WO1990000526A1 - Disagglomerated water and methods for producing same - Google Patents

Abstract

Water having certain enhanced properties, including reduced osmotic pressure, increased pH, decreased viscosity, decreased surface tension, greater diffusivity, decreased boiling point, increased solubility, greater conductivity and increased molecular valence, produced by a method and apparatus for disagglomerating the molecules of the water by employing a particular colloid mill (10) within a magnetic field produced by magnetic means (20) to stress the hydrogen bonds of the water agglomerates in a collision zone (40) and simultaneously cause the temperature of the water to transcend anomolic temperatures of water. The method of producing such water is also disclosed and claimed as part of the invention.

Description

DISAGGLOMERATED WATER AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING SAME

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This corresponds to U.S. Patent Application, Serial

No. , filed July 10, 1989, which is a coπtinuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application, Serial No. 217,297 filed July 11, 1988. This also claims the benefit of the parent U.S. Patent Application, Serial No. 217,297, filed July 11, 1988. U.S. Serial No. 018,049 filed February 2 , 1987, and U.S. Patent No. 4,645,606, filed April 24, 1985, are also related.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a water product of enhanced properties and methods for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for utilizing anomolic characteristics of water to reduce the molecular agglomeration of the water and, thereby, produce a water having enhanced properties, and also relates to product water produced by such method.

It is well known that the individual molecules in water and other fluids are polarized in an electrical sense. The attractive force between such polarized molecules a d the ions of a solute cause those ions to become dissolved in the fluid. The polarized nature of the molecules of water, thus, enhances its solubility. Polarized liquids, in general, also have high dielectric constants. Various other properties are similarly believed to be linked with the polarized character of water and other fluids.

On the inter-molecular level, the polarian nature of water molecules is believed to cause agglomerations of those molecules into networks of joined polyhedral cages. Such inter-molecular agglomerations are formed of H-Bonded water molecules which interstitially entrap ritill other water molecules. Reducing the agglomeration of water in order to enhance its properties was first disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,2G1,512, issued to Ashbrook in 1981. That patent disclosed a method and apparatus for reducing agglomerate sizes in water and other fluids by directing the fluid through opposed vortex nozzles so that opposite streams of the water would collide with tremendous kinetic energy sufficient to reduce the size of inter-molecular agglomerations. As evidenced by the disclosure of U.S. Patent No. 4,519,919, issued to Whyte, et al, in 1985, others independently learned that magnetic influence on a flowing fluid could be used to enhance the quality of the fluid. Complementary combination of magnetic affecting means and mechanical agitation was disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,645,606, of which this specifica ion has benefit.

For years, it has also been speculated that there are various modes of hydrogen bonding in liquid water. Although complete details of those modes even now remain unascertained, it was speculated that the particular mode of hydrogen bonding affects the properties of water.

As generally recognized in Felix Franks ' s treatise, Water; A Comprehensive Treatise, Volume 1 (Plenum Press, 1972) (hereinafter "Water") , water plays an extremely unique role among chemical compounds and has many mysteries associated with its chemical behavior. Among the mysteries which continue to elude the understanding of modern science, are a number of anomolies in the responses of water to temperature changes. Emperical data indicates that a burst of electrical energy is released by water as it transcends various temperature benchmarks, including 30°C, 45°C and 60°C, which are often referred to as "kinks" and referred to herein as the "anomolic temperatures" of water. Such bursts of energy are believed to be caused by the breaking of hydrogen bonds coincident with a reconfiguration of the inter-molecular structure of water agglomerates to a structure which has a lower energy state. Although the outcome has been limited, the presence of those anomolies, has stirred many scientists to ponder and explore the exact mechanisms of water's behavior in search of further explanation and application of such phenomenon.

However, neither of the mentioned '521 or '919 patents disclose or suggest any benefit of targeting the anomolic temperatures of water coincident with the mechanical stressing and/or magnetic affecting of the water. Furthermore, while the basis for the anomolic characteristics of water has remained speculative for more than ten years, it has not dawned on the scientific community that water might be more susceptible to disagglomeration when transcending one of its anomolic temperatures .

Moreover, because the degree of enhancement caused by disagglomeration of water had not been realized, much of the research connected with molecular disagglomerators was discarded as insignificant and unimportant.

