APPAREIL DE TRAITEMENT DE LIQUIDE PAR AIMANT PERMANENT

PERMANENT MAGNETIC LIQUID TREATING DEVICE

Abrégé français

L'invention concerne un appareil de traitement de liquide par aimant permanent (1) comprenant un boîtier tubulaire (2) dans lequel des aimants toriques (3) et des disques écarteurs (4) aimantables sont disposés en coaxialité avec l'axe longitudinal du boîtier. Ce boîtier présente à ses deux extrémités des embouts (5). L'appareil présente des dispositifs qui confèrent un mouvement hélicoïdal à l'écoulement de liquide et un tube interne (6) placé dans le boîtier en coaxialité avec son axe longitudinal et à une certaine distance de sa paroi interne. Ce tube interne est parcouru par le liquide à traiter et ses extrémités sont raccordées aux embouts (5) de façon étanche au liquide. Les aimants toriques (3) et les disques écarteurs (4) sont montés dans l'espace exempt de liquide situé entre le tube interne (6) et le boîtier tubulaire (2) et ce, successivement dans le sens de l'axe longitudinal du boîtier. Le boîtier tubulaire (2) est réalisé en matériau non aimantable. Le tube interne (6) et les embouts (5), réalisés d'une seule pièce, sont en métal inoxydable aimantable. Le tube interne abrite de façon immobile une bande en hélice (7) à 1 à 3 spires en métal inoxydable aimantable dont la largeur correspond au diamètre interne du tube interne (6). Dans l'espace annulaire exempt de liquide situé entre le boîtier (2) et le tube interne (6), sont empilés des aimants toriques (3) et des disques écarteurs (4), cette pile étant maintenue stationnaire par des manchons (9) vissés sur le embouts et enfermée de façon hermétique.

Abrégé anglais

The invention relates to a permanent magnetic liquid treatment device (1),
comprising a tubular housing (2) in which ring magnets (3) and magnetizable
spacer discs (4) are located, coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the
housing, and which has contact pieces (5) at both ends. The device also has
mechanisms which produce a screw motion in the liquid passing through and an
inner tube (6) which is located in the housing, coaxially to the longitudinal
axis thereof and at a distance from the inner housing wall. The liquid to be
treated flows through said inner tube and the ends of the inner tube are
liquid-tightly connected to the contact pieces (5). The ring magnets (3) and
the spacer discs (4) are installed in the liquid-free area between the inner
tube (6) and the tubular housing (2) in such a way that they lie one behind
the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the housing. The
tubular housing (2) consists of a non-magnetizable material. The inner tube
(6) and the contact pieces (5), which form a single piece with the same,
consist of a magnetizable, non-rusting metal. A strip (7) which is coiled 1 to
3 times and consists of a magnetizable, non-rusting metal, is fixed in the
inner tube, the width of said strip corresponding to the inner diameter of the
inner tube (6). Ring magnets (3) and spacer discs (4) are arranged in a stack
in the liquid-tight ring area between the housing (2) and the inner tube (6).
This stack is held in place in such a way that it cannot move and is tightly
enclosed by means of sleeves (9) screwed onto the contact pieces (5).

Revendications

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Claims
1. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device (1) comprising a tubular
housing (2) in
which ring magnets (3) and magnetizable spacer discs (4) are located,
coaxially to the
longitudinal axis of the housing, and which has connecting pieces (5) at both
ends, and
comprising means causing a spiral motion of the liquid passing therethrough,
and an inner
tube (6) which is located in the housing, coaxially to the longitudinal axis
thereof and at a
distance from the inner wall of the housing, the ends of said inner tube being
connected
liquid-tightly to said connecting pieces, the liquid to be treated flowing
through said inner
tube, and the ring magnets (3) and spacer discs (4) being installed in the
liquid-free space
between the inner tube (6) and the tubular housing (2) in such a way that they
lie one be-
hind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the housing,
characterized by
the following features:
a) the tubular housing (2) consists of a non-magnetizable material;
b) the inner tube (6) consists of a magnetizable rustproof metal;
c) the tubular connecting pieces (5) consisting of a magnetizable rustproof
metal extend
the inner tube (6) and form a single piece therewith;
d) the ring magnets (3) which are identical to each other are arranged in the
ring space
between the housing (2) and the inner tube (6) so that, beginning from the
liquid inlet
(E), there follow, after a single spacer disc (4), a ring magnet (3) with its
south pole di-
rected towards the inlet, then, each time after two single spacer discs (4),
three ring
magnets (3) with the polarity inverted from one to the next, and at last two
twinned
ring magnets (3a, 3b), again with polarity inverted in relation to the
preceding ring
magnet and to the following twinned ring magnet, the single ring magnets (3a,
3b)
which constitute each twinned magnet contacting each other with opposite poles
so
that a south pole is at the outside of the stack, and a final thicker spacing
disc (4).
e) the complete stack of ring magnets (3) and spacer discs (4) is held
immovable and
tightly enclosed in the housing (2) by means of sleeves (9) screwed upon the
connect-
ing pieces (5);
f) in the inner tube (6) there is fixedly held a strip (7) consisting of a
magnetizable rust-
proof metal having a width corresponding to the inner diameter of the inner
tube (6),
said strip being wound to a helix with 1 to 3 turns;

