An electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pump increases refrigerant flow rate and the resulting pressure in a vapor compression based cooling system for permitting reduced compressor sizes and power demands. The EHD pump disposes electrodes in a liquid path of the refrigerant flow, and increases fluid flow and resulting pressure by an induced liquid flow between a pair of asymmetric electrodes. Voltage applied to these electrodes results in a conduction pumping mechanism associated with heterocharge layers in the vicinity of the electrodes based on disassociation of a neutral electrolyte species in the refrigerant fluid and recombination of the generated ions. The induced flow draws the liquid due to a net fluid flow toward one of the electrodes based on the asymmetry of the electrode pair. Electrodes are disposed on an inner surface of a refrigerant vessel, in communication with an annular liquid film that forms around the inner circumference in two-phase fluid systems.

An aircraft fuel tank inerting system is disclosed. An aircraft fuel tank inerting system may include a paramagnetic pump arranged to apply a magnetic field to a source of gas to provide a motivational force for removing oxygen from said gas. A paramagnetic pump may include a series of magnetic field generating elements configured to provide a sequence of discrete spaced apart magnetic fields. The series of magnetic field generating elements may include a series of spaced apart pairs of magnetic field generating elements. Each spaced apart pair of magnetic field generating elements may be arranged to generate a respective spaced apart magnetic field, of the sequence of discrete spaced apart magnetic fields, across an airspace therebetween.

An aircraft fuel tank inerting system is disclosed. An aircraft fuel tank inerting system may include a paramagnetic pump arranged to apply a magnetic field to a source of gas to provide a motivational force for removing oxygen from said gas. A paramagnetic pump may include a series of magnetic field generating elements configured to provide a sequence of discrete spaced apart magnetic fields. The series of magnetic field generating elements may include a series of spaced apart pairs of magnetic field generating elements. Each spaced apart pair of magnetic field generating elements may be arranged to generate a respective spaced apart magnetic field, of the sequence of discrete spaced apart magnetic fields, across an airspace therebetween.

A thermal control system includes a closed loop arranged to carry a circulating fluid. There is at least a first heat exchanger and a flow unit in the closed loop. The flow unit includes a first electrode and a second electrode offset from the first electrode in a downstream direction of a flow of the circulating fluid. The first electrode and the second electrode are connectable to a voltage source. The first electrode is formed as a grid structure and arranged to allow the circulating fluid to flow through the first electrode.

A thermal control system includes a closed loop arranged to carry a circulating fluid. There is at least a first heat exchanger and a flow unit in the closed loop. The flow unit includes a first electrode and a second electrode offset from the first electrode in a downstream direction of a flow of the circulating fluid. The first electrode and the second electrode are connectable to a voltage source. The first electrode is formed as a grid structure and arranged to allow the circulating fluid to flow through the first electrode.

The present invention relates to a device exploiting magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) for localized delivery of material into a target or extraction of material from a target. The device includes a frame (101) comprising a space (102) for conductive fluid and the material, at least one pair of electrodes (103A, 103B) facing each other, a source of electric current (105), a magnet (105), and an opening (106). The electric current and the magnetic field are synchronized so that the material can be moved from the volume between the electrodes through the opening towards the target or from the target through the opening towards the volume. According to the invention the volume is2000 mm.sup.3, in proviso that mean distance between tips of the electrodes is20 mm.

A positive displacement inductive pump includes a central piston formed of a ferromagnetic material having non-ferromagnetic end pistons that extend from each of its opposite ends. Stationary end walls are mounted to opposite ends of a housing and are centrally bored. First and second inductive coils are alternately energized, causing the central piston and the end pistons to conjointly reciprocate within an axial bore and the end wall central bores, respectively. First and second check valves are positioned outboard of each end wall and allow valve-controlled ingress and egress of material into and out of the axial and central bores. The relative diameters of the central piston and the end pistons are changed to control the relationship between the magnetic force applied and the output pressure for a given volume of fluid.

A chip device for manipulating an object component is described, in which multiple liquid substances such as reagents required for a series of manipulations on a sample are stably secured in separated states throughout the manipulations within the device. The chip device includes a manipulation chip, magnetic particles, and a magnetic field application means. The manipulation chip includes a substrate, a groove formed in the surface of the substrate, and a manipulation medium accommodated in the groove such that gel phases and aqueous liquid phases are alternately disposed in the longitudinal direction of the groove and are in contact with each other. The magnetic particles are for capturing and carrying the object component. The magnetic field application means is capable of moving the magnetic particles in the longitudinal direction of the groove in the substrate by the application of a magnetic field to the substrate.

A chip device for manipulating an object component is described, in which multiple liquid substances such as reagents required for a series of manipulations on a sample are stably secured in separated states throughout the manipulations within the device. The chip device includes a manipulation chip, magnetic particles, and a magnetic field application means. The manipulation chip includes a substrate, a groove formed in the surface of the substrate, and a manipulation medium accommodated in the groove such that gel phases and aqueous liquid phases are alternately disposed in the longitudinal direction of the groove and are in contact with each other. The magnetic particles are for capturing and carrying the object component. The magnetic field application means is capable of moving the magnetic particles in the longitudinal direction of the groove in the substrate by the application of a magnetic field to the substrate.

A liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor includes, within a reactor pressure vessel, a primary electromagnetic pump (EMP) circulating liquid metal coolant through the reactor core and a backflow EMP. The nuclear reactor may be configured to at least partially mitigate liquid metal coolant backflow in response to a primary EMP failure. The backflow EMP is coupled in series with the primary EMP within the reactor pressure vessel. The backflow EMP may be selectively activated in response to failure of the primary EMP to mitigate liquid metal backflow through the primary EMP. The primary EMP and backflow EMP may receive power from separate power sources. Multiple backflow EMPs may be coupled in parallel to the primary EMP via parallel liquid metal coolant lines. A nuclear reactor may include multiple primary EMPs and multiple sets of backflow EMPs, where each separate set of backflow EMPs is coupled to a separate primary EMP.