Abstract:
The disclosed device is directed toward an apparatus for the separation of ions. The apparatus for the separation of ions comprises a vessel including an inlet fluidly coupled to an outlet. A magnetic field is applied substantially orthogonal to the flow of the fluid. The magnetic field applies a force that separates the oppositely charged ions.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to separating a mixture of oppositely charged ions. More particularly, this invention relates to separating oppositely charged ions using magnetic fields. Still more particularly, this invention relates to separating ions that form diatomic molecules such as hydrogen and oxygen from another compound, particularly water, using magnetic fields. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Prior art teaches the use of a parabolic dish to concentrate solar energy into a reaction chamber where water is injected and dissociated into its constituent parts due to the extreme temperatures achieved. This method achieves efficient dissociation of the water molecule into its ionic constituents. Prior art methods exist for the separation of ionic components from a gaseous stream, the majority of which involve the use of a membrane to separate the ions based on their physical size or other physical characteristics. Membranes have many drawbacks, the most significant being the cost of the materials involved and the high frequency of membrane fouling. 
   In the past, various methods and apparatuses for the separation of ions have been proposed to reduce this problem. One such solution is the “Method and Apparatus for Magnetic Separation of Ions” disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,768,109 issued to Brokaw et al. (Brokaw) which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth herewith to describe a prior art method of ion separation. Brokaw discloses an apparatus that has a vessel that is divided by a flow director. The flow director is a wall that separates the vessel into two chambers. The flow director includes a discharge that can be an orifice, a Venturi, and the like. A fluid flows from one chamber to another chamber through the discharge that is proximate to the center of the flow director. This centers the flowing fluid in a magnetic field that is applied to the fluid. The magnetic field imparts a force on the ions causing the positive ions to migrate towards one outlet of the vessel and negative ions to migrate towards the second. 
   The flow of fluid is directed towards two outlets. The negative ions flow out of the first outlet and the positive ions flow out the second outlet for storage or use. There are several problems associated with using this configuration to separate ions. First, the cost of such a structure is prohibitive because of the material required and configuration of the two separate outlets. Furthermore, this process requires that a fluid include a large content of oppositely charged ions. 
   In the case of thermally dissociated ions, this process requires that a base substance such as water be heated sufficiently so that a large percentage of the molecules have dissociated into their constituent ions, otherwise the non-dissociated molecules will impede separation. Additionally, once sufficiently heated, the base substance must be kept at this high energy throughout the separation process. 
   SUMMARY 
   The above and other problems are solved and an advance in the art is made by an improved method and apparatus for the separation of ions in accordance with this invention. A first advantage of this process in accordance with this invention is that construction of a vessel is easy since there is only one outlet and one inlet. This reduces the cost of construction and increases the speed in assembling the device. Furthermore, the ions are only separated long enough to bond to other like ions requiring a smaller magnetic field. Thus, less energy is needed. Furthermore, in the case of thermally dissociated ions, the method and apparatus of this invention may be performed at lower temperatures than prior art systems. This further reduces costs and allows the process to be used in more systems. 
   In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the apparatus for the separation of ions comprises a vessel having one inlet and one outlet. A flow director may divide the vessel into a first chamber and a second chamber. A nozzle may be disposed in the body between the inlet and the outlet. The nozzle is a small opening in the flow director and is configured to fluidly couple the chambers. The nozzle may be an orifice, a Venturi, and the like. Fluid flows into the vessel via the inlet into the first chamber. The fluid then flows through the nozzle into the second chamber. 
   In the second chamber, a magnetic field is applied to the fluid flowing through the second chamber. The magnetic field is orthogonal to the direction of the flow through the chamber. The magnetic field is also located in the second chamber between the flow director and the outlet. 
   The disclosed method is directed toward a method of separating ions. The method of separating ions comprises separating oppositely charged ions via a magnetic field applied to a substance that contains the ions. The method includes flowing the ions through a magnetic field perpendicular to the flows of the substance and separating ions based on ionic charge. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     The above features and advantages of this invention are described in the following detailed description and are shown in the following drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrating a graphic schematic of the effects of a magnetic field on charged ions; 
       FIG. 2  illustrating a schematic of an exemplary embodiment of an ion separator; 
       FIG. 3  illustrating a front view of the exemplary embodiment of an ion separator; 
       FIG. 4  illustrating a top view of the exemplary embodiment of an ion separator; and 
       FIG. 5  illustrating a side view of the exemplary embodiment of an ion separator. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. 
   The apparatus and process separates any ions of opposing charge. The method for achieving this separation is based on the fundamentals of magnetism and the forces that are generated on charged particles moving through a magnetic field. The force that is imparted on the particle by the field is perpendicular to both the direction of travel and the direction of the magnetic field lines. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , particles of opposite charge that encounter the same field moving in the same direction will incur forces opposite one another. This is shown by the force vector (F) imparted on a particle moving with velocity vector (v) in a magnetic field (B). As the moving particle encounters this new force the direction of travel will be changed. The formula for calculating the force generated on charged particles moving in a magnetic field is:
 
 F =( qv )( B )  (1)
 
Where:
 
F is the generated force, q is the particle charge, v is the particle velocity and B is the magnitude of the magnetic field.
 