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g) the metal strip (7) extends with each one of its end sections (8) into the
connecting
pieces (5), said end sections being without helix and diametrically opposed.
2. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to claim 1,
characterized in that
the housing (2) consists of aluminium or an aluminium alloy and that the inner
tube (6),
the connecting pieces (5) and the end sleeves which are screwed upon the
threading of the
connecting pieces consist of special steel.
3. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to one of claims 1 or
2, charac-
terized in that the axial dimension of each ring magnet (3) is 9 mm and that
of the spacer
discs (4) is 3 mm, and the last spacer disc (4) at the outlet side having a
thickness of 6
mm.
4. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of claims 1 to
3, charac-
terized in that the inner tube (6) has a diameter of 0,5 inch (12,6 mm) and a
length of 100
mm and that the helically wound strip (7) being prepared from a sheet of
special steel of
0,5 mm thickness has 1 to 2 helix windings in the inner tube.
5. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of the
preceding claims,
characterized in that an elastic sealing ring (10) surrounding the inner tube
(6) is in-
serted between each of the outwardly last spacer discs (4) and the adjacent
sleeve (9).
6. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of claims 1 to
5, charac-
terized in that the helically wound strip (7) is smooth or provided with
projections which
serve to create turbulence within the liquid flowing therethrough.
7. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of the claims
1 to 6, char-
acterized in that the helix-free diametrical terminal section (8) of the metal
strip (7) at the
inlet end extends outwardly from the connecting piece (5) and terminates in a
tip (14) with
rounded straight edges or in a rounded tip (12) with a rounded round edge
(12a).
8. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of claims 1 to
7, charac-
terized in that at least the edges (14a, 12a) of the tips (14, 12) of the
strip (7) have a
coating of plastics material.

9. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of the claims
1 to 8, char-
acterized in that both sides of the strip (7) are covered with a plastic
coating.
10. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of the claims
1 to 9, char-
acterized in that an insert (11) which reduces the flow section is arranged in
the con-
necting piece (5) which is situated at the outlet side.
11. A permanent magnetic liquid treating device according to any of the claims
1 to 10, char-
acterized in that the terminal outer part of the connecting pieces (5) is
provided with a
threading or smooth ondulations for connection with a connecting pipe or tube,
respec-
tively.

Description

CA 02386727 2002-05-31
Permanent magnetic liquid treating device
The invention relates to a permanent magnetic liquid treating device
comprising a tubular
housing in which ring magnets and magnetizable spacer discs are located,
coaxially to the
longitudinal axis of the housing, and which has connecting pieces at both
ends, said device
comprising means which cause a spiral motion of the liquid passing
therethrough, and an in-
ner tube which is located in the housing, coaxially to the longitudinal axis
thereof and at a
distance from the inner wall of the housing, the ends of said inner tube being
connected
liquid-tight to said connecting pieces, and the ring magnets and spacer discs
being installed in
the liquid-free space between the inner tube and the tubular housing so that
they lie one be-
hind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the housing
A permanent magnetic liquid treating device of this kind is known by DE 195 32
357 Al and
this document forms the basis of the pre-characterizing part of claim 1. Such
devices, which
are also known from other patent documents, are used especially for the
magnetic treatment of
water in order to avoid the formation of lime deposits at the inner wall of
pipes and tanks by
causing that the calcium carbonate which is dissolved in the water is
deposited not at the walls
but in the form of separable fine particles.
While the treating device referred to above is in principle suitable for this
purpose, its effect is
not yet fully satisfactory. The rotating turbine which in the knOV1'Il device
is used for creating
a spiral motion of the liquid flowing therethrough can not provide for a
spiral motion which is
constant over the total length of the device, and the construction of the
known device further-
more causes an undesirable higher pressure drop.
The object of the invention is therefore to improve a treating device of the
above described
type in such v~~ay that its construction is simplified and its effectiveness
is clearly improved,
that is that the formation of scale in pipes and tanks through which tap water
flows but also in
the liquid circulation of for example boilers or washing machines is avoided
to an even higher
degree.

