DEVICE FOR CONTAINING AND ACCELERATING PLASMA WITHIN A MIXER/COMPRESSOR SYSTEM BY WAY OF MAGNETIC FORCES AND THE COANDA EFFECT

Abstract

A device for the containment, mixing, acceleration, and controlled release of fast-flowing ionized fluids or plasma, consisting of a grooved sphere with interior and surface electromagnets of opposing polarity and variable power output. The grooves within the device allow for extremely high rates of ionized fluid/plasma flow and mixing of either the same or differing compositions for each groove, depending upon the materials injected into them, and for the release of accelerated ionized fluid/plasma instantaneously and simultaneously (with all grooves depressurizing synchronously and unidirectionally), gradually and simultaneously (with all grooves gradually depressurizing at the same or different rates), or non-simultaneously and gradually or instantaneously (with the grooves depressurizing at different rates and times). The invention also provides a means of slowing ionized fluid/plasma flow within the grooves by way of the magnetohydrodynamic effect, which offers the potential for partial power recovery.

Claims

1. A system for the confinement of flowing plasma by way of electromagnetic fields and the Coandă effect.

2. A distinctive groove design that facilitates plasma retention by way of the Coandă effect and close-proximity magnetic fields.

3. A mechanism for controlling the inflow and outflow of plasma to a device by way of segmented electromagnetic field regions that are individually controllable.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS OF INVENTION

[0049] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0050] The features, aspects, advantages, and operation of the present invention will become better understood by referencing the appended descriptions and claims, and the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0051] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention, indicating the dimensions of the embodiment and the placement, general shape, and number of grooves on the embodiment.

[0052] FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the section of an embodiment of the invention as highlighted in 101 (FIG. 1), clearly indicating the distinctive shape of the grooves, the polarity of different sections of the grooves, and the flow of ionized fluid/plasma (as indicated by arrows with polarity marks) into the grooves.

[0053] FIG. 3 is an additional close-up view of the section of the embodiment of the invention, providing another illustration of the shape of the grooves around the invention.

[0054] FIG. 4 is an opposing-angle view of the section of the embodiment of the invention, illustrating the flow of ionized fluid/plasma contained in the grooves.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a close-up dimetric northwest (NW) view of a section of one groove, showing the deflection of an ionized fluid/plasma stream as it enters the groove, with the entry ionized fluid/plasma stream (dotted orange line) and the internal ionized fluid/plasma stream (solid red line) both clearly illustrated.

[0056] FIG. 6 is a top-down view of the entire embodiment of the invention.

[0057] FIG. 7 is a side view of the entire embodiment of the invention.

[0058] FIG. 8 is a top-down view of the division of the embodiment of the invention into control sections, with the red lines dividing the system being purely illustrative of the arc dimensions of the sections, not representing physically present lines.

[0059] FIG. 9. and FIG. 10 are side and isometric views of the embodiment of the invention divided into control sections (red lines).

[0060] FIG. 11 is a close-up dimetric northwest (NW) view of the embodiment of the invention placed within the core of the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117, in which the present invention is designed to operate (amongst other environments).

[0061] FIG. 12 is a cutaway close-up dimetric northwest (NW) view of the embodiment of the invention placed within the core of the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117, in which the present invention is designed to operate, clearly illustrating the alignment of that invention's pumping-line ports (as illustrated by the colored lines) and the present invention's grooves.

[0062] FIG. 13 demonstrates the precise dimensions of the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117 and the dimensions and placement within that invention of the embodiment of the invention described herein.

[0063] Explanation of Points Illustrated by Drawings of Invention

[0064] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 13, with each drawing demonstrating a different aspect of said invention.

[0065] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention, indicating the dimensions of the embodiment and the placement, general shape, and number of grooves on the embodiment.

[0066] FIG. 2 provides a cross-sectional closeup of the section illustrated in 101 (FIG. 1) and the polarity of the inner and outer regions of the grooves, assuming the ionized fluid/plasma the embodiment is designed to contain is negatively charged.

[0067] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the grooves selected from 101 from several different angles, illustrating both the distinctive shape of the grooves and the flow of confined ionized fluid/plasma through the grooves.

