Methods and systems are provided for producing solid carbon from carbon dioxide and/or hydrocarbons such as methane (CH.sub.4). A metallic media, either in liquid or semi-liquid (semi-solid) form and having a range of liquid and semi-liquid metallic chemistries, is used alone or in combinations with other liquid or semi-liquid metalin a reactive metallurgical process for carbon capture and conversion.

Methods and systems are provided for producing solid carbon from carbon dioxide and/or hydrocarbons such as methane (CH.sub.4). A metallic media, either in liquid or semi-liquid (semi-solid) form and having a range of liquid and semi-liquid metallic chemistries, is used alone or in combinations with other liquid or semi-liquid metalin a reactive metallurgical process for carbon capture and conversion.

To provide a technique that reliably and quickly melts conductive metal, there is provided a conductive metal melting method including: rotating a magnetic field device formed of a permanent magnet, which includes a permanent magnet, about a vertical axis near a driving flow channel of a flow channel that includes an inlet through which conductive molten metal flows into the flow channel from the outside and an outlet through which the molten metal is discharged to the outside and includes a vortex chamber provided between the driving flow channel provided on an upstream side and an outflow channel provided on a downstream side, and moving lines of magnetic force of the permanent magnet while the lines of magnetic force of the permanent magnet pass through the molten metal present in the driving flow channel; allowing the molten metal to flow into the vortex chamber by an electromagnetic force generated with the movement to generate the vortex of the molten metal in the vortex chamber into which the raw material is to be put; and discharging the molten metal to the outside from the outlet. The conductive metal melting method further includes driving the molten metal present in the outflow channel toward the outlet by an electromagnetic force generated with the movement of the lines of magnetic force as necessary.

Continuous, three-dimensional control of the vorticity vector is possible by progressively transitioning the field symmetry by applying or removing a dc bias along one of the principal axes of mutually orthogonal alternating fields. By exploiting this transition, the vorticity vector can be oriented in a wide range of directions that comprise all three spatial dimensions. Detuning one or more field components to create phase modulation causes the vorticity vector to trace out complex orbits of a wide variety, creating very robust multiaxial stirring. This multiaxial, non-contact stirring is particularly attractive for applications where the fluid volume has complex boundaries, or is congested.

The invention herein relates to conducting assays with an apparatus including a substantially transparent assay cartridge loaded with magnetic beads, and a magnet carrier base positioned below a scanning platform holding the assay cartridge. The assay cartridge includes magnetic beads, sample and control solutions in some wells, and assay reagents in others. A microcomputer controls a stepping motor which controls movement of the magnet carrier base, and causes the magnetic beads to travel from one well to another. An electromagnetic coil-spring assembly induces mixing of well contents with the magnetic beads on actuation. The assay cartridge is authenticated by sending its encoded identifier to a server or website, and assay instructions are provided remotely to the microcomputer. Following assay completion, the cartridge can have color change or other assay indication detected, and the results sent to the server or website or another recipient.

A method and an apparatus for treating a fluid are disclosed. The apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber of non-magnetic material for holding a volume of fluid to be treated. The fluid contains a quantity of magnetic particles, preferably nanoparticles, having desired properties for treating the fluid. The apparatus includes a magnetic field generator for creating a non-static magnetic field within the chamber, thereby to induce motion in the magnetic particles within the chamber in use. The chamber has an inlet through which fluid to be treated can be introduced, and an outlet through which treated fluid can be removed from the chamber. Sets of windings are disposed concentrically about the chamber and arranged to create a rotating magnetic field within the chamber. Preferably the rotating magnetic field rotates in the opposite sense to swirling rotation of the fluid in the chamber. This enhances contact between the nano-particles and the fluid to be treated.

A fluid processing system that can include a sample container having a sample chamber for containing a fluid and a plurality of magnetic particles and at least one movable magnetic assembly configured to be movably inserted into or out of the sample chamber. The movable magnetic assembly can include a plurality of electromagnets that generate a magnetic field within at least a portion of the sample chamber when the assembly is inserted at least partially into the sample chamber. The fluid processing system can also include a signal generator that applies electrical signals, e.g., AC electrical signals, to the electromagnets of the magnetic assembly and a controller coupled to the signal generator that is configured to control phases of the electrical signals applied to the electromagnets to generate magnetic field gradients within the portion of the sample chamber effective to magnetically influence the plurality of the magnetic particles.

A fluid processing system that can include a sample container having a sample chamber for containing a fluid and a plurality of magnetic particles and at least one movable magnetic assembly configured to be movably inserted into or out of the sample chamber. The movable magnetic assembly can include a plurality of electromagnets that generate a magnetic field within at least a portion of the sample chamber when the assembly is inserted at least partially into the sample chamber. The fluid processing system can also include a signal generator that applies electrical signals, e.g., AC electrical signals, to the electromagnets of the magnetic assembly and a controller coupled to the signal generator that is configured to control phases of the electrical signals applied to the electromagnets to generate magnetic field gradients within the portion of the sample chamber effective to magnetically influence the plurality of the magnetic particles.

A molecular mixing system. In one embodiment, the molecular mixing system includes a motorized turntable; a speed controller to control the rotational speed of the motorized turntable; a plurality of magnets arranged in a first Halbach array, the first Halbach array located on the motorized turntable and concentric to the axis of the motorized turntable; and a sample conduit having an input port and an output port and having an outer wall defining a lumen, the sample conduit positioned within and concentric with the first Halbach array.

A sample analyzing method for suppressing an adverse effect on detection accuracy of a detection target substance is disclosed. In the sample analyzing method, a magnetic particle as a support of a detection target substance is transported by magnetic force to a second liquid container through a passage between a first liquid container storing a first liquid containing the magnetic particle and the second liquid container storing a second liquid containing a labeled substance to forma complex with the detection target substance and the magnetic particle. The complex formed in the second liquid container and containing the detection target substance, magnetic particle, and labeled substance is transported to a third liquid in a flow path, and the magnetic particle is transported to a detection tank for detecting the detection target substance, while being agitated in a mixed liquid of the complex and third liquid within the flow path.