Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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B~CKGROUNI~ OF THE INVENTION
~ lis inYention relates to a novel apparatus and method
for t~e treatment oE fresh water, and more particularly to an
a~paratus and method for softening such water by the production
of a magnetic field adjacent to a flow thereof under specified
conditions~
The principal water softenin~ processes in use today
are the cold lime-soda process and the cation exchange process.
They involve chemical reaction and exchange, respec~ively, to
remove chemicals which make water "hard". Consequently, certain
chemicals are consumed by tihe processes on a continuous basis
while others are collected, resulting in a considerable on-going
expense of chemical supply and disposal. l~e purchase price and
maintenance cost of the apparatus required are also considerable.
Several devices of which I am a~are have been proposed
for the magnetic filtration or separation of metallic particles
from liquids. These devices are disclosed in the following
United States Patents:
Patent No nventor Issued
3,170,871 Saburo Miyata Moriya February 23, 1965
3,186,549 D. W. Botsti~er June 1, 1965
1 Patel-t_No. Inve~tor Issued
2 3,567,026 Henry H. Kolm March 2, 1971
3 ¦ 3,608,718 William ~1. Aubrey, Jr., et al September 2~, 1971
4 l 4,025,432 Jo~n J. Nolan & Peter G.
51 ~arston May 2~, 1977
61 f those, Kolm and Aubrey relate primarily to the removal of
71 metallic ore from a slurry, while the other three are directed
ôl to the removal of metallic impurities from a fuel system or a
9¦ system of circulating fluid such as oil. The devices disclosed
10¦ there are not suited to the softening of water.
11¦ United States Patent No. 3,511,776, issued to Avampato,
12¦ discloses a method and device for removing ions from sea water
13¦ with the aid of applied ~agnetic ficlds. ~aCl alone can be re-
14¦ moved thereby, or other salts can be removed as well to yield
15¦ "soft" water. Ihe sea water is passed through transparent pipes
16¦ where it is irradiated and subjected to magnetiC fielcls whose
17¦ poles are located essentially within a plane perpendicular to
18¦ the direction of water flow. A high concentration of ions is
19¦ thus produced, which ions are drawn to the outer annular regions
20¦ of flow adjacent the side walls of the pipes. Water having a
21¦ relatively low concentration of salts is then withdrawn from the
22¦ axial regions of the respective pipes. After several repetitlons
231 of this process, fresh water of the desired purity and softness
24 is obtained. This device is relatlvely complex and expensive
for use in softening water.
26
27 SU~RY OF TH~ INVFNTION
28
29 The present inventlon relates to a novel method and
a~paratus for the softening or other treatment of fr~sh water
31 by producing a magnetic field ln proximity to a flo~ of such
32 wat~r within a water conduit having an electrically conductive
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1 portion connected electrically to earth. The magnetic field
2 has north and south poles ~paced apart in the direction of water
3 flow, with its overall effective sou~h magnetic polarit~ locat~d
4 upstream of its overall effective north magnetic polarity. This
orientation of the magnetic field ls critical to the sof~ening
6 operation.
7 The present invention can operate from the exterior of
8 a conventional electrically conductive water sup~ly pipc ~ithout
9 disrupting the continuity of the pipe. A device may be easily
installed by attachment to the exterior of the pipe. Furthermore,
ll there does not seem to be a problem with scale bui~dup within the
12 pipe because the device apparently does not extract chemicals
13 from the wate~ in the softcning process.
14 The prior art devices known to me are basically irrele-
vant to an analysis of the present invention, and at any rate
16 do not teach the application of the particular magnetic field
17 required to soften water in this way. Most of the patents are
18 also silent on the existence of an electrically conductive conduit
l9 portion connected to earth~
While not bound by any theory, it is believed that the
21 instant invention operat~s by supplying electrons from an electri-
22 cal ground to the undesired cations in the water, causirlg the
23 cati~ns to be transformed into whole molecules. The whole mole-
24 cules are, of course, more stable than the ions. Water in this
state exhibits tlle properties of soft water despitc the fact that
26 the substances extracted by other soEtening processes are still
27 present. This is because tho~e substances in the form of ~hole
28 molecules are much more stable than their corresponding cations.