It is a primary object of the present invention to alter and improve the properties of water relative to the properties of pure, deionized water. A further object is to utilize the previously described anomolous behavior of water to alter and improve its properties. It is also an object of the present invention to produce a liquid which has enhanced properties, including reduced osmotic pressure, decreased viscosity, increased surface tension, decreased boiling point, increased solubility and enhanced MV values. Further, it is an object that such enhanced properties be produced in a relatively simple and inexpensive process. It is also an object of the present invention to change and improve the properties of relatively pure, deionized water. Further background and many other objects of the present invention will be obvious and apparent to one of ordinary .^•skill in the art in light of the following, as well.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention accomplishes the aforesaid objects and others by employing a colloid mill with oppositely positioned vortex nozzles, as disclosed in Applicant's U.S. Patent No. 4,645,606, filed April 24, 1985, which is incorporated herein by this reference thereto, in an improved manner.

By pumping deionized water having an initial temperature below 30°C through such a colloid mill to cause opposite streams of the water to collide and be transformed in a manner which disagglomerates the molecules of the water to a greater extent than previously known, various properties of the water are enhanced. Such properties include the osmotic pressure, viscosity, boiling point, surface tension, solubility and molecular valence of water.

To achieve such enhancements, the tremendous kinetic energy is imparted to opposing streams of water and the opposite streams are then caused to collide in an extremely small collision zone. Upon such collision, the agglomerates of the streams are compressed and the hydrogen bonds of the agglomerates are mechanically stressed — becoming compressed, bent and broken. Heat generated by the collision and by the breaking of hydrogen bonds raises the temperature of the agglomerate through at least one anomolic temperature of water, and disagglomeration is enabled by stresses acting on the agglomerates while the inter-molecular structure thereof is undergoing the transformations associated with the anomolic temperatures. A system that includes a cooling means enables repetition of those steps in a closed-loop cycle for disagglomerating the water even further.

Many other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the foregoing and fallowing descriptions, figures and accompanying claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a central cross-sectional view of the colloid mill as operatively employed for producing the water of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation v.iew of the colloid mill of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an isometric perspective of the colloid mill of Fig. 1 employed in a closed-cycle system for producing disagglomerated water.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is a product produced by particular application of the invention disclosed in copending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 018,049. That '049 application discusses the structure and operation of an agitating means, referred to as a "colloid mill," which may be used for production of the water of the present invention, and the disclosure of the copending application is specifically incorporated herein by this reference thereto. An improved method and an apparatus for producing disagglomerated water are also disclosed herein.

Fig. 1 shows a colloid mill 10 having an opposed vortex nozzle configuration. By pumping deionized water through colloid mill 10 at a high pressure, the water is propelled with tremendous kinetic energy from oppositely positioned vortex nozzles 32 in a manner which reduces the agglomeration of the water. Fig. 3 shows colloid mill 10 as it is employed in a closed-loop system for disagglomerating water. The closed-loop system 11 of Fig. 3 also includes a cooling a means 60, pumping means 15 and magnetic means 20 to enable the disagglomeration of water being processed through the system. The actual disagglomeration of water circulating though a system, such as that in Fig. 3, is effectuated in the collision chamber 29 of colloid mill 10. Referring to Fig. 1, water is pumpe into colloid mill 10 through inlet 24 at a temperature slightly below an anomolic temperature of water, such as the anomolic temperature of 30°C. After flowing from inlet 24 into chamber 26, the water is separated into two streams of equivalent characteristics which flow into each of ports ε •

