Vice versa, the smaller the cross-section of the fluid
flow, the higher the speed of the fluid flow.
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[0010] For a fixed fluid flow rate - the speed of the
fluid flow is inversely proportional to the cross-section of the
fluid flow.
[0011] These may be expressed by the formula E oc 1 / CZ
Where:
E is effectiveness of a magnetization treatment, and
C is cross section of the magnetic layer.
[0012] The effectiveness of a magnetization treatment to
activate the molecules of the fluid is also proportional to the
speed of the fluid flow. ,
[0013] For an annular magnet with or without a certain
amount of magnetite which forms a magnetic layer, if the cross
section of the magnetic layer is reduced by half such that the
density of the magnetic field is double and the speed of fluid
flow is double, then the effectiveness of a magnetization
treatment to activate the molecules of fluid is four (4) times
better.
[0014] It has also been found in the present invention
that the effectiveness of the fluid treatment such as water may
be maximized by providing magnet pieces with or without
magnetite pieces in the magnetic section of the water purifier
and in which the magnet and/or magnetite pieces are coated with
a ceramic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] In the accompanying drawings,
[0016] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing
a preferred embodiment of a magnetic section of a fluid purifier
of the present invention;
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[0017] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing
a fluid purifier of the prior art;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing
a preferred embodiment of fluid purifier of the present
invention as a shower filter for water.
[0019] FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are vertical cross-sectional
views showing several preferred embodiments of fluid purifiers
of the present invention in treatment systems also including
other fluid treatment media;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a broken vertical cross-sectional view
similar to FIG. 1, but showing a second preferred embodiment of
a magnetic section of a fluid purifier of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a broken vertical cross-sectional view
similar to FIG. 5, but showing a third preferred embodiment of a
magnetic section of a fluid purifier of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a broken vertical cross-sectional view
similar to FIG. 6, but showing a fourth preferred embodiment of
a magnetic section of a fluid purifier of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a broken vertical cross-sectional view
similar to FIG. 7, but showing a fifth preferred embodiment of a
magnetic section of a fluid purifier of the present invention;
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] FIG. 1 is the vertical cross-sectional view of a
preferred embodiment of magnetic section MS of fluid purifier
which magnetic section includes a magnetic field generation
device in accordance with the present invention. The magnetic
section MS of the fluid purifier in FIG. 1 includes a generally
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cylindrical housing 10, having a longitudinal axis a, an outer
wall 31, an inner wall 32 and a bottom 33 which define a chamber
34 therein. A first magnetic layer 101, a second ceramic layer
102, a third magnetic layer 103, a fourth ceramic layer 104, a
fifth magnetic layer 105, a sixth ceramic layer 106 and seventh
magnetic layer 107 are positioned within the chamber 34.
[0025] In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.
1 , each magnetic layer 101, 103, 105 or 107 includes an annular
magnet 40-l, 40-2, 40-3 and/or 40-4 and broken pieces of
magnetite 50-1, 50-2, 50-3 and/or 50-4 respectively. The annular
magnets are arranged in such a way that the same polarity of the
adjacent annular magnets are facing each other. As illustrated
in FIG.1, the S pole of annular magnet 40-1 is facing the S pole
of annular magnet 40-2, the N pole of annular magnet 40-2 is
facing the N pole of annular magnet 40-3, and the S pole of
annular magnet 40-3 is facing the S pole of annular magnet 40-4.
[0026] Each ceramic layer 102, 104 and/or 106 is
preferably non-magnetic and preferably includes granular ceramic
particles 60-1, 60-2 and 60-3 respectively. However, in the
alternative, the ceramic layers may be formed in a non-granular
block form with pores or passages for the passage of water
therethrough and/or may be formed of a non-ceramic, non-magnetic
material without departing from the invention. The ceramic
material may be of the kind disclosed in my prior U.S. Patent
No. 5, 628, 900.
