Magnetic device for treating hydrocarbon fuels

A magnetic device for treating hydrocarbon fuel, including a passageway having an inlet and an outlet for the passage of the hydrocarbon fuel, a pair of elongated magnets and with each magnet magnetized to have one pole extending along one longitudinal face and the other pole extending along the opposite longitudinal face, the pair of magnets located along and on opposite sides of the passageway and with the faces of the magnets having like poles spaced from and substantially parallel to each other, and the pair of magnets providing a substantially unipolar flux field on fuel flowing in the passageway.

The present invention is directed to a magnetic device for treating 
hydrocarbon fuel and in particular the present invention is directed to a 
magnetic device for treating the fuel as the fuel flows through the device 
and with the device subjecting the fuel to a powerful unipolar magnetic 
field. 
With a particular embodiment of the magnetic device of the present 
invention, the fuel passes through a passageway formed by spaced magnets 
positioned within an outer non-magnetic casing and with the magnets 
subjecting the fuel in the passageway to a powerful substantially unipolar 
magnetic flux field. 
In the prior art there have been a number of devices which impose a 
magnetic field on a hydrocarbon fuel. In particular, reference is made to 
a number of patents listing Suburo Miyata as the inventor and with 
particular reference to Miyata U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,354. In this prior art 
patent, hydrocarbon fuels are subjected to a substantially unipolar 
magnetic flux produced by four magnets at right angles to each other 
arranged around a tube of square configuration. The tube is made of mild 
steel and the fuel flows through the tube of mild steel. Because of the 
use of four magnets, each at right angles to each other, and because the 
magnets are arranged around a tube of mild steel, it has been determined 
that the magnetic fields within the passageway through the tube, 
particularly in the center of the passageway, are substantially attenuated 
and the fields concentrated towards the corners. The prior art device 
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,354 therefore does not provide for as great 
a magnetic flux field on the fuel as desired. 
The present invention provides for a much more powerful substantially 
unipolar magnetic flux within the passageway than the prior art devices. 
In addition, the present invention is very simple in construction, and in 
a particular embodiment uses a pair of elongated magnets spaced from each 
other along their length and with the passageway for the fuel formed by 
the spacing between the pair of magnets. The individual magnets are 
magnetized to have one pole extending along one longitudinal face and the 
other pole extending along the opposite longitudinal face and with the 
pair of magnets housed within an outer casing of non-magnetic material 
with like poles facing each other. The normal repelling force between the 
magnets holds the magnets in position against the inner walls of the 
non-magnetic casing. 
With the apparatus of the present invention, no mild steel tubing is used 
so that the magnetic flux field formed by the opposing flux fields of the 
pair of magnets is intense within the passageway formed between the 
magnets, and since the magnets are arranged with one flat face of one of 
the magnets closely adjacent one flat face of the other magnet. This 
maximizes the intensity of the flux field in the passageway so as to 
maximize the effect of the flux field on the hydrocarbon fuel as the fuel 
passes over the magnetic surfaces and in direct contact with the magnetic 
surfaces. A pair of end caps including inlet and outlet fittings are used 
to connect the device of the present invention within the fuel line.

As shown in FIG. 1, a magnetic device 10 constructed in accordance with the 
teachings of the present invention includes an outer casing 12 and a pair 
of end caps 14 and 16. Each end cap includes integral fitting as shown by 
fittings 18 and 20. The fittings 18 and 20 are used to provide for 
connection within a fuel line and it is to be appreciated that other forms 
of fittings may be used depending upon the nature of the fuel line. For 
example, the fittings 18 and 20 shown in FIG. 1 could be used with a fuel 
line formed from a flexible material, but threaded fittings may also be 
used if the fuel line is formed from a rigid material. Generally, the 
outer casing 12 and the end caps 14 and 16, including the fittings 18 and 
20, are composed of non-magnetic material such as aluminum, brass or even 
plastic material. 
FIG. 2, which illustrates the magnetic device 10 of the present invention 
shown from the right hand side of FIG. 1, shows that the general 
configuration of the magnetic device 10 is square. However, it will be 
appreciated that other external configurations for the magnetic device of 
the present invention may be used and the invention is not to be limited 
to any particular configuration. For example, the external configuration 
may be rectangular or cylindrical as long as the internal magnetic members 
are designed to properly fit within the external configuration. 
As shown in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 3 and 4, the outer casing 12 
receives and supports a pair of elongated spaced permanent magnets 22 and 
24. The magnets 22 and 24 are shown to be rectangular in cross-section and 
are magnetized to have a north pole extending substantially along one 
elongated face of the magnet and a south pole extending along the opposite 
elongated face. The magnets are arranged within the casing 12 to have like 
poles facing each other so that the magnets repel each other and maintain 
the magnets in the position shown within the walls of the casing 12. As 
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the south poles face each other to produce a 
powerful unipolar flux field between the magnets. 
the spacing between the magnets 22 and 24 forms a passageway 26 for the 
hydrocarbon fuel. The hydrocarbon fuel as it passes through the passageway 
26 is subjected to the powerful unipolar flux field. The flux field is not 
attenuated since there is no ferrous metal adjacent the passageway and 
since the magnets face each other rather than being at right angles to 
each other. The magnets may be made of any appropriate magnetic material 
and in particular, magnetic material generally referred to as "Cermat," 
which is a ceramic magnetic material, has been found to be particularly 
appropriate since this type of magnetic material generally holds its 
magnetism even when subjected to high temperatures. It will be appreciated 
that hydrocarbon fuel lines may be subjected to high temperatures, for 
example, when the fuel line is adjacent to an engine such as an automobile 
engine. 
As shown in FIG. 3, each of the end caps 14 and 16 and their integral 
fittings 18 and 20 include a passageway. Specifically, passageways 28 and 
30 extend through the end caps to positions adjacent and in communication 
with the ends of the passageway 26. The hydrocarbon fuel therefore is 
passed through the passageway 26 and is subjected to the unipolar magnetic 
flux field provided by the magnets 22 and 24. 
Each end fitting 16 and 18 may include a groove as shown by grooves 32 and 
34. The grooves 32 and 34 have a configuration complementary to the outer 
configuration of the casing 12 so that the opposite end portions of the 
casing 12 are received within the grooves 32 and 34. The end portions of 
the casing 12 are sealed within the grooves 32 and 34 by appropriate means 
such as an epoxy adhesive or by welding. The magnetic device of the 
present invention thereby has the fuel substantially pass from one end 
fitting to the other and through the passageway 26 without leakage of the 
fuel. 
It is to be appreciated that although the invention has been described with 
reference to the use of two magnets 22 and 24, additional magnets may be 
used. For example, for ease of manufacturing, each magnet may be composed 
of two or more pieces extending along the same longitudinal axis and with 
the same magnetic relationships shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Also, the 
invention has been shown with a rectangular cross-sectional configuration 
for each magnet and with the ratio between the long sides and the short 
sides more than two to one so as to produce an overall square 
configuration for the magnetic device 10. However, it is to be appreciated 
that the magnets and the outer casing may take other configurations. 
Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular 
embodiment, it is to be appreciated that various adaptations and 
modifications may be made and the invention is only to be limited by the 
appended claims.