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US 9,157,460 B2Granted
Controlling a fluid flow with a magnetic field
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsShailesh N. Joshi, Jaewook Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device, system and method for controlling the fluid flow of a process fluid in a tube with a magnetic field. A ferrogel can be included in the tube with the process fluid. A membrane can encapsulate the ferrogel. A mounting support can secure the membrane within the tube, and a magnetic field generator can generate the magnetic field to deform the membrane and the ferrogel from a natural position to a deformed position.
Claims24
A device, comprising:
- a tube including a process fluid;
- a membrane encapsulating a ferrogel;
- a mounting support to secure the membrane within the tube;
- and
- a magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field to deform the ferrogel from a natural position to a deformed position to modify fluid flow of the process fluid in the tube between the membrane and the tube,
- wherein, upon the magnetic field generator the magnetic field, the ferrogel moves radial inward toward a center of the tube from the natural position to the deformed position.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- flowing a process fluid in a tube at a flow rate;
- producing a magnetic field within the tube;
- deforming a ferrogel within the tube with the produced magnetic field from a natural position to a deformed position to control the fluid flow in the tube based on the deformed position of the ferrogel within the tube and to modify the flow rate of the process fluid between the membrane and the tube;
- and
- generating a first magnetic field to move the ferrogel radially inward toward a center of the tube from the natural position to the deformed position.
2 more elements
A device for controlling fluid flow of a process fluid in a tube, comprising:
- means for producing a magnetic field within the tube to deform a membrane encapsulating a ferrogel within the tube from a natural position to a deformed position;
- and
- means for controlling the fluid flow in the tube for modifying the fluid flow in the tube between the membrane and the tube, based on the deformed position of the membrane encapsulating the ferrogel within the tube,
- wherein, upon the means for producing the magnetic field generating the magnetic field, the ferrogel moves radially inward toward a center of the tube from the natural position to the deformed position.
1 more element
A device, comprising:
- a tube including a process fluid;
- a ferrogel;
- a membrane encapsulating the ferrogel;
- a mounting support to secure the membrane within the tube;
- a magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field to deform the ferrogel from a natural position to a deformed position, wherein
- the membrane encapsulating the ferrogel has a natural position in the shape of a foil
- the magnetic field generator is configured to generate the magnetic field so as to adjust a surface of the foil, and
- the surface of the foil is adjusted to modify the flow rate of the process fluid between the membrane and the tube,
- upon the magnetic field generator generating the magnetic field, the ferrogel moves radially inward toward a center of the tube from the natural position to the deformed position to adjust the surface of the foil.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.