   The equation formally shows that particles of opposite charge experience opposing forces, and that the force due to the magnetic field is proportional to the velocity of the particle and the magnitude of the magnetic field. Therefore, a particle moving at a high velocity in a relatively small magnetic field experiences a great enough force to change its direction. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary apparatus for magnetic separation of ions, hereinafter referred to as ion separator  100 . The ion separator  100  includes a vessel  120 . Fluid containing dissociated ions flows through the vessel  120 . The vessel  120  can be pipe shaped as in a preferred embodiment, as well as other shapes that provide both fluid flow and structural characteristics for fluids in accordance with this invention. Vessel  120  has one inlet  140  and one outlet  160 . The inlet  140  is fluidly coupled to the outlet  160 . Fluidly coupled means to allow for fluid flow and fluid communication. 
   In some embodiments, flow director  170  is a wall that separates vessel  120  into a first chamber  171  and second chamber  172 . Nozzle  175  is an orifice, a Venturi, and any other type of opening through flow director  170  that allows fluid to flow though vessel  120  from first chamber  171  to second chamber  172 . 
   In some embodiments, magnetic field  125 , shown perpendicular to the drawing page, is established in the vessel  120  proximate to outlet  160 . In the embodiments having two chambers, magnetic field  125  is in second chamber  172  proximate outlet  160 . Magnetic field  125  is orthogonal to the direction of the flow, (V) of the fluid through vessel  120 . When a fluid flows through vessel  120 , magnetic field  125  passes through the fluid perpendicular to the direction of the fluid flow. 
   Oppositely charged ions  200  and  205  enter the vessel  120  through the inlet  140  and flow towards outlet  160 . The oppositely charged ions  200  and  205  enter the magnetic field  125  where a force is imparted on the ions  200  and  205  in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field lines of the magnetic field  125 . In some embodiments, nozzle  175  focuses the stream of flowing fluid into the center of the magnetic field  125 . 
   The direction of the force is a function of the charge of ions  200  and  205 . The force causes the ions  200  and  205  to separate as the ions  200  and  205  flow toward outlet  160 . The separated ions  200  and  205  then join together to form their stable diatomic molecules  210 . Diatomic molecules  210  then pass through outlet  160 . The diatomic molecules  210  and any unreacted fluid are then stored, consumed, or separated from one another using conventional methods. 
   Unlike prior art methods for separating ions, a large distance of separation is not needed. Thus, less energy needs to be applied to a substance upon entering the apparatus to separate the dissociated ions. Thus, this method and apparatus have advantages over prior art methods for separating ions. 
   In a preferred embodiment, ion separator  100  can separate dissociated hydrogen ions from the oxygen ions. This is due to the nature of the ions in dissociated water. The H +  ions have no electron so they are positively charged. The O 2−  ions have two extra electrons, and therefore have a strong negative charge. The fact that the ions have opposing charges and will be moving in the same direction through the same magnetic field  125  provides the opposing forces necessary to achieve separation of the ions. Once a slight separation is achieved, the hydrogen ions combine into the stable H 2  molecule, and the oxygen ions combine into the stable O 2  molecule. It is these stable diatomic molecules that prevent the ions from recombining into water as they leave the single outlet as a mixture of product gases. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5  front, top and side views of an exemplary ion separator  100  are illustrated. The ion separator  100  includes at least one magnet  340  or a plurality of magnets (i.e., two magnets  340  and  360 ). It is contemplated that the magnets  340  and  360  can be substituted with electric coils or other magnetic field generators that generate the magnetic field  125  in vessel  120 . 
   In some embodiments, inlet  140  includes a coupling for connecting to a pipeline delivering the fluid. The outlet  160  may also include a coupling for connecting to a pipe to deliver the fluid to a subsequent processing system. In these embodiments, ion separator  100  is connected to an in-line of a pipeline and is used to separate oppositely charged ions being transported through a pipeline. 
   In the preferred exemplary embodiment, a fluid in which the ions are suspended enters vessel  120  through inlet  140 . The fluid enters first chamber  171 . The fluid then passes through a nozzle  175  into second chamber  172 . In second chamber  172 , magnets  340  and  360  generate magnetic field  125 . Magnetic field  125  is applied to the fluid to separate the ions. The separated ions combine to form diatomic molecules, and the diatomic molecules and any unreacted fluid then flow out of vessel  120  through outlet  160 . 
   The method and apparatus are applicable to any process that requires the separation of ions with opposing electrical charges. The primary benefit to be derived is in the field of hydrogen production, where water is thermally dissociated into hydrogen and oxygen ions that are then separated and collected for use as fuel upon stabilization as H 2  and O 2  gas. There are many existing methods of heating water that could be employed, such as nuclear, or this process may be combined with industrial processes that generate waste heat. In a preferred embodiment the method and apparatus are used in conjunction with a solar heating source as a means of dissociating water into H +  and O 2−  ions. The method and apparatus is a simpler, less expensive, and more efficient means of separating the dissociated ions. The method and apparatus are improvements on the prior art because they specify a more efficient separation method. Once separated, the hydrogen and oxygen ions are stabilized as H 2  and O 2  gas and can be collected for storage and/or consumption. Conventional separation techniques may be employed to separate the H 2  from the O 2  prior to storage. 
   Embodiments and applications of an ion separator in accordance with this invention are shown and described. It is expected that those skilled in the art can and will design alternative embodiments that infringe on this invention as set forth below either literally or through the Doctrine of Equivalents.