28, 28'. Within ports 28, 28', the velocity of the water is substantially greater than that of the water flowing through inlet 24 since the combined cross-sectional area of ports 28, 28' is smaller than inlet 24. Vortex nozzles 32, 32' further increase the velocity of the water flowing therethrough while also causing vortical characteristics of the flow. Each of vortex nozzles 32, 32' are identical to each other but are oppositely positioned in order to direct water towards the other vortex nozzle. Each vortex nozzle defines a torroidally shaped vortex chamber therein for causing the water to flow vortically. Each of ports 28, 28' directs water into the respective vortex chamber in a direction tangent to the torroidal shape of the respective vortex chamber. This tangential direction of the flow causes the water within vortex chambers 31, 31' to flow vortically (i.e., in a spiral manner) within vortex chambers 31, 31'. The vortical flow within vortex nozzle 32 is in a direction opposite the vortical flow in vortex nozzle 32'. Through the length of each vortex chamber 31, 31' the water is accelerated both axially and radially to a high rate of flow and is then forced to collide in collision zone 40 against a stream of water from the opposite one of said vortex nozzles. The water departs from the distal ends of each of nozzles 32, 32' in conical patterns having dihedral angles of approximately 90° (i.e., any line coincident with the shape of the conical pattern is at 45° from the central axis 50 of colloid mill 10) . At the point of departure from each of nozzles 32, 32' there is a large amount of kinetic energy represented in the flow of h water. Further, due to the common water supply of chamber 26, the pressure, velocity and kinetic energy of the liquid departing from the respectively opposite ones of nozzles 32, 32' is equivalent in absolute value, and the compressive energy which the water is subjected to in the collision zone 40 is therefore compounded by the opposite directions of the streams . Within the region in which the opposite streams collide, referred to a.s "the collision zone," the water is subjected to intensely compressive forces for a period of micro-seconds. This collision zone 40 is a region having an annular shape about central axis 50, which region is visible during operation of colloid mill 10 if colloid mill 10 is constructed of a translucent material. As shown in Fig. 1, the collision zone 40 has a cross-sectional shape similar to that of a biconvex lens. Within collision zone 40, most of the water's kinetic energy is transformed into electrical and heat energy. On a molecular level, the intense forces encountered by the water in the collision zone 40 cause the hydrogen bonds of the water to be compressed, bent and broken, thereby transforming the kinetic energy into electrical energy and generating heat.

Meanwhile, the heat generated during the collision, increases the temperature of each agglomerate in the water as it passes through collision zone 40. This temperature increase within collision zone 40 raises the temperature of the water through the 30° anomolic temperature of water coincident with the bond stressing caused by such collision. The present invention may also cause the water within collision zone 40 to transcend other anomolic temperatures of water, in addition to the 30°C anomolic temperature, within a single pass through collision zone 40. By introducing water into colloid mill 10 at a temperature just below the 30°C anomolic temperature (i.e., at approximately 28°C), nevertheless, the method of present invention is used to "target" that 30°C anomolic temperature. Obviously, the temper»3ture of the water flowing into colloid mill 10 could alternatively be regulate to target an anomolic temperature other than 30°C While the temperature increase takes place completely within the collision zone 40, the inter-molecular structure of the water is rapidly compelled through any structural changes associated with that anomolic temperature. Such changes, accompanied by corresponding releasing and shifting of hydrogen bonds, increases the vulnerability of other hydrogen bonds to breaking as well. Such increased vulnerability, coupled with the mechanical stresses on the agglomerates within the collision zone 40, increases the likelihood of disagglomeration therein. There is evidence which indicates that effects of such disagglomeration include the breaking of many intra-molecular bonds as well.

Additionally, when the water exits the collision zone 40, the compressive energy is immediately relaxed and a somewhat elastic response of any remaining hydrogen bonds is believed to take place. This elastic response further stresses the hydrogen bonds, which have already been weakened by the compressive energy and stresses which the water has been subjected to in the collision zone 40.

Referring to Fig. 2, magnetic means 20 is used in conjunction with colloid mill 10 to enhance the effectiveness of colloid mill 10. Magnetic means 20 may be any magnet known in the art and is attached to colloid mill 10 by means common in the art in a manner such that magnetic means 20 creates a magnetic field with an hysteresis that is aligned with the flow of the water. The present embodiment incorporates regular bar magnets as magnetic means 20, which bar magnets are connected to colloid mill 10 by brackets or adhesive (not shown) . Although not completely explained, it is clear that the use of magnetic means 20 in conjunction with colloid mill 10 is effective for improving the disagglomeration of water by colloid mill 10. Other details of magnetic means 20 and of colloid mill 10 are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,261,521, and. in Applicants' copending applications, Serial No. 018,049 and Serial No. 217,297, which are incorporated herein in their entirety of this reference thereto. Referring to the closed-loop system of Fig. 3, colloid mill 10 may be incorporated in a closed-loop system for further disagglomerating water. The closed-loop system basically comprises colloid mill 10, pump 15, cooling means 60, tank 25 and water conduits 39, 41 and 42. Pump 15 pumps (or circulates) water from tank 25 through the entire system 11 — in linear succession through conduit 39, colloid mill 10, conduit 41, conduit 42, and back into tank 25. The entire system 11 seals the course through which the water flows except at gas lines 44, 44' and 45, 45' (shown in Fig. 1). Such sealing enables maintenance of high pressure between the pressurized outlet 43 of pump 15 and the inlet 24 of colloid mill 10. After the reduction in the agglomeration of the water in collision chamber 29, the water collects and exits the chamber through outlet 34 and into conduit 41.