29 For example, they do not deposit out freely in pipes and on plumb-
ing fixtures and do not interfere with the solubility and effec-
31 tiveness of detergents and other productsO Furtherl~ore, they
32 are harmless from a health standpoint~
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1 ~RI~' DE~CRII"rION OI__'r~lE DRAI~IIN~
2 l'he above and other eatures and objects of the inven-
3 tion will bc better understood from the following detailed dcscrip-
4 tlon of the typical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, in which:
6 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a w~tcr so~tenin~ system
7 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present in-
8 vention, supplyin~ treated water to a building;
Fig. 2 i5 a perspective, exploded view of the water
softening device included in the system o Fi~. l;
11 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the device includ~d in
12 the system of ~ig. 1, taken along the vertical plane which in-
13 cludes the a.Yls oL the pipe;
14 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of
Fig. 3; and
~6 Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a second em~odiment of
17 a device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the pre-
18 sent invention, taken along a vertical plane that includes the
19 axis of the pipe.
21 DESCRIPTION O~ THE PREFERRED Æ~ODI~ENTS
22 Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, and
23 particularly Fig. 1, a water treatment device 10 embodying the
24 teaclings of the present invention is shown attached to the ex-
terior surface of a water pipe 12. The pipe 12 is supplied by
26 a col~nercial water source 13 and feeds into a water distribution
27 system 14 within a building 15. The wat~r distribution system
28 14 compri~es a plurality of faucets and other outlets. Pipe 12
29 has an electrically conductive portion in contact with the flow
of ~Jater therethrough, which portion is connected -to ground. In
31 the most common case where pipe 12 is made entirely of a conduc-
32 tive material, such as steel, iron or copper, and the pipe is
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1 underground as it approaches the building, the pipe itself can provil l~
2 the connection to ground. Otherwise, a ground wire 16 is required.
3 Fig. 2 illustrates the water treatment device 10, which structu re
4 includes a magnetic structure desiynated generally by the numeral 18
5 The structure 18 operates to produce the desired magnetic field in
6 proximity to the pipe 12. It comprises three similar flat permanent
7 nagnets 20 (desirably ceramic magnets) of rectangular cross-section,
81 ach with its magnetic poles located at opposite rectangular sides
9 22. The permanent magnets 20 are arranged with their side surfaces
10 22 in parallel planes disposed transversely of the axis 112 of the
11 pipe, and with similarly transverse flat pole members 24 laminated
12 therebetween. The pole members 24 are constructed of a ferromagneti
13 naterial exhibiting a low magnetic retentivi~y under the conditions
1~ encountered in its use in the instant invention, including the
15 nagnetic field applied thereto by the permanent magnets 20.
16 Specifically, the pole members 24 preferably have lower retentivity
17 than the permanent magnets 20. The poles of the outer magnets
18 are reversed from those of the inner magnet, causing the two side
19 surfaces 22 abutting a particular pole member 24 to be of like
20 magnetic polarity. This combination of the magnets 20 and the
21 pole members 24 may be cemented together or otherwise retained
22 in a laminated condition. The two pole members 24 are therefore
23 heavily magnetized and are of opposite polarity. Each of the pole
24 embers 24 has an extension 26 projecting downwardly from the
25 laminated region of the magnetic structure 18, with a partial
26 cylindrical recess 28 positioned about a common axis which is
27 erpendicular to the planes of the laminations. The recesses 28
28 re therefore able to engage the conventional water pipe 12 such
29 hat the outer surface 30 of the pipe is snugly received therein.
A relatively thin metallic strip 32 completes the magnetic
31 ircuit between the opposite poles at the two surfaces 22 nearest
32 he respective ends of the lamina-ted magnetic structure 18.
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l The strip 32 is preferably constructed of a ferromagnetic
2 material which exhibits a lower magnetic retentivity than
3 the permanent magnets 20. A portion of strip 32 is coextensive
with one of the side surfaces 22 and is cemen-ted or otherwise
retained thereto. From there, strip 32 passeq over the top of
6 the structure 18 and over the other slde surface 22 where lt ls
7 similarly flxed in place. The segment of strip 32 which passes
8 ¦over the top of the structure 18 is spaced therefrom to avoid
. magnetically short-circuiting the field of the pole members 24.
An insulative member 34 fills that space to prevent a magnetlc
ll short circuit from attracted foreign partic~es. A thln coa~ing
12 36 of electrically insulative material covers the entire magnet~c
13 structure 18.
l~ The device described above can be seen to produce a
magnetic field emanating from a pair of magnetic poles at members
16 24. The greatest magnetic flux density is adjacent the extensions
17 26 of pole mer~ers 24. A relatively strong constant magnetic
18 field i8 thu~ produced ad~acent the recesses 28 which receive
pipe 12.
Re~erring now to Figs. 2 through 4, the magnetic etruc- ¦
21 ture 18 is shown installed on the pipe 12 in the orientation
22 which acts to soften water flowing therethrough in the direction
23 indicated. The pipe 12 is received within the recesses 28 such
24 that the pole member 24 which is magnetized to a south polarity
is located upstream of the one n~gnetized to a north polarity.
