Method and apparatus for removing contaminants from conduits and fluid columns

An apparatus for removing contaminants from a fluid column, comprising:

• a magnetic field generator;
• a housing defining an interior chamber established by a fluid impervious boundary wall with an inner surface and having inlet and outlet ports;
• first and second contaminant separation sectors mounted within the interior chamber of the housing, each contaminant separation sector comprising a pair of electrodes, each electrode comprising a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart plates coupled to a common buss bar and wherein the spacing between the plates of each contaminant separation sector is uniform;
• said first and second contaminant separation sectors being arranged within the interior chamber of the housing such that the electrodes of the contaminant separation sectors are disposed in a substantially coplanar array in a distinct layer, the plates of the electrodes interleaving and forming a series of cavities between the facing surfaces of the electrode plates to define a flow path from the inlet port to the outlet port of the housing;
• at least one electric power supply coupled to the electrodes to produce an electric field acting within the series of cavities to separate contaminants carried within the fluid column being directed along the flow path;
• and
• a separation apparatus to remove the separated contaminants from the fluid column.

A method of removing contaminants from a fluid column, comprising:

• pretreating the fluid column to facilitate the removal of contaminants;
• establishing a flow of the fluid to be treated along a path extending through:
• (a) a magnetic field generator;
• (b) a housing downstream of the magnetic field generator, said housing defining an interior chamber established by a fluid impervious boundary wall with an inner surface and having inlet and outlet ports downstream of the magnetic field generator, said housing having a plurality of contaminant separation sectors disposed in a substantially coplanar array to form a distinct layer within the interior chamber of the housing, each contaminant separation sector comprising a pair of electrodes, each electrode comprising a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart plates coupled to a common buss bar, the electrode plates interleaving and forming a series of cavities between the facing surfaces of the electrode plates wherein their spacing is uniform and defines a flow path from the inlet port of the housing to the outlet port of the housing;
• and
• (c) a separation apparatus downstream of the housing;
• establishing magnetic flux provided by the magnetic field generator;
• establishing an electric field produced by applying electrical energy to the electrodes of the contaminant separation sectors to cause contaminants to separate from the fluid column and bond into a stable flocculate that facilitates their separation from the fluid column;
• and
• establishing the separation of the flocculate from the fluid column by the separation device.

An apparatus for removing contaminants from a fluid column comprising:

• a magnetic field generator to receive a flow of the fluid to be treated, said magnetic field generator establishing magnetic flux introduced to the contaminated fluid column;
• a housing to receive the flow of the fluid to be treated, said housing defining an interior chamber established by a fluid impervious boundary wall with an inner surface and having inlet and outlet ports;
• first and second contaminant separation sectors disposed in a substantially coplanar array to form a distinct layer within the interior chamber of the housing, each contaminant separation sector comprising a pair of electrodes, each electrode comprising a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart plates coupled to a common buss bar, the electrode plates interleaving and forming a series of cavities between the facing surfaces of the electrode plates wherein their spacing is uniform and defines a flow path from the inlet port of the housing to the outlet port of the housing, the electrodes establishing an electric field directed along the flow path of the fluid within the series of cavities between plates;
• at least one electrical power supply coupled to the electrodes establishing a supply of electrical power to energize the contaminant separation sectors;
• and
• a separation apparatus to receive the flow of the fluid to be treated, said separation device establishing an apparatus for removing the separated contaminants from the fluid column.