DESCRIPTION

The present invention has a subject a magnetic polarizer for the creation of a permanent magnetic field apt to induce an orientation of the molecular dipoles and to change the molecular configuration of fluids, in particular of water and hydrocarbons.

The devices according to the present invention advantageously can be used to treat water which is made to re-circulate in the heat exchangers or which, more in general, is used in ducts wherein one wants to avoid and remove formations of lime deposits and encrustations.

As far as the treatment of hydrocarbons is concerned, they are connected to the ducts of the feeding system, assembled downstream of the pumping means and upstream of carburettors and, more generally, of means for injecting and vaporizing the fuel and the like, however before the chambers wherein the combustion takes place.

In the current state of art devices have been proposed, generically defined magnetic reactors or ionic accelerators, having the declared purpose of removing the formation of lime deposits in the ducts for the water transportation; and as far as the combustion in the internal combustion engines and in the burners in general is concerned, the improvement of the combustion itself. In the overwhelming majority of cases, in front of enthusiastic declarations on the results, the real effectiveness of the devices implemented according to technologies and currently used productive modes remains doubtful.

Up to now, the lack of reliable feedback of the real convenience thereof and the exiguity in the effective advantages obtained from the application thereof discourage a systemic recourse to devices based upon the polarizing action of the magnets for the above-mentioned purposes.

The advantages potentially shown by the polarization/ionization of water and liquid and gaseous fuels by means of magnets do not succeed in being conveniently and fully obtained by the magnetic reactors as they are implemented in the current state of art.

In particular, the use of a magnetic field, sufficiently intense and pervading to induce said polarization, is crucial to the purpose of obtaining satisfying results. Nowadays magnetic reactors/ionic accelerators are used which let the fluid to be polarized/ionized to pass through according to a simply linear path.

In this case, the fluids' passing-through speeds inside the channels obtained in the magnetic reactors/ionic accelerators and the related residence time inside thereof are so that the outlet fluids are not effectively polarized/ionized.

Apart from this, the mainly rectangular geometries according thereto the magnets are implemented and the modes in which they are arranged and combined along the above-mentioned linear paths obtained in the magnetic reactors/ionic accelerators do not allow the magnetic field to be sufficiently invasive.

The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide a magnetic polarizer for the creation of a permanent magnetic field apt to induce an orientation of the molecular dipoles and to change the molecular configuration of fluids, in particular water and hydrocarbons, so as to allow obviating the drawbacks shown by the mentioned known art. Such problem is solved by a polarizer as defined in claim 1.

Additional features of the present invention are defined in the corresponding depending claims.

It is known that the magnetic field has intensity inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the magnet.

Therefore, it is deducible that if one wants to obtain a relevant intensity of the magnetic field to the purpose of induction of polarization in fluids, the flow of fluids themselves has to be as much as possible near the sources of the magnetic field, at the most in contact therewith.

Concordantly, the device according to the present invention allows the flow of fluids to be in direct contact with the magnets. Apart from this, the length of the magnetization path of the fluids is considerably increased. The flow of fluids, in fact, is addressed and obliged to follow a variously tortuous path around the core introduced into the cavity of magnets.

This inevitably involves residence time in the polarizer and exposition to the magnetic field concentrated therein much prolonged with respect to those implemented in the devices according to the state of art.

The geometrical features of the passage channels for the fluids are so as to promote the creation of turbulent vortex motions within the fluids themselves.

The intense re-mixing following this fluidodynamic regime contributes to a deeper and more complete effect of polarization on fluids.

Furthermore, the introduction of a ferromagnetic core with section complementary to that of hollow magnets involves the creation of a magnetic field the force lines thereof, as in case of the magnetic reactors according to the state of art, do not limit to have longitudinal direction parallel to the fluid flow or transversal perpendicular to said flow.

The most relevant advantage of a polarizer according to the present invention, in fact, consists in that the force lines of the generated magnetic field cover all radial directions.