Cooling means 60 is connected to conduit 39 for cooling water flowing therethrough. Cooling means 60 comprises a coolant line which is wound around conduit 39 and which includes stems 46 and 47. The coolant line conducts a cooled fluid from stem 46 to stem 47 through a spiral path around conduit 39 to cool water flowing through conduit 39 to a temperature below 30°C (or below the particular anomolic temperatures being targeted) . Stems 46 and 47 are operatively connected to a compressor unit (not shown) which pumps and maintains the cool temperature of the cooled fluid. A thermister (not shown) is in contact with the water in conduit 39 upstream of cooling means 60 for regulating the degree of cooling provided by cooling means 60 in response to the temperature of the water flowing from tank 25. The electrical leads 62 connected to the thermister tap into line 40 through control port 61 which i r, sealed. Electrical leads 62 are operatively connected to the means which provides the cooled fluid to cooling means 60. By cooling the water in conduit 39 to a temperature below 30°C, the temperature of the water agglomerates are ensured to transcend the 30°C anomolic temperature within collision zone 40 (shown in Fig. 1). Similar controls are accomplished in alternative embodiments to target other anomolic temperatures as desired. Thus, despite the heating of water which occurs in the operation of colloid mill 10, the present invention is able to operate in a continuous, closed-loop manner due to the advantages provided by cooling means 60 and the thermister in conduit 39, which thermister is a control means for controlling cooling means 60.

Alternatively, by disengaging cooling means 60, the water may be repeatedly cycled through colloid mill 10 until the temperature of the water has also transcended the 45°C anamolic temperature in order to achieve surprisingly better results. Then once the water in tank 25 reaches about 46°C, the system is shut down to allow the water to cool toward room temperature. When the water has cooled to beneath 30°C, the whole process may be repeated. Referring to each such repeated transcending of the 30° and 45° anomolic temperatures along with the subsequent cooling below the 30° anomolic temperature as a single cycle, it has been discovered that appreciable changes in the osmotic pressure of the water can be achieved in as few as four cycles. After eighteen cycles, the osmotic pressure of the water (referred to at that stage as "54K Water") has reached a lowermost threshold which is believed to be associated with complete disagglomeration of the water molecules. With 54K Water, the osmotic pressure of the water is so low that a carrot submerged in a jar of the water overnight is ruptured due to absorption of too much water, although no rupture occurs with a carrot left overnight in water processed through only four cycles. Notably, it has been found that failure to transcend above the 45°C mark during any cycle substantially minimizes the benefits of that cycle.

Gas lines 44, 44' and 45, 45" are provided for equalizing the pressure within collision chamber 29 of colloid mill 10. Such equalization of pressure ensures the uniformity and continuity of the conical shapes of the streams being sprayed from the opposite vortex nozzles 32. By ensuring such uniformity and continuity, gas lines 44 and 45 increase the effectiveness of colloid mill 10 by ensuring the collision of the opposing streams of water. Each of gas lines 44 and 45 are in fluid communication with the others of gas lines 44 and 45 through connections (not shown) . The gas communicated by gas lines 44, 44' and 45, 45' is a gas which is inert for minimizing the dissolution of the gas in the water flowing through colloid mill 10. Gas line 44 communicates with the central vacuums created by vortex nozzles 32, and gas lines 45 communicate with collision chamber 29.

Although the apparatus for disagglomerating water has been described in terms of colloid mill 10 and the water-disagglomerating system 11, those apparatus are described only as exemplary means for producing the water of the present invention. Many combinations, variations and substitutions of system 11 and colloid mill 10 are intended as alternative means for carrying out the process and producing the water of the present invention. Similarly, although the method for producing the water of the present invention most basically comprises the step of disagglomerating or breaking the hydrogen bonds of water or other fluids, many combinations, variations and substitutions of methods for producing water will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art and intended to fall within the scope of the claims attached hereto.

