Magnetic molecular agglomerate reducer and method

An apparatus and method of reducing agglomeration of fluids consisting of the vigorous agitation of the liquid by a double opposed vortex nozzle and the passing of the liquid through a magnetic field. One of the opposed nozzles may have ozone gas forced through it for treating sewage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to methods and devices for reducing the 
agglomeration of molecules in a fluid. More particularly, the present 
invention relates to methods and devices for reducing agglomeration in 
water and sewage, among others, for various uses. 
The individual molecules which make up liquids, as well as all other 
substances, vary greatly in their relative size, complexity and 
properties. Individual molecules are capable of being "polar", which means 
they can carry positive and negative charges at different areas within the 
molecule. This polar propensity varies greatly from substance to substance 
and has a significant effect on the overall properties of the substance. 
In water and other liquids, the polarity of the individual molecules is 
believed to cause groupings of water molecules ("agglomeration") to form 
in units larger than individual molecules. Other theories for this 
phenomenon, explained more fully in Co-Applicant's earlier patent 
regarding this subject (U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,521, herein incorporated by 
reference), are that water has a network of joined polyhedral cages formed 
of H-bonded molecules, and containing within their cavities entrapped, but 
unbound, water molecules. Also, it has been theorized that water forms 
"flickering clusters" of molecules, which constantly change in size and 
structure. 
Whatever the explanation for this phenomenon, it is known that vigorous 
agitation of liquids, particularly water, will cause a reduction in the 
agglomeration of the liquid and change its normal properties. Further, 
Applicants have noticed the same changes for all fluids, whether they be a 
gas, a liquid, or a solid suspended in a gas or liquid. Some of the 
changes in the physical properties of liquids, particularly water, are 
noted in Co-Applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,521 patent. It is 
believed that reduction of molecular agglomeration creates a relatively 
greater number of freed individual liquid molecules available to penetrate 
openings of pores in cells or plasma membranes and increases the 
solubility of liquids. Oxidation of substances is also increased. Further, 
it is known in the art that similar effects can be achieved by passing a 
fluid through a magnetic field. Changes in the pH, solubility and 
"hardness" of water have been noted when the fluid is magnetically 
affected. 
Sewage is also comprised substantially of water. The treatment of sewage 
has attracted a variety of prior art methods and devices. One manner of 
treating sewage known in the art is to use ozone as an oxidizing agent in 
the treatment. Ozone has several advantages over chlorine (the traditional 
gas used for treating sewage) which make ozone an effective substitute. It 
is known that ozone kills a wider variety of bacteria and viruses in 
sewage than does chlorine, that ozone is generally safer to handle, that 
ozone is more effective at eliminating metals and chemicals in the sewage 
and that ozone removes and sterilizes sludge from sewage at a higher rate 
than chlorine. However, a drawback to the use of ozone has been the 
relatively slow reaction time and absorption rate when sewage is treated. 
Commercially available ozone generators suitable for sewage treatment are 
manufactured by Schmidding-Werke, in West Germany, among others. 
Prior art of which Applicant is aware, although varying widely in its 
structure and use, are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,265,746 (issued to Zimmerman, et 
al), 4,065,386 (issued to Rigby), 4,050,426 (issued to Sanderson), 
3,511,776 (issued to Avampato), 3,228,878 (issued to Moody), 2,825,464 
(issued to Mack). 
The present invention combines the agitation means of Co-Applicant's prior 
patent with a means for magnetically affecting the fluid in the treatment 
of pure water and in the treatment of sewage by ozone. Further, it is 
contemplated that the design of Applicants' invention could be easily 
modified to detoxify chemical waste. Therefore, it is an object of the 
present invention to achieve a greater effect on the properties of fluids 
through reduction in agglomeration than that achieved by Co-Applicant's 
prior patent. Further, it is an object of the present invention to change 
the physical properties of relatively pure water. Further it is an object 
of the present invention to treat sewage. Further it is an object of the 
present invention to aid the treatment of sewage with an ozone based gas. 
