Devices, systems and methods for applying electromagnetic fields to liquids, such as water, to treat unwanted material in the liquid are disclosed. Such devices, systems and methods may include a cylindrically shaped, water-immersible probe configured to generate electromagnetic fields that are effective to treat unwanted materials, such as scale, and microbes in the water.

A method is described for controlling an oil spill by seeding micron-sized magnetizable particles in the oil. Once seeded, particles can form a unique and preferential bond with the oil resulting in creation of a colloidal mixture. This bond forms as a result of a combination of forces including the intermolecular Van der Waal forces. Once this bond is formed, the oil is rendered magnetic and can be controlled and moved in response to a magnetic field. This can include removing oil from water, reducing the diffusion rate of oil on water, magnetically lifting oil from water or nonporous surfaces, as well as separating the magnetic material from the oil.

Plasma discharges and electromagnetic fields may be applied to a liquid, such as water, for desalinization purposes and to treat unwanted material in the liquid.

Provided is an UFB generating apparatus and an UFB generating method capable of efficiently generating an UFB-containing liquid with high purity. To this end, the ultrafine bubble generating apparatus includes a pre-processing unit that performs predetermined pre-processing on a liquid W and a generating unit that generates ultrafine bubbles in the liquid on which the pre-processing is performed. The generating unit generates the ultrafine bubbles by causing a heating element, which is provided in the liquid on which the pre-processing is performed, to generate heat to generate film boiling on an interface between the liquid and the heating element.

For changing a property of a polar liquid, a transducer including a solenoidal coil is disposed at least partially within the liquid, which is prevented from penetrating the interior of the coil. An alternating electrical current applied to the coil produces a magnetic field about the coil. The current has a frequency and an amplitude such that the magnetic field has an effect on the liquid changing a property of the liquid at a distance of at least 5 meters from the transducer, wherein the property is gas exchange rate, surface tension, viscosity, freezing point, or partial vapor pressure. A system may include two transducers, wherein the electrical currents are offset in phase or frequency for controlling the effect.

A system for treating a polar liquid includes a signal generator for providing an alternating electrical current, and a transducer electrically coupled to the signal generator. The transducer includes a solenoidal coil and two ferromagnetic end pieces at the ends of the coil and transverse thereto. In operation, the transducer is at least partially immersed in a polar liquid and, when energized with the current provides a magnetic field into the liquid, the field may change a property of the liquid, e.g. an interfacial mass transfer rate. This can be used in many different industrial applications.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a system for disinfecting a fluid, the system comprising: an outer electrode defining an internal cavity; a center electrode comprising a plurality of surface area members, the center electrode positioned within the internal cavity and extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal axis of the outer electrode; an inlet positioned proximate a first end of the outer electrode and configured to allow a fluid to pass from an area external to the cavity into the cavity; and an outlet positioned proximate a second end of the outer electrode and configured to allow the fluid to pass from the cavity into an area external to the cavity. A voltage supply can be configured to supply a voltage across the outer electrode and center electrode, the voltage generating a non-uniform electric field distribution on a cross-sectional plane of the system.

The present invention relates to an active substance for sewage treatment and dewatering of solid domestic wastes landfills. Besides, the present invention also relates to a method for producing this active substance. More specifically, the present invention relates to use of this active substance for sewage treatment and dewatering of solid domestic wastes landfills to remove organic impurities, organogenic elements, solid and radioactive metals.

The present invention describes a PEF (pulsed electric field) chamber, said PEF chamber 1 comprising a tube 2 with two open ends 3, 4 having attachment means 5, 6 enabling the PEF chamber 1 to be a plug-in device, wherein the tube 2 has a length L from one open end 3 to the other open end 4 and an inner width IW from one side of the tube to the other side of the tube in a cross section being perpendicular to the length L thereof, wherein the tube 2 has a geometrical narrowing of the inner width IW somewhere along the length L of the tube 2, and wherein the PEF chamber 1 comprises a grid 9 of an insulating material being arranged at the geometrical narrowing or electrode units 7, 8 being arranged opposite each other at the geometrical narrowing of the inner width IW along the length L of the tube 2. The plug-in feature of the present invention renders the PEF chamber to function as an l attachable and disposable PEF chamber.

A method of processing a liquid by an alternating electromagnetic field includes: generating DC pulses by a pulse generator; and applying the DC pulses to a parallel oscillating circuit connected in parallel to the pulse generator. The parallel oscillating circuit includes an inductor connected in parallel to a capacitor. In response to the DC pulses, self-oscillations arise in the parallel oscillating circuit, the self-oscillations producing an alternating current in the inductor; and the inductor generates the alternating electromagnetic field for processing the liquid.