Patent ID: 7371327

Claim:
What is claimed is a permanent magnetic field reactor comprised of a high-permeability metallic matrix, a reactor basket, a reactor body, a permanent magnet configuration, the high-permeability magnetic matrix comprised of any high permeability metal, the high permeability metallic matrix in the shape of steel wool, with many interwoven fibers, the permanent magnet configuration resulting in high-density magnetic flux lines within the reactor body, The high permeability metallic matrix capable of being magnetized by a linear magnetic field provided by the permanent magnet configuration, the flux lines of the magnetic field forced to follow the winds and turns of the steel wool shape because of the permeability of the high-permeability metallic matrix, creating many areas of relatively high magnetic-flux gradient next to the surface of the metallic matrix, with the vector of the magnetic-flux gradient perpendicular to the surface of the matrix at all points, the metallic matrix covered with a plurality of metallic nanoparticles, the metallic nanoparticles having catalytic properties, the metallic nanoparticles being held to the surface of the steel wool shape of the metallic matrix by means of the strong localized relative gradient of the magnetic field emanating from the metallic matrix distributed throughout the volume formed by the high permeability metallic matrix, the metallic matrix fixedly positioned within the reactor basket, the reactor basket small enough to fit within the reactor body, the reactor body in a shape such that reactant can flow into one end of the reactor and exit the other end, the reactor body sealed so that the fluid reactant flowing through the reactor does not escape, the combination of the magnetic field, the high-permeability magnetic matrix, and the metallic nanoparticles such that the metallic nanoparticles do not leave the metallic matrix and join the reactant flow, the reactor basket removable from the reactor and the metallic nanoparticles replaceable by removing the reactor basket from within the magnetic bridge and then flushing the used metallic nanoparticles from the woolen matrix.