AU2006101012A4 - Fluid Molecular Energiser and its process application for improving plant process performance - Google Patents

Description

0 1 Description This invention relates to performance improvements in fluid molecular energiser devices or tools and their process application, hereafter referred to as the "tool", for reducing or eliminating fouling and scale deposition in fluid process systems by treating Q liquid solutions to increase the energy level of the electrons in the molecules and crystals which changes the properties or characteristics and growth patterns of the forming crystals such that they no longer agglomerate or adhere to the walls of vessels and pipes as scale or sludge, resulting in improved plant process performance through improved plant heat transfer efficiency, O longer run times between cleans, shorter cleaning times and reduction in cleaning chemicals used.

0 O 15 Background of Invention Fluids flowing in fluid process systems, hereafter referred to as the "fluid", which contain scale forming crystals, result in deposition on the walls of pipes, valves, pumps, instrumentation, heat exchangers, evaporators, calandrias, cooling towers, vessels, vortex breakers and any other fluid process plant item as scale and sludge and restricts fluid flow and reduces heat transfer and reduces the length of run times of the plant before cleaning is required. This deposition can be caused by a variety of reasons including heat transfer, pressure drop (gas release), evaporation, chemical reaction and/or fluid shear. This is of major concern in all fluid process systems (domestic, commercial and industrial fluid systems) and particularly in the food and dairy process industry, in the oil and gas production industries and mineral extraction processing refineries.

This scale or sludge deposition in fluid systems, of inorganic and/or organic diamagnetic crystal forming substances including but not limited to calcium and magnesium mineral salts such as the carbonates, sulfates and phosphates, zinc phosphates, paraffin, waxes, lactose, sugars, protein and fats etc.., can be controlled and/or prevented by increasing the energy level the electrons in the molecules and crystals in the fluid to change crystal growth size and shape.

A fluid molecular energizer tool (FME) and its process application is required that can be installed in a fluid process system and that does not require electrical cabling, recharging, downtime for maintenance or monitoring to check that the tool is operational and which can be applied at appropriated locations in the fluid process so as to effectively reduce or eliminate scale deposition.

2 C0 O 1 Prior Art O Tools available in the market place to date for treating fluids to energize the electrons in the fluid molecules and crystals have employed electric coils with electrical impulses of various profiles to generate the magnetic lines of force and to control the dynamic relationship between the fluid velocity vector and the magnetic O lines of force. These tools are expensive to manufacture, require "in factory" cabling, and require regular maintenance and constant monitoring to ensure that they are operational. If these tools CN malfunction and it is not detected, or they are out of service for maintenance, then the fluid system will foul/scale due to crystal 0 deposition.

Also available are units employing permanent magnets but these o do not provide a means of minimizing the length of the magnetic o 15 lines of force between the poles or a means of changing the Cl velocity of the fluid to the functional velocity range of this technology as it passes through the tool.

These problems and deficiencies are overcome by the present invention.

Summary of Invention The purpose of this invention, the FME tool and its process application, is to provide a tool that can treat liquid solutions, including but not limited to liquid solutions in the various food and dairy industry fluid processes, in the oil and gas production industries and mineral extraction processing refineries, to increase the energy level of the electrons (increase their angular velocity) in the molecules and crystals which changes the properties or characteristics and growth patterns of the forming crystals (such crystals as but not limited to, calcium and magnesium mineral salts such as the carbonates, sulfates and phosphates {some of the more common members of these families of mineral salts are calcite, dolomite, gypsum and milk stone}, zinc phosphates, paraffin, waxes, lactose, sugars, protein and fats etc..) such that they no longer agglomerate or adhere to the walls of vessels and pipes and other process plant equipment thus reducing or eliminating scale and sludge build up which in turn improves the plant process performance through improved heat transfer efficiency of the process and increased length of run times before cleaning is required and reduced cleaning chemicals usage. This tool increases the energy level of the electrons (increases their angular velocity) in the molecules by having the flowing liquid solution interact/intersect with the magnetic lines of force of an arrangement of a series of strategically structured powerful inverted magnetic fields, that is, the velocity vector of the flowing liquid intersects a specified sequential order of an inverted arrangement of magnetic lines of force at an optimum angle (at O 1 right angles) and within the functional velocity range of this O technology to increase the energy level of the electrons to a level that results in the desired change in the properties and growth patterns of the forming crystals. The technology used for energizing the electrons in the molecules and crystals is similar to the technology used in electrical generators, that is, of a moving Q coil intersecting magnetic lines of force causing electrons to flow in the coil, however, in this application it is a moving molecule or crystal intersecting magnetic lines of force causing an increase in CN the angular velocity of the electrons in the molecules and crystals.

The energy to produce this change comes from the momentum of 0the flowing fluid which is supplied by the pump.