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following 
materials. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An apparatus for reducing agglomeration of fluids, comprising means for 
forcing said fluid through said apparatus, said apparatus comprised of 
magnetic affecting means and agitating means, said agitating means 
operable to vigorously agitate said fluid to reduce the agglomeration in 
said fluid, and said magnetic affecting means mounted in close proximity 
to said agitating means. The agitating means is comprised of at least one 
inlet, a plurality of vortex apparatuses and an outlet, said vortex 
apparatuses operably connected to said inlet, and said outlet operably 
connected to said vortex apparatuses for removing the agitated and 
magnetically affected fluid from said agitation means. The vortex 
apparatuses are mounted in opposing relationship to each other, with each 
of said vortex apparatuses comprised of an accelerating chamber and a 
nozzle, and each nozzle oriented so that the exit of said nozzle 
substantially directs fluid towards fluid exiting another nozzle. Said 
vortex apparatuses may be substantially the same size or different sizes, 
with separate inlets for each vortex apparatus when said vortex 
apparatuses are different sizes. The apparatus may be further comprised of 
collecting means and connecting means for returning fluid from said 
collecting means to a pump, with said pump acting as the forcing means. 
A method for reducing agglomeration of fluids comprising the steps of 
subjecting a fluid to a magnetic field and vigorously agitating said 
fluid. The first and second step may be performed relatively 
simultaneously. Said agitation may be achieved by pumping said fluid, 
diverting said fluid into at least two streams, and spraying said streams 
of fluid against each other through opposed nozzles, or said agitation may 
be achieved by pumping at least two types of fluid in separate streams to 
the device for agitating said fluids and spraying said separate streams 
against each other through opposed nozzles. The method may be further 
comprised of the steps of collecting said agitative fluid and pumping said 
agitative fluid back to the agitating means for repeating said first and 
second steps.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The present invention is a modification of Co-Applicant's prior patent. The 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,521 patent discusses the structure and operation of 
the agitation means used in the present invention. The opposed vortex 
nozzle configuration is effective for reducing agglomeration to a certain 
extent, but Applicants have found that the addition of a magnetic 
affecting means has great effects on the properties of water and that a 
modified opposed vortex nozzle configuration can have applications in the 
treatment of sewage with ozone or the detoxification of chemical waste. 
FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment as it is constructed in a closed-loop 
system for treating water. A pump 10 circulates the water through 
connecting means 12 to an agglomerate reducing means 14. After the 
reduction in agglomeration, the water is collected in a collecting means 
16 and returns to the pump 10 by other connecting means 12. 
The agglomerate reducing means 14 of the first embodiment is shown in more 
detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. The agglomerate reducing means 14 is comprised 
chiefly of two components, namely, a magnetic affecting means 20 and an 
agitating means 22. The magnetic affecting means 20 may be comprised of 
any magnet known in the art and may be attached to the agitation means 22 
by any means known in the art, just so that the magnetic affecting means 
20 is held in relatively close relation to the water at some point. 
Preferably, the hysteresis of the magnetic field is aligned with the flow 
of fluid, and that the magnetic affecting means 20 is placed at the 
agitating means 22. The present embodiment uses regular bar magnets 
attached to the agitating means 22 by brackets or tape (not shown) and 
magnetically affects the water simultaneous with the agitation. 
The agitating means 22 is shown more clearly in FIG. 3. The agitating means 
22 is identical to the one shown in Co-Applicant's prior patent, except 
that the water flows into the agitating means 22 from a single inlet 24 
into a chamber 26. Water collects in the chamber 26 and is separated into 
two streams as it flows into the two vortex entrances 28. Once inside the 
opposed vortex apparatus 30, the water is accelerated through a spiral 
passageway (not shown) and exits the vortex nozzles 32 at a high rate of 
speed and is forced against an opposing stream of water exiting the other 
vortex nozzle 32. Other details on the agitating means 22 are well known 
in the art and disclosed fully in Co-Applicant's prior patent. Of course, 
design modifications involving more than two nozzles could easily be made. 
After agitation, the water exits the agitation means 22 through an exit 
34. The magnetic affecting means 20 is shown in shadow lines. 
Although not completely explained, it is clear that the addition of the 
magnetic affecting means 20 to the agglomerate reducing means 14 has 
surprising effects on the properties of pure water beyond that achieved by 
co-Applicant's prior patent. Using pure water which registered less than 
0.1 (Si) mg/L in a direct aspiration flame atomic absorption method test 
using Perkin-Elmer model 5,000 unit, versus a controlled sample of 
deionized water, it was found that samples of the water treated by 
Applicants' invention had a boiling point as much as 5.degree. C. lower 
than that of deionized water. Further, significant differences in surface 
tension, diffusion and transportation rate and clearing rate in butanol 
were found. Further, the treated water appears to retain its differing 
properties for several weeks. 
The differences in diffusion and transportation rates have been found to 
make the treated water useful as a carrier in the manufacture of 
pharmaceuticals. Further, use in chemical separation processes and in 
chemical refining appears likely. 