This involves better invasive and penetrating capabilities of the magnetic field. The advantages, together with the features and use modes of the present invention, will result evident from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, shown by way of example and not for limitative purpose. The figures of the enclosed drawings will be referred to, wherein:

figure 1 is a cutaway view of a first embodiment di un magnetic polarizer according to the present invention;

figure 2 is an exploded view of the polarizer of figure 1 ;

figure 3 is a cutaway view of a second embodiment of a magnetic polarizer according to the present invention;

figure 4 is an exploded view of the polarizer of figure 3; figures 5A to 5H represent a plurality of views, a plan and perspective view respectively, of hollow magnetic elements having an axial symmetry, according to the present invention; and

figure 6 is a view of a third embodiment of a magnetic polarizer according to the present invention.

The present invention will be described hereinafter by referring to the above- mentioned figures.

For a better comprehension of the operation of the polarizer according to the present invention, it is useful introducing briefly the theoretical basis thereto the creation of such device refers.

The molecules of the chemical elements have their own magnetic moment and the valence electrons, by rotating, generate mild magnetic fields. Consequently, weak magnetic forces are established.

In the molecules of fluids in general, such as liquids and gases, such weak forces, called of Van Der Waals, have a range of influence in the order of intermolecular space.

For this reason, the fuel molecules, for example of hydrocarbons, aggregate like a cluster by originating long chains of molecules.

Such bonds, due to electromagnetic forces, would prevent a combination according to optimum ratios of the oxidising oxygen with the carbon and hydrogen atoms of the fuel.

A polarizer according to the present invention is capable, through its own magnetic field, to induce changes in the orientation of the dipoles inside the molecules, which then compensate the appearance of an angular moment no more equal to zero on the average due to the magnetic field itself.

Such changes in orientation act at the level of the forces of intramolecular bond, by reducing them or weakening them, and of the molecular configuration, by breaking the mentioned cluster-like aggregations (cracking) and creating a situation favourable to the reaction of the oxygen with the fuel. A more complete combustion even involves better performances of the engines, higher performances, fuel saving, lowering of pollutant loads, as well as a reduction in the soot deposition on the exchange surfaces joined to an improved thermal exchange and a reduction in the maintenance costs.

In particular, emissions of compounds strongly pollutant for the atmosphere are drastically reduced, such as carbon monoxide CO or various nitrogen oxides NoX and HC which, unburnt, originate toxic smog.

In case of use for ducts transporting water, a magnetic field such as that generated by a polarizer according to the present invention prevents that the calcium carbonate existing in the water deposits in incrustations on the surfaces.

Such result is obtained thanks to the fact that the magnetic field modifies the crystalline structure of the calcium carbonate existing in water so that such structure has not the crystalline structure of calcite, stable at room temperature and pressure and cause of incrustations, but it is in the allotropic form of aragonite.

By firstly making reference to figure 1 , this shows a cutaway view of a magnetic polarizer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In particular, according to the present invention, a modular magnetic polarizer 1 first of all comprises a hollow outer main body that can be opened 10.

Such outer main body 10 preferably is made of ferromagnetic metal, or even aluminium, so that the force lines of the magnetic field created inside thereof can close thereon. However, even when a ferromagnetic material cannot be used, for example for sanitary and/or food applications, it is to be noted that the particular geometry of the device, comprising a plurality of concentric cylindrical magnetic elements however facilitates closing the force lines of the magnetic field.

This allows reaching very high values of magnetic field inside the device with respect to known art devices. For example, values of magnetic field higher than 10,000 Gauss can be easily obtained.

Furthermore, to the purpose of polarizing the fluids it is relevant only the intensity of the magnetic field concentrated on the flow of the fluids themselves, and however it is preferred that such field does not influence components or apparatuses outside the polarizer.

At the ends of the main body 10 two caps 12, 13 are mounted, thereon respective fluid inlet 2 and outlet 3 ports are obtained, prearranged for a leak-tight assembly, for example by screw and/or interference, to the ducts for supplying the fluids themselves.

The caps 12 and 13 for example are fastened to the main body 10 by means of screws 15 with interposition of respective tight elements 14.

The polarizer 1 further comprises a magnetic element 11 having a substantially tubular shape inserted inside the main body 10 and forming a plurality of cavities 20, 21 , having an axial symmetry, concentric therebetween, so that each one thereof faces said inlet and outlet ports 2 and 3.

Furthermore, the polarizer 1 comprises, for each one of said cavities 20, 21 a corresponding spiral-like element 30, 31 defining a respective passage channel for said fluid shaped like a spiral and inside the respective cavity, between the inlet port 2 and the outlet port 3.