Water which is processed by the foregoing methods and apparatus has properties which are substantially altered relative to the properties of ordinary water. Beyond the disagglomeration of the water, the osmotic pressure, the viscosity, the boiling point, the surf?_'"'* tension, the solubility, the molecular valence, and other properties of the water are significantly altered without requiring any additives. Many applications for water having such altered characteristics will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, and several of such applications are discussed in Applicant's prior patents M

and copending application. The following examples demonstrate, more particularly, several properties of the water of the present invention which are at variance with those of ordinary deionized water. To begin with, after disagglomeration of deionized water by the methods of the present invention, the boiling point (95°C and lower for 54K Water) has been found to be lower than that of ordinary (i.e., non-processed) deionized water. Additionally, water treated by the methods of the present invention has a diffusion coefficient much higher than ordinary deionized water. The pH of water can be raised significantly (to at least 8.4 for 54K Water) by processing the water by methods of the present invention. The osmotic pressure of water produced by the methods of the present invention is also significantly decreased, as previously discussed and as indicated by marked increases in plant growth when used for irrigating crops. More specifically, water of the present invention is capable of developing from 2 to 8 times the osmotic pressure developed by ordinary deionized water. The conductivity of the water of the present invention (20.5 umho for 54K Water) is capable of achieving at least 60 times the conductivity of ordinary deionized water (0.3 umho). Many other properties, such as surface tension, vapor pressure, freezing point, latent heat, negative charge solubility and viscosity are also altered. Thus, it is evident that water produced by the methods of the present invention has properties significantly at variance with those of ordinary deionized water.

Although the invention has been described in terms of the previously described embodiments, numerous changes and variations which would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. Any limitations on the scope of the invention are, thus, not intended to be defined by the description of the preferred embodiments, but rather by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method for disagglomerating water, comprising the steps of: causing the temperature of water to transcend an anomalic temperature thereof coincidentally with stressing of the inter-molecular bonds of said water.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said causing step is achieved by pumping the water through a colloid mill in a manner such that the temperature of the water transcends the anomalic temperature thereof coincidentally with stressing of the inter-molecular bonds of the water.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said causing step further comprises repeating the pumping step until the temperature of the water surpasses a second anomalic temperature of the water.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said causing step comprises causing the temperature of the water to transcend 45°C.

5. A method for disagglomerating water, comprising the steps of: pumping water having an initial temperature of less than 30°C through a colloid mill, which is adapted to molecula ly disagglomerate the water, in a manner such that the temperature of the water transcends 30°C coincidentally with stressing of the hydrogen bonds of the water.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said pumping step comprises pumping the water through said colloid mill ^"

until the temperature of the water surpasses a second anomolic temperature of the water.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second anomalic temperature of the water is 45°C.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said pumping step further comprises pumping the water through said colloid mill until the temperature of the water surpasses 45°C.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of: repeating said pumping step at least four times; and causing the temperature of the water to fall below 30°C between each of said pumping steps.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the causing step further comprises the steps of: pumping the water through a nozzle in a manner which causes the water to collide against an opposing stream; and magnetically affecting the water simultaneously with the causing step by magnetic means.

11. Water having an osmotic pressure that is 2 to 8 times that of ordinary deionized water.

12. Water having a conductivity which is at least 60 times that of ordinary deionized water.

13. Water having a pH of at least 8.4.

14 Water produced by a method comprising the following steps: causing the temperature of water to transcend an anomalic temperature thereof coincidentally with stressing of the inter-molecular bonds of said water.

15. The water of claim 14 wherein said causing step for producing the water is achieved by pumping the water through a colloid mill in a manner such that the temperature of the water transcends the anomalic temperature thereof coincidentally with stressing of the inter-molecular bonds of the water.

16. The water of claim 15 wherein said method for producing the water further comprises the steps of: repeating said causing step at least four times.

17. The water of claim 16 wherein said causing step for producing the water further comprises the steps of: pumping the water through a nozzle in a manner which causes the water to collide against an opposing stream.