Stacked hydromagnetic desalination cell

#The present invention relates to a hydromagnetic desalination cell having a rectangular flow conduit, a brine desalination system, and method of desalinating brine water using the desalination cell.

#The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.

#Desalination of sea water is common in the Middle Fast and the Caribbean, and is growing fast in the USA, North Africa, Spain, Australia and China. It is also used on ships, submarines and islands where freshwater is not readily available. Desalination of ground water is also common in the Middle East, Africa, and Australia. Currently, there are six basic techniques that can be used to separate salt from water; and these include distillation, freeze desalination, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, ion exchange, and electrostatic deionization. Distillation and freezing involve removing pure water, in the form of water vapor or ice from a salty brine. Reverse osmosis and electrodialysis use membranes to separate dissolved salts and minerals from water, while ion exchange involves an exchange of dissolved mineral ions in the water for other, more desirable dissolved ions as the water passes through chemical “resins.” Commercial desalination techniques in use today include: reverse osmosis, which uses pressure to drive water through a membrane leaving the salt behind; thermal methods, which use heat to distill water while recapturing heat from vapor condensation; and electrodialysis, which uses an electrical potential to drive ions through a membrane leaving the water behind.

#A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1A is an illustration of a hydromagnetic flow conduit cell with a single flow conduit.

#FIG. 1B is an illustration of a hydromagnetic flow conduit cell with stacked flow conduits.

#Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

#Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. According to a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a hydromagnetic desalination cell 101 including at least one hollow rectangular flow conduit 102 with a conduit inlet 107 on a first end and a conduit outlet 108 on a second end. The hollow rectangular flow conduit has upper and lower walls and opposing side walls that provide a fluid passageway. The upper and lower walls prevent fluid flow nig through the conduit from escaping the conduit passageway in a direction towards the upper and/or lower walls. In one embodiment, the hollow rectangular flow conduit has a square cross section. In one embodiment, the hollow rectangular flow conduit has a rectangular cross section with a width dimension (Wc) that is larger than a height dimension (dc). The length of the hollow rectangular flow conduit (Lc) may be 120-500 cm, preferably 130-480 cm, preferably 140-460 cm, preferably 150-440 cm, preferably 160-420 cm, preferably 170-400 cm. The width of the hollow rectangular flow conduit may be 2-20 cm, preferably 3-16 cm, preferably 4-13 cm, preferably 5-12 cm, preferably 6-11 cm. The height of the hollow rectangular flow conduit may be 0.5-15 cm, preferably 1.0-14 cm, preferably 1.5-13.0 cm, preferably 2.0-11 cm, preferably 2.5-10.0 cm. In one embodiment, the hollow rectangular flow conduit is suitable for non-commercial scale desalination systems (such as personal drinking water purification, lab scale water purification, etc.). In this scenario, the hollow rectangular flow conduit may have a length dimension of 120-180 cm, preferably 130-170 cm, preferably 140-160 cm, a width dimension of 2-5 cm, preferably 2-4.5 cm, preferably 2-4 cm, and a height dimension 0.5-2.0 cm, preferably 1-1.5 cm. In one embodiment, the hollow rectangular flow conduit is suitable for commercial scale desalination systems (such as city water purification, water treatment facilities, etc.). In this scenario, the hollow rectangular flow conduit may have a length dimension of 300-500 cm, preferably 320-470 cm, preferably 340-460 cm, a width dimension of 8-20 cm, preferably 9-16 cm, preferably 10-13 cm, and a height dimension 1.5-15 cm, preferably 2-12 cm. The upper and lower walls and the opposing side walls of the hollow rectangular flow conduit may have varying thickness depending on the type of desalination system employing the desalination cell, for example, the thickness may range from 0.1 cm to 10 cm, or 0.2 cm to 9.5 cm, or 0.3 cm to 9 cm, or 0.4 cm to 8.5 cm, or 0.5 cm to 8 cm, or 0.6 cm to 7.5 cm, or 0.7 cm to 7 cm.

#In one embodiment, the hollow rectangular flow conduit comprises a non-magnetic, non-conducting material. Exemplary non-magnetic, non-conducting materials include polymers such as polyether, polyurethane, polyester, polyethylene, (i.e. high density, low density, etc.), polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyamides, silnylon, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene/Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and mixtures thereof, ceramics such as glass (e.g. SiO2), porcelain, clay, quartz, alumina, feldspar, or composite polymer materials. In one embodiment, the non-magnetic, non-conducting material is polyvinyl chloride.