US3241490A - Method and device for pumping a gas - Google Patents

Method and device for pumping a gas Download PDF

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Publication number
US3241490A
US3241490A US205330A US20533062A US3241490A US 3241490 A US3241490 A US 3241490A US 205330 A US205330 A US 205330A US 20533062 A US20533062 A US 20533062A US 3241490 A US3241490 A US 3241490A
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United States
Prior art keywords
propulsion
gas
electrodes
arc
zone
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Expired - Lifetime
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US205330A
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English (en)
Inventor
Ricateau Pierre
Vavasseur Camille
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
    • H02K44/00—Machines in which the dynamo-electric interaction between a plasma or flow of conductive liquid or of fluid-borne conductive or magnetic particles and a coil system or magnetic field converts energy of mass flow into electrical energy or vice versa
    • H02K44/02—Electrodynamic pumps
    • H02K44/04—Conduction pumps
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J41/00—Discharge tubes for measuring pressure of introduced gas or for detecting presence of gas; Discharge tubes for evacuation by diffusion of ions
    • H01J41/12—Discharge tubes for evacuating by diffusion of ions, e.g. ion pumps, getter ion pumps
    • H01J41/18—Discharge tubes for evacuating by diffusion of ions, e.g. ion pumps, getter ion pumps with ionisation by means of cold cathodes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J41/00—Discharge tubes for measuring pressure of introduced gas or for detecting presence of gas; Discharge tubes for evacuation by diffusion of ions
    • H01J41/12—Discharge tubes for evacuating by diffusion of ions, e.g. ion pumps, getter ion pumps
    • H01J41/18—Discharge tubes for evacuating by diffusion of ions, e.g. ion pumps, getter ion pumps with ionisation by means of cold cathodes
    • H01J41/20—Discharge tubes for evacuating by diffusion of ions, e.g. ion pumps, getter ion pumps with ionisation by means of cold cathodes using gettering substances