The inner tube or pipe of the FME tool can be a circular cross o section or can be swaged to form an oval cross section to provide O 15 a means of changing the velocity of the fluid to the required Svelocity as it flows through the FME tool and also to maximize the strength of the magnetic lines of force by minimizing the length of the magnetic lines of force between the magnet poles. The tools are designed so that they can be installed in the pipe work upstream of the scaling point, preferably immediately upstream of the pipes, valves, pumps, instrumentation, heat exchangers, evaporators, calandrias, cooling towers, vessels, vortex breakers or any other item of plant suffering from scale deposition. The tool can be used in either single or multi pass systems or batch processes. Depending on the severity of the scale deposition or fouling problem and the power rating of the FME tool, multiple applications of the tool may be required, for example, a tool may treat only one scaling point or may treat 2 or more scaling points or more than one tool may be required to treat one scaling point. To achieve maximum benefits in the fluid process a FME tool should be installed as close as possible immediately upstream of each vessel or item of plant which suffers from fouling, for example, immediately upstream of a heat exchanger or evaporator calandria, etc....

Brief Description of Drawings The invention is now described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of the FME tool with a central pipe or tube construction with magnets located externally to the liquid solution flow and housed within a cylindrical or rectangular body with the outer cylindrical or rectangular body acting as the magnetic keeper.

FIGURES 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views of the FME tool shown in figure 1.

\O

O 1 FIGURES 3A and 3B are a cross-sectional view C-C of the FME o tool shown in figures 2A and 2B respectively.

FIGURE 4 is a pictorial view of the FME tool with a central pipe or Stube construction with magnets located externally to the liquid solution flow and housed within a cylindrical or rectangular body O with the magnetic keepers located within the outer cylindrical or rectangular body.

FIGURES 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of the FME tool shown in figure 4.

O FIGURES 6A and 6B are a cross-sectional view E-E of the FME tool shown in figures 5A and 5B respectively.

O

O 15 FIGURE 7 is a pictorial view of the FME tool with a central pipe or l tube construction with magnets located externally to the liquid solution flow and housed within rectangular canisters or cartridges.

FIGURES 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views of the FME tool shown in figure 7.

FIGURES 9A and 9B are a cross-sectional view D-D of the FME tool shown in figures 8A and 8B respectively.

FIGURES 10A and 10B are a cross-sectional view C-C of figures 2A and 2B respectively showing magnetic flux paths.

FIGURES 11A and 11B show a top view and a side view of the central tube or pipe of the tool when it has been swaged.

FIGURE 12 shows a schematic of the application of FMEs to a dairy process evaporator feeding a spray dryer and a crystallizer.

FIGURE 13 shows the trend curves of the scale build up and heat transfer efficiency of a plant with and without FMEs installed.

Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 to 3B, the FME tool 2 consists of an outer cylindrical or rectangular casing of carbon steel 4 with an inner tube or pipe spool 3 of stainless steel or any other non magnetic material through which the liquid solution passes. The inner tube 3 can be circular cross section or can be swaged into an oval cross section for part of the tool length where the magnets are installed. An array of magnets with an inverted arrangement using magnetic spacers 7 is mounted on or in a bracket 6 which may be respectively a plate or a rectangular canister constructed of a non magnetic material.

O 1 The tube or spool 3 has end connectors 9 which can be flanges or O tri-clover clamp fittings or BSM fittings or ring type joint (RTJ) fittings. The magnets may be formed of any magnetic material thus allowing the most suitable magnetic material to be selected to produce the optimum gauss and field structure for each particular _application. The magnetic blocks 5 are magnetized such that the Q north and south poles are on the large flats of the block. The carbon steel casing 4 acts as the magnetic keeper.

CN 10 Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 4 to 6B, the FME tool 2 consists of an outer cylindrical or rectangular 0casing of stainless steel or any other non magnetic material 4 with O and inner tube or pipe spool 3 of stainless steel or any other non magnetic material through which the liquid solution passes. The o 15 inner tube 3 can be circular cross section or can be swaged into O an oval cross section for part of the tool length where the magnets C are installed. An array of magnets 5 with an inverted arrangement using magnetic spacers 7 and employing a magnetic keeper 8, is mounted on or in a bracket 6 which may be respectively a plate or a rectangular canister constructed of a non magnetic material.