[0027] Fluid such as water flows from top 30 in the
magnetic section MS shown in FIG. 1, through layers 101, 102,
103, 104, 105, 106 and 107, and then exits through bottom 33.
Vice versa, fluid can also flow in the reverse direction from
the bottom 33 through layers 107, 106, 105, 104, 103, 102 and
101, and then exit through top 30. ,
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[0028] Two pairs of magnetic layers are shown in FIG.1.
However, the arrangement is not limited to two pairs of magnetic
layers and can be any number of magnetic layers as desired.
Likewise, the number of ceramic layers can also be varied.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the
magnetic section MS of a prior art fluid purifier which also
includes a magnetic field generation device. The magnetic
section MS in FIG. 2 includes a housing 20, a first magnetic
layer 201, a second ceramic layer 202, a third magnetic layer
203, a fourth ceramic layer 204, a fifth magnetic layer.205, a
sixth ceramic layer 206 and a seventh magnetic layer 207. The
housing 20 includes an outer wall 34 and a bottom 36.
[0030] Each magnetic layer 201, 203, 205 or 207 includes
an annular magnet 40-5, 40-6, 40-7 and/or 40-8 and broken pieces
of magnetite 50-5, 50-6, 50-7 and/or 50-8 respectively. As in
FIG. 1, the annular magnets are arranged in such a way that the
same polarity of the adjacent annular magnets are facing each
other. As illustrated in FIG.2, the S pole of annular magnet 40-
is facing the S pole of annular magnet 40-6, the N pole of
annular magnet 40-6 is facing the N pole of annular magnet 40-7,
and the S pole of .annular magnet 40-7 is facing the S pole of
annular magnet 40-8.
[0031] Each preferably non-magnetic ceramic layer 202,
204 and/or 206 includes granular ceramic particles 60-4, 60-5
and/or 60-6 respectively.
[0032] Fluid such as water flows from the top 35 of the
housing through layers 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206 and 207, and
then exits through bottom 36. Vice versa, fluid can also flow
in the reverse direction from bottom 36 through layers 207, 206,
205, 204, 203, 202 and 201, and then exits through top 35.
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[0033] The annular magnets 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, 40-4, 40-5,
40-6, 40-7 and 40-8 are the same in FIGS. 1 and 2. The amount of
magnetite particles 50-1, 50-2, 50-3, 50-4, 50-5, 50-6, 50-7 and
50-8 are also the same. However, the cross-sectional area of
chamber 10 is half of that of housing 20.
[0034] For the same fluid flow passing through chamber
and housing 20, the speed of the fluid flow passing through
chamber 10 is double the speed of fluid flow passing through
housing 20. Due to each magnetic layer 101, 103, 105, 107, 201,
203, 205 and 207 having the same annular magnet and the same
amount of magnetite pieces 50-1, 50-2, 50-3, 50-4, 50-5, 50-6,
50-7 and 50-8, and the cross-section of chamber 10 being half
the cross-section of housing 20, the density of the magnetic
field of the magnetic layers is double the density of the
magnetic field of magnetic layers, 201, 203, 205 and 207.
[0035] Although. the magnetic layers 101, 103, 105 and
107 of the chamber 10 are otherwise exactly the same as the
magnetic layers of 201, 203, 205 and 207 of~housing 20, the
effectiveness of the magnetization treatment of the invention as
shown in FIG.l to activate water molecules is four times better
that of the prior art as shown in FIG.2
[0036] The magnetic section MS of the fluid purifier of
the invention is shown incorporated in a preferred shower filter
for water as seen in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 water flows through an
inlet 12, tube 13, chamber 14, sediment filter 15, chamber 16,
housing 17 and exits through outlet 18 as shown by the arrows.