Definitions

  • the present invention has .for its object both a method and device for driving a gas which eliminates all mov- .ing parts and dispenses with the need for strictly accurate tolerances when machining other parts of the apparatus.
  • This method of pumping a gas through a propulsion zone in a given direction makes use of the combined action of a permanent magnetic field and a permanent electric field, the directions of which are at right angles to each, other and at right angles to the direction of propulsion, and mainly consists in effecting the ionization of .the gas at the input end of the propulsion zone at a repetition rate such that there exists at each moment an electric are which is orientated in the direction of the electric field and which is movable 'in the direction of propulsion.
  • the device which serves for the practical application of the above method is characterized in that it comprises in combination means for confining the zone of propulsion of the gas to be pumped and for producing in the said 'zone a magnetic field at right angles to the direction of propulsion, means for maintaining between two main electrodes or sets of electrodes extending in the direction of propulsion a continuous potential difference producing an electric held at right angles to the magnetic'ficld direction and to the direction of propulsion, and means for striking an are through the gas to be driven at the input end of the said propulsion zone and at a pre-determined repetition rate,
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the method of propulsion employed.
  • FIG. 6 shows in cross-section at right angles to the direction of propulsion, the complete pump assembly in accordance with the present invention and making use of the ionization means of FIG. 2.
  • the principle of propulsion is illustrated in the exploded view of FIG. 1.
  • the gas arrives through the inlet pipe 1 and passes out through the outlet pipe 2.
  • One or the other of these pipes can be simple openings when suction or delivery takes place in free air.
  • the pumping passage 5 which is closed both at the top and bottom by electrically insulating walls which are preferably constituted by plates of refractory material, the said pumping passage being closed on its two other faces by electrodes 6 and 7 between which an arc is to be established.
  • the said electrodes can be either cooled or not ⁇ by internal circulation of a cooling liquid such as water, and can be constructed of a material which is customarily employed in the technique of electric-arc formation and which is suitable for use at very high temperatures, such as graphite.
  • Such electrodes can also be made of metal, on condition that the surface of this metal is maintained by appropriate cooling means at a temperature which is compatible with its length of life.
  • an upwardly directed magnetic field which is produced by a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, the north and south poles of which are designated by the references 3 and 4 respectively.
  • the electrodes 6 and 7 are supplied with direct current from a source which is designed to provide sufficiently high voltage and current intensity to maintain an are previously struck between the electrodes in the presence of the magnetic field and in spite of the dynamic effect of the flowing gas; Although it is not essential to do so, it is possible to improve the stability of the are by means of an inductance coil connected in series in the supply circuit or by means of a high-frequency source which delivers current between the same electrodes 6 and 7 or by means of these two arrangements at the same time.
  • the arc must be restablished in region 8 at the very moment when the breaking of the previous arc takes place at the outlet of the passage.
  • a permanent plasma is formed in accordance with the present invention, in region 8 of FIG. 1.
  • the pemianent plasma can be produced by a second direct-current are which is initiated in region 8 parallel to the lines of force between the auxiliary electrodes 10 and 11, this arrangement being shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2.
  • these electrodes can be cooled by the internal circulation of a cooling fluid.
  • the permanent plasma can also originate from a highfrequency discharge which can be initiated either between the electrodes similar to 10 and 11 or between an electrode 12 and the electrodes 6 and 7 of the main are as indicated in FIG. 3. In the case of a high-frequency discharge, the said discharge can follow a direction which is different from that of the lines of force.
  • the said permanent plasma can also be produced by means of a highfrequency dis- 3 charge which is induced inside a coil-winding without being brought into direct contact with the plasma (as shown in FIG. 4). In this latter case, the discharge thus induced does not usually take place spontaneously and must be established by another means at .the time of setting the apparatus to work.
  • the above-mentioned devices for re-forming the are have the disadvantage of creating a very hot zone which is localized at the inlet of the passage and which is consequently subject to increased erosion.
  • One improvement consists in striking the are by producing a moving are having a frequency of movement which is either very high or equal to a whole multiple of the repetition frequency of the main arc.
  • FIG. 5 The principle of this new arc-striking device is illustrated in FIG. 5.
  • a new electrode 9 which can be of the same material as the electrodes 6 and 7 has been housed and 9 brings the electrode 9 to a positive potential with respect to the electrode 6.
  • This auxiliary source can have a lower power output than that which produces the main arc.
  • An application of a different nature is that of the propulsion of gases at pressures which are lower than atmospheric pressure.
  • the method offers the advantages of absence of sealing joints as employed in mechanical transmission systems and absence of vapours of foreign gases such as vapours from lubricating oils of mechanical pumps or mercury vapours of molecular pumps.
  • FIG. 6 The complete gas pump assembly in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 6 (seen from the input end of the passage).
  • the apparatus is designed to entrain air at atmospheric pressure.
  • the device is placed between the poles 3 and 4 of a direct current electromagnet, the magnetizing coils of which are designated by the references 13 and 14, and which is capable of producing a magnetic field of 2,000 Gs in the pumping zone.
  • the passage 5 of square section, with sides which each measure 6 mm., is closed both at the top and bottom by isolating refractory plates 15 and 16 and laterally by main electrodes 6 and 7 of graphite.
  • the said main electrodes are connected through an inductance coil which has not been shown in the drawings to a direct current drooping-characteristic generator, the excitation of which is regulated in such manner as to obtain, for example, an arc of 150 amp. at 45 v. between the said electrodes.
  • the auxiliary arc jumps between the electrodes 11 and 10.which are placed at the entrance of the passage inside an enlarged portion of the main electrodes; the said auxiliary arc is fed from an independent current source which can be adjusted to 40 amp. at 40 v.
  • the main arc is struck in turn and then displaced.
  • the air is set in motion inside the passage.
  • a method of pumping gases through a propulsion zone in a given direction by means of the combined action of a permanent magnetic field and a permanent electric field the directions of which are at right angles to each other and at right angles to the direction of propulsion of the gas the step of ionizing a portion of the gas adjacent the input end of the propulsion zone at a repetition rate such that electric arcs are created approximately at the time the preceding arc leaves the propulsion zone and which are oriented in the direction of the electric field and then moving the electric arcs in the direction of propulsion of the gas by the action of said fields.
  • a device for pumping gas comprising means for confining a zone of propulsion for the gas to be pumped, means for producing in said zone a magnetic field at right angles to the direction of propulsion of the gas, main electrodes extending in the direction of propulsion of the gas, means for maintaining between said main electrodes a continuous potential difference producing an electric field at right angles to the direction of the magnetic field and to the direction of propulsion of the gas and means for striking arcs through the gas to be pumped at the input end of the propulsion zone'and at a predetermined repetition rate such that arcs are created approximately at the time the preceding arc leaves the propulsion zone, said fields moving said arcs in the direction of propulsion of the gas.
  • a device as described in claim 2 in which said arcstriking means comprise a coil-winding which is connected to a high frequency electric current source.
  • main electrodes comprise certain of but not all of said auxiliary electrodes.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Electrostatic Separation (AREA)
  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
  • Plasma Technology (AREA)
US205330A 1961-07-03 1962-06-26 Method and device for pumping a gas Expired - Lifetime US3241490A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR866745A FR1301307A (fr) 1961-07-03 1961-07-03 Pompe à gaz