When regular tap water is treated by the invention of the first embodiment, 
the reduction in agglomeration apparently releases suspended silicates, as 
a great settling out of solids has been noted by Applicants. Thus, the 
invention is a compact and efficient device for softening water and 
removing minerals. The silicates collect in the collecting means 16 and 
can be periodically removed. 
The principle of reduction of agglomeration has found a second use by the 
Applicants in the treatment of sewage. As stated, ozone is a common 
substituted for chlorine gas in the treatment of sewage. However, the gas 
used to treat sewage is not pure ozone, but a mixture of ozone, nitrogen 
and rare metal gases. 
Applicants have found that the reduction in agglomeration of the liquids 
which comprise sewage allows treatment by ozone gas to be greatly speeded 
up. The traditional method of treating sewage with ozone gas is to bubble 
the gas through the sewage to allow it to be absorbed into the liquid. 
This contact time is normally thirty minutes in order to achieve full 
absorption and treatment by the ozone. However, the present invention 
allows the sewage to be treated instantly by ozone. In fact, Applicants 
have found that treatment of sewage by the invention of the second 
embodiment eliminates the need for storage tanks, which are used to 
collect sewage and hold it until the treatment process is complete. 
This improved treatment of sewage is achieved by the device shown in FIGS. 
4 and 5. As stated, the second embodiment involves a modification of the 
first embodiment in which one of the vortex nozzles 32 and opposed vortex 
apparatus 30 is identical to those found in the first embodiment. Sewage 
is passed through this liquid vortex nozzle 32. As shown in FIG. 4, it is 
necessitated that the chamber 26 be eliminated, and the agitation means 22 
is divided into separate inlet lines, with a sewage inlet line 36 and an 
ozone inlet line 38. The ozone inlet line 38 allows direct passage of the 
ozone gas mixture to a gas vortex apparatus 40. The gas vortex apparatus 
40 is in all respects identical to the liquid vortex apparatus 30 except 
that the scale is reduced, for reasons to be discussed hereafter. 
Likewise, the gas vortex nozzle 42 is similar in structure to the liquid 
vortex nozzle 32, except that it is on a reduced scale. The reasons for 
the difference in scale between the liquid vortex apparatus 30 and gas 
vortex apparatus 40 stem from the differences in flow capabilities between 
the liquid and gas. Because the liquid and gas are accelerated so rapidly 
in the respective vortex apparatus, it is necessary that the opposed 
apparatuses 30 and 40 balance each other. In other words, if the sewage 
exited nozzle 32 with more kinetic energy than the ozone gas exited gas 
vortex nozzle 42, the sewage would overpower the exiting gas and the 
collision between the gas and the liquid would occur at the gas vortex 
nozzle 42 exit. Thus, it is required that Applicants' invention be 
designed so that the kinetic energies of the sewage and ozone, when 
exiting their respective nozzles, are equal so that the collision between 
the two substances takes place at a point approximately halfway between 
the liquid vortex nozzle 32 and gas vortex nozzle 42 exits. This balancing 
can be done by calculations well known in the art, given the diameters of 
the inlet pipes 36 and 38 and the pressures at which the sewage and gas 
are pumped to the agitating means 22. Again, an exit 34 collects the 
sewage and ozone gas to carry it away. 
A side view of the agglomerate reducing means 14 of the second embodiment 
is shown in FIG. 5, with the agitating means 22 being situated between 
magnetic affecting means 20. In this side view, the sewage inlet 36 is 
shown, and the ozone gas inlet 38 is not shown. Again, the magnetic 
affecting means 20 can be attached to the agitating means 22 by any means 
known in the art, and can be comprised of bar magnets, electro-magnets, or 
other magnetic affecting means 20. 
It is believed that the great reduction in the time required for the ozone 
to be absorbed into and treat the sewage is brought about by the reduction 
in agglomeration in the sewage, and possibly the ozone gas, also. As the 
sewage stream collides with the ozone gas stream, agglomeration in the 
various liquids making up sewage is reduced, and the greater number of 
freed individual molecules can more rapidly penetrate cell openings or 
pores in bacteria or viruses in the sewage, as well as other substances. 
Thus, the principle of the second embodiment has applications in other 
areas, such as the detoxification of chemical waste. The waste is pumped 
through one nozzle and the oxidizing or detoxifying substance is pumped 
through the other. 
Although the invention has been described in the proceeding embodiments, 
numerous changes and variations are intended to fall within the scope of 
the present invention. The limitations of the scope of the invention are 
not intended to be defined by the description of the preferred embodiment, 
but rather by the following claims.