At the inlet 2 and outlet 3 ports a corresponding passage element 42, 43 for the fluid can be in case provided. The passage elements can even carry out an additional function of retaining the magnets to avoid that they can move.

The subsequent figure 2 shows an exploded view of the polarizer 1 according to the first herein described embodiment.

In particular, the magnetic element 11 comprises two hollow permanent magnets 8 having an axial symmetry, coaxially arranged therebetween to form the passage cavities 20 and 21.

In each one of the cavities a corresponding helical element 30 or 31 is inserted, so as to form, inside the cavity, a fluid passage path, helical too, like a spiral, around the magnet.

The polarizer 1 according to an additional embodiment can further comprise a central core 5. Such central core 5 too can be made of magnetic material, or alternatively polyethylene or PTFE. One of the functions of the central core 5 is to obstruct what otherwise would remain a preferential and linear passage for the fluid.

According to the present invention, the magnetic element 1 1 , and in particular each one of the magnets 8, advantageously can be implemented by a series of overlapped magnetic rings.

The subsequent figures 3 and 4 show an additional embodiment of a polarizer 101 according to the present invention.

As it is easy to verify from the drawings, the main difference between the two embodiments is represented by the number of magnets 8 having an axial symmetry and being concentric forming the passage cavities.

In case of the polarizer 101 , this is implemented so that four spiral-like elements 30, 31 , 32 and 33 are arranged to form four corresponding spiral-like cavities 20, 21 , 22 and 23 for the fluid passage.

Furthermore, in case of the polarizer 101 , the central core 5 is implemented by means of a permanent magnet.

It does not seem to be necessary to repeat a detailed description of the single portions of the polarizer, as they were already described with reference to the first embodiment.

Even the polarizer 101 is based upon the same already illustrated principle, according thereto the fluid flow follows a spiral-like path and remains to be subjected to the polarizing action of a radial magnetic field for a time proportional to an equivalent length equal to 2TTA7R, wherein n is the number of turns of the spirallike path and R is the ray thereof.

Advantageously, each one of the elements 30, 31 , 32, 33 could be implemented with a number of turns selected specifically depending upon the specific application and the residence time wished for the fluid inside the device.

This allows obtaining a definitely higher equivalent path length between inlet and outlet than known art, up to several meters. This, connected to the fact that the number of magnetic elements, and then passage cavities, can be increased at will, allows implementing the device in optimum way depending upon the use therefor it is intended.

By referring to figures 5A and 5E, each one of the circular ring-like permanent magnets 8 can be divided into two or more portions 12-a; 12-b; such portions are magnetized so that they mutually attract, by coupling therebetween according to opposite poles, to form an annular magnet.

Alternatively, each one of said ring-like permanent magnets 8 for example can include a plurality of fields 14, each one of said sectors 14 having an opposite magnetization with respect to that of the adjacent sectors, as illustrated in the plan figures 5B,5C and 5D and in the respective corresponding perspective views 5F,5G and 5H.

In any case, the magnetization of the magnets 8 is so as to generate a substantially radial inner magnetic field.

The magnetic element 11 , like the permanent magnets 8, has chemical composition including advantageously rare earths such as neodymium, samarium, praseodymium or the like, in variable concentrations so as to guarantee however an intensity of the radial magnetic field, in the sections of the polarizer wherein this is most concentrated, in a range of 10,000-15,000 Gauss.

The mentioned rare earths have the property of keeping their own features of residual magnetization, acquired after suitable cycles of magnetic hysteresis, even if exposed to very high temperatures.

For example, neodymium has a Curie Temperature of about 310-360°C; samarium keeps the force of its own magnetic field up to 720-825°C.

This is particularly advantageous for components being near to chambers wherein strongly exothermal reactions take place, such as combustion, especially considering that the devices of known art on the average have a decidedly lower Curie Temperature, therefore demagnetization takes place around 60-70°C, by reducing or annulling the device effectiveness. The subsequent figure 6 relates to an additional embodiment of a polarizer 201 wherein the caps 12 and 13 are shaped like a flange and include a duct inviting the fluid.

The present invention has been sofar described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It is to be meant that each one of the technical solutions implemented in the preferred embodiments described herein by way of example could be advantageously combined differently therebetween, to create other embodiments, belonging to the same inventive core and however all within the protective scope of the herebelow reported claims.