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3241490A true US3241490A (en) 1966-03-22

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ID=8758501

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US205330A Expired - Lifetime US3241490A (en) 1961-07-03 1962-06-26 Method and device for pumping a gas

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3241490A (xx)
BE (1) BE619474A (xx)
DE (1) DE1253403B (xx)
FR (1) FR1301307A (xx)
GB (1) GB976113A (xx)
LU (1) LU41932A1 (xx)
NL (1) NL280458A (xx)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3348487A (en) * 1964-08-12 1967-10-24 Howard L Volgenau Fluid pump and heater system
US3374941A (en) * 1964-06-30 1968-03-26 American Standard Inc Air blower
US3505550A (en) * 1966-07-19 1970-04-07 Thiokol Chemical Corp Plasma energy system and method
WO1991020121A1 (en) * 1990-06-18 1991-12-26 Framo Developments (Uk) Limited Electromagnetic pump
US5165861A (en) * 1990-05-16 1992-11-24 Microwave Plasma Products Inc. Magnetohydrodynamic vacuum pump
DE102006036461A1 (de) * 2006-08-04 2008-02-21 Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Steuerung eines Gasflusses

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2317506A (en) * 1996-09-24 1998-03-25 Aea Technology Plc Liquid metal pump having insulated demountable electrodes

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2228846A (en) * 1939-03-28 1941-01-14 Gen Electric Electric valve converting system
US2936390A (en) * 1958-10-17 1960-05-10 Leonard J Melhart Magnetic blowout switch

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE463244C (de) * 1928-07-25 Koerting & Mathiesen Akt Ges Blasmagnet bei Kerzenbogenlampen
DE97608C (xx) *
DE684301C (de) * 1936-01-29 1939-11-25 I G Farbenindustrie Akt Ges Anordnung zum magnetischen Verblasen von Lichtboegen an Metallelektroden in elektrischen OEfen

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2228846A (en) * 1939-03-28 1941-01-14 Gen Electric Electric valve converting system
US2936390A (en) * 1958-10-17 1960-05-10 Leonard J Melhart Magnetic blowout switch

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3374941A (en) * 1964-06-30 1968-03-26 American Standard Inc Air blower
US3348487A (en) * 1964-08-12 1967-10-24 Howard L Volgenau Fluid pump and heater system
US3505550A (en) * 1966-07-19 1970-04-07 Thiokol Chemical Corp Plasma energy system and method
US5165861A (en) * 1990-05-16 1992-11-24 Microwave Plasma Products Inc. Magnetohydrodynamic vacuum pump
WO1991020121A1 (en) * 1990-06-18 1991-12-26 Framo Developments (Uk) Limited Electromagnetic pump
DE102006036461A1 (de) * 2006-08-04 2008-02-21 Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Steuerung eines Gasflusses

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
LU41932A1 (xx) 1962-08-22
GB976113A (en) 1964-11-25
DE1253403B (de) 1967-11-02
FR1301307A (fr) 1962-08-17
BE619474A (fr) 1962-10-15
NL280458A (xx)

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