The chamber 16 of the magnetic section MS with outer wall 28 of
for example a diameter of 2.2 inches (3.8 sq. in.) and inner
wall 21 of for example a diameter 1.7 inches(2.27 sq. in.) the
chamber 16 will have a cross-section of 1.53 square inches (3.8
sq. in - 2.27 sq. in). The housing 17 with outer wall 28 of also
for example a diameter of 2.2 inches will result in a cross-
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section of the housing 17 of 3.8 square inches. If the same
magnetic field layer is put in chamber 16 instead of housing 17,
the effectiveness of the magnetization treatment in chamber 16
is 6.17 times ( 3.8 x 3.8 / 1.53 / 1.53 ) better than that in
housing 17.
[0037] It will be appreciated that although the water
purifier has been shown in FIG. 3 as a shower filter, that the
purifier may constitute or be part of any one of a variety of
water treatment filters or assemblies other than shower filters.
[0038] Although pieces or particles of magnetite are
shown and described as forming the magnetic layers together with
the annular magnets, the magnetite may be eliminated and just
the annular magnets relied upon to provide the magnetism in the
magnetic layers without departing from the present invention.
[0039] As shown in FIGS.4A-4C the fluid purifier
housings and arrangement of contents may take various forms
other than the shower filter shown in FIG. 3. For example, the
housing 70 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B may comprise a single
chamber 71 which is separated by an intermediate magnetic
treatment zone 72 in FIG. 4A or 73 in FIG. 4B. The chamber 71
above and below the magnetic treatment zones 72 or 73 preferably
contains fluid treatment media different from that employed in
the magnetic treatment. When the fluid being treated is water,
such treatment media may include sand, bakuhan, taicho, carbon
and/or finely divided metals such as alloys of copper and zinc
as described in U.S. Patent No.5,415,770. It will be
appreciated that the medium 76 in the chamber 71 above the zones
72 or 73 may be the same or different than the medium 77 in the
chamber below the zones.
[0040] The magnetic treatment zone 72 as shown in FIG.
4A is annular in nature such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5-8 in
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which the center is blocked from fluid flow so that the fluid
flow is concentrated in the annular magnetic section MS about
the perimeter of the magnetic treatment zone and between the
outer wall 31 and inner wall 32, to achieve the magnetic field
density and increased speed of fluid flow as previously
described.
[0041] Comparable increased field densities and speed of
fluid flow are also achieved in the magnetic treatment zone 73
arrangement of FIG. 4B in which the water flow through the
magnetic treatment zone 73 is blocked about the annular
perimeter between the outer wall 31 and inner wall 32, and is
concentrated through the magnetic section MS in the center of
the zone and within the inner wall 32.
[0042] Thus, it will be seen that the fluid to be
treated will enter the inlet 74 of housing 70 in FIS. 4A and 4B,
will pass through the water treatment medium 76 in the upper
part of chamber 71, will pass through the magnetic treatment
zone 72 and its magnetic section MS, through the treatment
medium 77 in the lower portion of the chamber 71, and will exit
the housing 70 via the outlet 78. It will also be appreciated
that the fluid flow can be reversed and flow from the bottom of
the housing 70 to the top.
[0043] The fluid purifier shown in FIG. 4C also includes
a housing 80 defining a chamber 81 therein for containing a
treatment medium 82 which, when water is being purified, may be
anyone of the various treatment media previously described in
the description of FIGS. 4A and 4B. In contrast to the fluid
purifier shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the magnetic section MS in
FIG. 4C is positioned at the discharge from the purifier for
example at the end of a discharge riser 83 after the fluid has
been introduced to the housing 80 through the inlet 84 and fully
treated by the treatment medium 82. Again, the magnetic section
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MS is of reduced diameter relative to the diameter of the
housing 80 and treatment medium 82. Thus, as in FIGS. 4A and
4B, the speed of flow of the fluid to be treated is preferably
low through the treatment medium 82 to maximize contact time
with that treatment medium, and then is substantially increased
as is the density of the magnetic field as the fluid passes
through the reduced diameter magnetic section MS.