26 The operative portlon 18 is protected from moisture and foreign
27 matter and is held onto the pipe 12 by a two-piece interfitting
28 houslng 38. The houslng 38 has a lower half 40 with a square
29 base 42 and four vertical side walls 44. Two opposing side walls
44 are each provided with vertical slots 46 slightly wider than
31 the pipe 12 and extending down from the top edge of those walls.
32 The base of each slot 46 is semi-circular in shape to snugly re-
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1 ceive the pipe 12. l~e two side walls 44 which are not slotted
2 are provided at the top center of their outer surfaces with a
3 series of horizontal teeth 48 displaced a small distance verti- ¦
4 cally from each other. The ribs 48 are for the releasable en- ¦
gagement of the lower half 40 of housing 38 with the upper half 50 ¦
6 of that housing.
7 The upper half 50 has a square to~ 52 and four downwardly
8 extending vertical side walls 54. The upper half 50 is dimensioned
g to receive the magnetic structure 18 such that the extensions 26
of pole members 24 pro;ect downwardly therefrom. The magnetic
11 structure 18 ls secured within the upper half 50 by a mass of
12 non-magnetic electrically insulative potting material 55 which
13 is moded in place therebetween in the region ad~acent the square
14 top 52. Two opposing side walls 54 are provided with semi-circular
recesses 56 aligned with the recesses 28 of pole members 24 for
16 reception of the pipe 12. The other two side wall~ 54 are provid-
17 ed on their inner surfaces with a series of horizontal teeth 58
18 for engagement with the teeth 48 described above.
19 The upper half 50 of the housing 38 is sufficiently
large to fit partially over and thereby engage the lower half 40
21 of that housing. The housing 38 may therefore be assembled by
22 engaging the two halves about the pipe 12. The pipe 12 is re- ¦
23 ceived within the slots 46 of the lower half 40 and the recesses
24 56 of the upper half 50. The housing 38 is retained in this
assembled condition by the frictional engagement of the outwardly
26 projecting teeth 48 with the inwardly pro~ecting teeth 58. If the
27 pi~e is made o~ a magnetically conductive material, the field
28 emanating from the pole members 24 aids in holding the magnetic
29 structure 18 against the pipe.
Fig. 5 illustrates a different embodiment oE the in-
31 vention. It differs from~that described above principally in the
32 use of two simllar magnetic structures 60 and 62 rather than the
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1 single magnetic structure 18 of Flgs. 2 through 4. ~he structure
2 60 ls identical to the structure 18, while the structure 62 di~-
3 fers therefrom by the addition of a pair of opposing outward-pro-
4 Jecting end flanges 64. The flanges 64 serve to locate the struc-
ture 62 laterally within a somewhat enlarged upper half 66 of a
6 housiny 68, and to retain it vertically therein by frictional
7 engagement with a series of teeth 70 on the,interior wall of the
8 upper half 66.
9 ~ The magnetic structures 60 and 62 are located diametri-
cally opposite one another about a pipe 72 which may be identical
11 to the pipe 12, with the overall effectlve south pole of each
12 structure upstream of its overall effective north pole, This con-
13 figuration is used when additional magnetic field strength and
14 greater field uniformity is deslred.
The housings 38 and 68 may be made of any durable mater-
16 ial, although a high grade of plastic is preferable due to its
17 moisture and corrosion resistive qualities. It is also non-mag-
18 netic and will not interfere with the magnetic field created,
19 In operation, the water which flows within the pipes
21 12 and 72 past the location of the device 10 is exposed to the
22 overall effective magnetic field of the device, The water passes
from a region of predominant south magnetic polarity to one of
23 predominant north magnetic poiarity, thus moving generally against
the magnetic lines o force. This relationship between the water
Z flow and the magnetic polarity has been found to be necessary to
6 the water so~tening operation o~ the device 10. It has also been
27 found that the instant invention will function only when the water
28 pipe 12 has its el~ctrically conductive portion in contact with
29 the flow of water and electrically connected to earth.
31 While certain specific embodiments of the invention have
been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited
32 to thei partlcular torms, buO rather is appllcable broadly to
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l all such variations a~ fall within the scope of the appended
2 claims. As an example, lt is contemplated that an electromagnet
3 capable of producing the desired field nlay be used in place of
~ the permanent magnets ~escribed above with no loss of effective- ¦
ness. ~le only limltation would be that the devlce be located
6 near a source of electrical energy.
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