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This object is achieved by the dispositions of the characterizing part of
claim I . Preferred em-
bodiments are described in the dependent claims.
By the cooperation of the specific coaxial arrangement of a stack of
cylindrical ring magnets
which are separated from each other by spacer discs consisting of metal and
which surround
an inner tube, with a helically wound strip consisting of a magnetizable
rustproof metal, the
width of which corresponds to the inner diameter of the inner tube and which
is arranged in
said inner tube, the desired helical motion of the liquid flowing therethrough
is realized in an
even manner and practically without pressure drop and without moving parts,
and an im-
provement of the magnetic flow which acts upon the molecules of the water
flowing there-
through is achieved. The device according to the invention is of notably
simple construction
and can be manufactured at low costs.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent by the
following de-
scription of an embodiment, by wav of example, and without limitation,
referring to the at-
tacked drawings which show:
Fig. 1 a schematical view of an axial longitudinal section of a liquid
treating device
according to the invention, the strip being shown in side view;
Fig. 2 the arrangement of the ring magnets of fig. 1 without the housing and
inner
tube;
Fig. 3 and 4 a detail of two other embodiments of the inlet ternlinal part of
the strip of the
device of fig. I.
The permanent magnetic liquid treating device 1 shown in fig. 1 comprises a
tubular housing
2 in which ring magnets 3 and magnetizable spacer discs 4 are arranged
coaxiall to the lon-
gitudinal axis of the housing and which at both ends comprises connecting
pieces ~ which are
forned in one piece with the inner tube 6 and form an extension thereof. The
tubular housing
2 consists of a non-magnetizable material, here an aluminium alloy, while the
inner tube 6
and the tubular connecting pieces 5 consists of a magnetizable rustproof
metal, here special
(stainless) steel, and the ring magnets and spacer discs are mounted one
behind the other in
form of a stack in the liquid-free space between the inner tube and the
tubular housing. The
stack is held unmovable and tightly enclosed in the housing by terminal
sleeves 9 w which are
screwed on the connecting. pieces ~ from both sides, an elastic sealing ring
(O-ring) 10 being

CA 02386727 2002-05-31
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inserted between the stack and each sleeve. The terminal sleeves 9 preferably
consists also of
special steel.
In order to cause a helical movement of the liquid flowing therethrough, a
strip 7 of mag-
netizable rustproof metal which is wound to 1 to 2 helical windings is
arranged in the inner
tube 6, the width of the strip corresponding to the inner diameter of the
inner tube 6. This strip
is fixedly connected at both ends with the tubular connecting pieces, for
example by welding
to the inner wall thereof. The stack of ring magnets 3 which are all alike and
spacer discs 4 is
arranged as shown in fig. 2, so that beginning from the liquid inlet E, after
a single spacer disc
4, a ring magnet 3 with its south pole at the inlet side, then is followed by
two single spacer
discs 4 and three ring magnets 3, each separated from the next by two spacer
discs (4) and
each with a polarization inverted from one to the next, and at last two
twinned ring magnets
3a, 3b, again separated from the preceding ring magnet (3) and from each other
by two spacer
discs (4) and having a polarization which is inverted in respect to the
preceding ring magnets
and to the following twinned ring magnets, the single ring magnets 3a, 3b
forming the
twinned ring magnets contacting each other with opposite poles, so that at the
outlet side of
the stack there is a south pole, and the stack is terminated b5~ a thicker
spacer disc 4.
In the embodiment shown, the ring magnets have each an axial dimension of 9 mm
and the
spacer discs 4 an axial dimension of 3 mm, the last spacer disc at the outlet
side having a
thickness of 6 mm. Also in this example as shown, the inner tube 6 has a
diameter of 0.5 inch
(12,6 mm) and a length of 100 mm, and the helically wound strip is formed as a
helix from a
sheet of special steel of 0,5 mm thickness.
The helical windings of the wound strip lie within the inner tube 6, that is
between the con-
necting pieces s, and their number can be between 1 and 3, for example 2 as
shown in fig. 1.
The helically wound strip 7 extends into both connecting pieces 5 with each a
diametrical
opposed terminal part 8 without helical winding and is in this part provided
with a recess 8a
in order to facilitate fixation at the connecting part 5, for example by spot
welding.
Optionally. the strip 7 can be formed without recess 8a at the inlet end
thereof and can be
provided with an inlet tip l4 w-hich projects from the connecting piece 5
(fig. 3). This tip is
directed against the direction of the flow and is rounded in front and at the
edges 14a and
preferably. at least at the edge. provided with smooth plastic coating.
Instead. the inlet tip 12

i i
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_4_
can also be rounded with rounded edges 12a and preferably also be provided
with a plastic
coating (at least at the edge) (fig. 4). These smooth inlet tips avoid the
attaching of fluff on the
inlet edge of the metal strip 7. Optionally, the metal strip 7 can be coated
with plastic material
over all of its length.
If required, the flow section at the liquid outlet can be somewhat diminished
by means of an
insert 11 which is held at the end of the outlet connecting piece 5 in order
to upwardly reduce
the velocity of the liquid flow upwards of this end. In order to facilitate
the installation of the
permanent magnetic liquid treating device in a liquid conduct the connecting
pieces 5 are pro-
vided at their end with an appropriate threading for connection to a pipe or
provided with
smooth ondulations for insertion in and fixation of connecting tubing.

Dessin représentatif