[0044] In FIG. 5 a vertical cross-sectional view of a
second preferred embodiment of magnetic section MS of fluid
purifier is shown which includes a generally cylindrical housing
86, having a longitudinal axis a, and an outer wall 87 and inner
wall 88 which define a chamber 89 therein. As in FIGS. 1 and
4A, the chamber 89 is generally annular for the reasons
described in the discussion of FIG. 1, e.g. increased speed of
fluid flow and density of magnetic field.
[0045] Also as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a
first magnetic layer 301, a second ceramic layer 302, a third
magnetic layer 303, etc. are positioned within the chamber 89.
The ceramic layers) 302 is substantially the same as the
ceramic layers 102, 104 and 106 in FIG. 1. However, unlike the
FIG. 1 embodiment, magnetism in the magnetic layers 301, 303 in
FIG. 5 which are separated by the ceramic layers) 302, is
provided by irregularly and differently shaped magnet pieces 90
which are disbursed throughout the magnetic layers 301 and 303
together with magnetite pieces 92. Such dispersion of the magnet
pieces 90 within the layers 301 and 303 permit the magnetic
field across the cross-section of the chamber 89 to be much more
uniformly and evenly distributed as compared to the annular
solid magnets 40-1, 40-2, 40-3 and 40-4 in the embodiment shown
in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 the magnetic field density is quite strong
close to the magnet, but rapidly diminishes in a lateral
direction away from the magnet.
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[0046] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are also vertical cross-
sectional views of three additional preferred embodiments of
magnetic sections MS of a fluid purifier. The embodiments in
FIGS. 6-8 differ from those shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 in that the
components in the magnetic section are not layered in FIGS. 6-8.
Instead, the various components are distributed relatively
uniformly over the height of the chambers 94 and the ceramic
layers are eliminated. Instead the ceramic is present in the
form of a coating 96 on one or more of the components.
[0047] In FIG. 6 the chamber 94 contains relatively
uniformly mixed but differently shaped and irregular magnet
pieces 90 as in FIG. 5, and magnetite pieces 9~. However, the
magnetite pieces in FIG. 6 have the ceramic coating 96 coated
thereon.
[0048] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 the magnetite
pieces have been eliminated, but the differently shaped and
irregular magnet pieces 90 have the ceramic coating.96 coated
thereon.
[0049] Coating the magnetite pieces 92 in FIG. 6 and
magnetic pieces 94 in FIG. 7 with the ceramic coating 96 has the
advantage that it protects the pieces against rust. Such ceramic
coating also places the ceramic which has somewhat of a
catalytic effect closer to the magnetic action.
[0050] The magnet pieces 90 are preferably of different
and irregular shape to prevent them from attracting and
attaching to each other to the extent that they might stick
together and block the flow of water. Because they are of
different shape and are irregular, even if they do stick
together, there are numerous pores and voids between the
combined structure to permit the passage of water through the
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agglomerated structure and in close proximity to the magnetic
fields of the respective pieces for enhanced magnetic treatment.
[0051] In the embodiment of magnetic section MS shown in
FIG. 8 the magnetite pieces 92 are again coated with a ceramic
coating 96 as in FIG. 6, but the magnet pieces 90 have been
replaced at the various levels with annular solid magnetics 40-
5, 40-6 and 40-7 similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
[0052] As previously mentioned the embodiments shown in
FIGS. 6-8 essentially eliminate the need for discrete levels or
layers of treatment materials in the magnetic section MS. This
facilitates both the ease of assembly as well as replacement of
materials.
[0053] Although the magnetic sections MS as shown in
FIGS. 5-8 are depicted as annular in form as in FIGS. 1 and 4A,
it will be appreciated that they may also take the center form
shown in FIG. 4B.
[0054] It will also be understood that the preferred
embodiments of the present invention as have been described are
merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention.
Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art
without departing from the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