The tube or spool 3 has end connectors 9 which can be flanges or tri-clover clamp fittings or BSM fittings or ring type joint (RTJ) fittings. The magnets may be formed of any magnetic material thus allowing the most suitable magnetic material to be selected to produce the optimum gauss and field structure for each particular application. The magnetic blocks 5 are magnetized such that the north and south poles are on the large flats of the block.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 7 to 9B, the FME tool 2 consists of two rectangular canisters of stainless steel or any other non magnetic material 10 mounted diagonally opposite on a tube or pipe spool 3 of stainless steel or any other non magnetic material through which the liquid solution passes. The tube 3 can be circular cross section or can be swaged into an oval cross section for part of the tool length where the magnets are installed. An array of magnets 5 with an inverted arrangement using magnetic spacers 7 and employing a magnetic keeper 8 are located in the canisters which are secured by brackets 11. The tube or spool 3 has end connectors 9 which can be flanges or tri-clover clamp fittings or BSM fittings or ring type joint (RTJ) fittings. The magnets may be formed of any magnetic material thus allowing the most suitable magnetic material to be selected to produce the optimum gauss and field structure for each particular application. The magnetic blocks 5 are magnetized such that the north and south poles are on the large flats of the block.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES OA toll B, the magnetic lines of force are at right angles to the velocity vector of the flowing fluid thus imparting the maximum O 1 energy to the electrons in the molecules and crystals in the fluid to o change their properties such that they no longer agglomerate or adhere to the walls of vessels and pipes and other process plant equipment as scale thus reducing or eliminating scale and sludge build up, which in turn improves the heat transfer efficiency of the process and increases the length of run times before cleaning is Q required and reduces cleaning chemical usage. The swaged pipe cross section provides a means of changing the fluid velocity as it passes through the FME tool and also provides a means of 00 reducing the length of the magnetic lines of force between the omagnetic poles thus increasing the magnetic flux strength or gauss.

Description of Process Application o o Referring to the schematic diagram of a fluid process system l shown in FIGURE 12, the diagram shows the application of the FME tool to a dairy process evaporator feeding a dryer and/or crystallizer with the FME tools installed in the preferred locations in the fluid process, that is, in the pipe work immediately upstream of each scale deposition point or vessel suffering a scale problem.

Depending on the severity of the scale deposition or fouling problem and the power rating of the FME tool, multiple applications of the tool may be required, for example, a tool may treat only one scaling point or may treat 2 or more scaling points or more than one tool may be required to treat one scaling point.

Where a high powered tool is required, this method of application of the FME tool(s) allows a single high powered tool to be installed where there is sufficient space in one straight pipe before a vessel or other scaling point, or for two or more lower powered tools to be installed before a scaling point where there is an insufficient length of pipe in one straight run before the vessel or scaling point for one high powered tool to be installed. To achieve maximum benefits in the fluid process a FME tool should be installed as close as possible immediately upstream of each vessel or item of plant which suffers from scaling/fouling. The effectiveness of the FME tool is not dependent on the shape of the vessel or product or plant being treated but is dependent on the type of scale (such crystals as but not limited to, calcium and magnesium mineral salts such as the carbonates, sulfates and phosphates {some commonly occurring members of these families of mineral salts are calcite, dolomite, gypsum and milk stone}, zinc phosphates, paraffins, aspheltenes, waxes, lactose, sugars, protein, fats, gibbsite, and boehmite, etc..) and severity of the scale problem.

The FME tool is effective on all dairy process plant applications, including but not limited to evaporators (treating whole milk, skim milk, whey, lactose, permeate, milk fortified products, UHT milk plants, heat exchangers, pasteurizers and "on farm" equipment.

S1 The application of the FME tool to other fluid processes such as, o but not limited to, condenser and cooling tower systems, the oil and gas production industry and the mineral extraction refinery industries is applied similarly to that previously described for the dairy process industry.

Q Referring to the trend curves diagram shown in FIGURE 13, the diagram shows that the application of the FME tool to fluid processes that suffer from scaling problems (for example, dairy CN process evaporators) results in a reduction or elimination of scale build up, an improvement in heat transfer efficiency and an increased length of run times before cleaning is required. All of O these contribute to an improvement in plant process performance and an increase in production output. The degree of reduction of o scale build up and increase of heat transfer efficiency is dependent O 15 on the severity and type of the scale problem and the number of, l and power rating of, the FME tools applied to the process and where the tool is located in the process. The tool should be preferably located as close as possible to immediately upstream of the item of plant to be treated. To achieve maximum benefits a tool should be located immediately upstream of each scaling point.

The benefits achieved also include a reduction in the length of the cleaning process (CIP), an increase in production, a reduction in power usage, a reduction in the amount of cleaning chemicals required to clean the plant, and a softer deposition which is more easily removed.

Claims (1)

1. 2. A fluid molecular energiser tool for the conditioning of fluids and fluid control of claim 1 wherein the outer cylindrical or rectangular casing is of carbon steel; the outer carbon steel casing acts as the magnetic keeper in place of the magnetic keeper described in claim 1. 1) O 1 3. A fluid molecular energiser tool for the conditioning of fluids and O fluid control of claim 1 wherein the tool consists of two rectangular canisters of stainless steel or any other non magnetic material Smounted diagonally opposite on a tube with no outer cylindrical or rectangular casing as described in claim 1; _the array of magnets employs a magnetic keeper located in the canisters and the canisters are secured to the tube or pipe spool by brackets. CN1 O O Cl O O