Patent ID: 6383397
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: B03C

Abstract:
In an apparatus comprising a plurality of parallel tubes, each of the parallel tubes including a plurality of contiguous individual tube sections connected in series, the individual tube sections adjoining each other being separated from each other by a separator net, each of the adjoining individual tube sections separated by the separator net containing free ferromagnetic substances or elements therein and having an individual magnetic field generating coil winding mounted around the outside thereof, each of the individual magnetic field generating coil windings mounted around the outside of each corresponding individual tube section being connected to a magnetic force strength control means, each of the magnetic force strength control means connected to the respective individual tube sections being operated for controlling 1 each corresponding individual magnetic field generating coil winding so that each coil winding can apply a magnetic field of a different strength across each corresponding individual tube section, a method for separating magnetic particles mixed in a fluid, comprising the steps of:(1) feeding an original fluid containing magnetic particles into each of the parallel tubes as an object fluid, while each of the parallel tubes is being rotated and each of the contiguous individual tube sections is placed in the magnetic field provided by energizing each corresponding individual magnetic field generating coil winding; (2) causing the magnetic particles contained in the object fluid to be attached magnetically to the inner wall of the contiguous individual tube sections and the surfaces of the individual free ferromagnetic substances or elements therein by their respective magnetic attraction, and stopping the feeding of the object fluid before the magnetic attracting ability becomes lower below a certain value; (3) de-energizing each of the individual magnetic field generating coil winding while the parallel tubes are being rotated, for demagnetizing the inner wall of each corresponding individual tube section and the surfaces of the individual free ferromagnetic substance or elements therein; (4) feeding an exhaust fluid under an applied pressure into each of the parallel tubes and removing a mixture of the magnetic particles and the exhaust fluid from each. of the parallel tubes; and (5) separating the magnetic particles from the mixture fluid.