Method and apparatus for electromagnetically treating a fluid

A method of microbial sterilization of fluids, comprising the steps of:

• introducing a fluid to be treated into a conduit containing a core member within said conduit composed of a magnetic material and an electromagnetic coil surrounding said conduit;
• energizing the coil to produce a magnetic field of at least about 2000 gauss between said core member and said coil;
• and
• passing fluid through said magnetic field such that the fluid crosses the magnetic lines of force in a direction having a vector component at about 90.degree. relationship therewith, said last mentioned step comprising convoluting the flow of the fluid as it passes through said conduit at a location completely upstream from said coil by baffle means located upstream of said core member and not extending over the core means or between the core means and the conduit.

A method of eliminating biological oxygen demand values from a fluid, comprising the steps of:

• introducing a fluid to be treated into a conduit containing a core member within said conduit composed of a magnetic material and an electromagnetic coil surrounding said conduit;
• energizing the coil to produce a magnetic field of at least about 2000 gauss between said core member and said coil;
• and
• passing the fluid through said magnetic field such that the fluid crosses the magnetic lines of force in a direction having a vector component at about 90.degree. relationship therewith, said last mentioned step comprising convoluting the flow of the fluid as it passes through said conduit at a location completely upstream from said coil by baffle means located upstream of said core member and not extending over the core means or between the core means and the conduit.

A method of precipitating metals from a fluid, comprising the steps of:

• introducing a fluid to be treated into a conduit containing a core member within said conduit composed of a magnetic material and an electromagnetic coil surrounding said conduit;
• energizing the coil to produce a magnetic field of at least about 2000 gauss between said core member and said coil;
• and
• passing the fluid through said magnetic field such that the fluid crosses the magnetic lines of force in a direction having a vector component at about 90.degree. relationship therewith, said last mentioned step comprising convoluting the flow of the fluid as it passes through said conduit at a location completely upstream from said coil by baffle means located upstream of said core member and not extending over the core means or between the core means and the conduit.

A method of controlling the pH of a fluid, comprising the steps of:

• introducing a fluid to be treated into a conduit containing a core member within said conduit composed of a magnetic material and an electromagnetic coil surrounding said conduit;
• energizing the coil to produce a magnetic field of at least about 2000 gauss between said core member and said coil;
• and
• passing the fluid through said magnetic field such that the fluid crosses the magnetic lines of force in a direction having a vector component at about 90.degree. relationship therewith, said last mentioned step comprising convoluting the flow of the fluid as it passes through said conduit at a location completely upstream from said coil by baffle means located upstream of said core member and not extending over the core means or between the core means and the conduit.

A device for treating a fluid by abstraction of electrons of a regulated voltage from substrates in the fluid said device including:

• conduit means composed of a non-magnetic, electrically conductive material, said material capable of accepting electrons directly from the fluid being treated;
• electromagnetic coil means, energizable by a source of electrical energy, surrounding the conduit means, said coil means capable of inducing a voltage on the conduit of such a polarity as to cause the conduit to accepts electrons directly from the fluid being treated;
• core means disposed within said conduit means having a magnetic core member exposed directly to the fluid being treated, said core means comprised of any magnetic material which exhibits an enhanced standard electrode potential in its magnetic state over that exhibited in its non-magnetic state, said core means of an overall length less than that of the coil means and disposed without metal-to-metal contact with the conduit;
• flow control means comprised of a non-magnetic material and disposed within said conduit means for providing a convoluted flow path for the fluid as it flows through the said conduit means, and located axially such as not to extend over any portion of the magnetic core member nor to provide a metal-to-metal path for electron flow between the magnetic core member and the conduit.

A device for treating a fluid with magnetic lines of force, said device including:

• conduit means through which the fluid passes;
• electromagnetic coil means surrounding the conduit means;
• core means disposed within said conduit means and including a core member of magnetic material;
• and
• flow control means disposed within said conduit means upstream from said coil for providing a convoluted flow path for the fluid as it flows downstream therefrom through said conduit means, said flow control means comprises a helical baffle means located upstream of said core member and not extending over the core means or between the core means and the conduit.

A device for treating a fluid with magnetic lines of force, said device including:

• conduit means through which the solution passes;
• electromagnetic coil means surrounding the conduit means;
• core means disposed within said conduit means and including a core member of magnetic material;
• flow control means disposed within said conduit means upstream of said core means for providing a convoluted flow path for the fluid as it flows through said conduit means, said flow control means is a helical baffle located upstream of said core member and not extending over the core means or between the core means and the conduit;
• and
• grounding means connected to said conduit means for grounding said conduit means.