[0068] FIG. 5 illustrates the distortion/deflection of an ionized fluid/plasma stream as it enters the groove and integrates into the internal ionized fluid/plasma stream.

[0069] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show a top-down and side view of the embodiment of the invention, illustrating the relationship between the grooves and the ungrooved sections.

[0070] FIG. 8 illustrates the division of the embodiment of the invention into segments of equal arc length, with the specific angle chosen being practical but arbitrary, and other arc measurements/arc distances being suitable to different embodiments.

[0071] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 illustrate these arc divisions from side and isometric views, with the red lines illustrating the division of the embodiment and groove lines to facilitate the selective inflow and outflow of ionized fluid/plasma to the invention.

[0072] FIG. 11 illustrates the intended placement of the present embodiment of the invention in the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117, with 1104 indicating the location of the present invention, and 1101, 1102, and 1103 illustrating the relative location of the outer-core shell, the gap between core shells, and the inner-core shell, respectively.

[0073] FIG. 12 is a cutaway close-up dimetric northwest (NW) view of the embodiment of the invention placed within the core of the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117, with 1201 indicating the alignment of the pumping-line ports of the previous invention (as indicated by the colored lines approaching the present invention) with the grooves of the embodiment of the present invention and 1202 being the present invention in situ.

[0074] FIG. 13 further illustrates the special relationship and placement of the embodiment of the present invention to the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0075] Features of Present Invention

[0076] It is a feature of the present invention to allow for the confinement of streams of ionized fluid/plasma within a small void by way of magnetic fields and the Coandă effect.

[0077] It is a feature of the present invention to allow for the acceleration of streams of ionized fluid/plasma within a small void by way of magnetic fields and the Coandă effect.

[0078] It is a feature of the present invention to allow for the injection or release of ionized fluid/plasma from the confined streams therein at a highly variable rate.

[0079] Construction of Invention

[0080] The present invention may be constructed of metal of suitable toughness, corrosion resistance, and magnetic properties for its intended purpose, or it may be constructed of ceramic, but only if the sections in and around the grooves are capable of functioning as electromagnets. The electromagnets within the present embodiment of the invention may be of either the conventional electromagnet or superconducting electromagnet type, so long as they respond to control signals to vary the power of the different segments. The primary structure (the sphere) of the invention may be manufactured by any means suitable to the budget and needs of the user, with possible construction methods including casting, milling, or 3D printing. For embodiments of the invention intended to confine plasma, the embodiments' grooves and the surfaces near them should be coated with suitable material to reduce plasma erosion.

[0081] The exact dimensions of the grooves in the sphere may vary based on the embodiment of the invention, on the condition that outer dimensions of the groove (near 201) are at least 20% narrower than the widest interior part of the groove (near 202) and the region between them is narrower than either of the two (giving the groove a distinct waist).

[0082] The invention may be powered either by a contained power supply, energy transmitted to the invention by way of electromagnetic induction, or by converting part of the heat of the ionized fluid/plasma with which the mechanism interacts into electrical energy, with the magnetohydrodynamic effect being used as an ionized fluid/plasma braking system/partial energy-recovery system.

[0083] Control of the field strength of the electromagnets within the invention may be preprogrammed, automatic, or controlled externally by way of radio, optical, or acoustic signals transmitted to the invention by an operator, with the specifics of the control mechanism varying from one embodiment of the invention to the next, depending upon construction constraints and operator needs. The addition of an external control system will be necessary for select embodiments of the invention, with other embodiments not requiring such external control systems.

[0084] Finally, if installed in the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117 (Dec. 20, 2020), the present invention may benefit from some means of support so that the grooves of the present invention readily align with the pumping-line ports of the previous invention. Possible means for this include a fixed mechanical support, if properly aligned, or a variable-height mechanical support, which would allow the operator of the inventions to adjust the alignment of the grooves and pumping-line ports of the present and previous inventions, respectively. An additional possibility for aligning the present invention in the core of the previously mentioned invention is magnetic levitation, if the appropriate apparatus is installed in the previously described invention and the present invention is constructed of magnetic materials, or diamagnetic materials (if the external magnetic field is sufficiently strong). Any other method of stabilization and support of sufficient strength and stability may also be used.

[0085] Operation of Invention

[0086] Operation of the invention is to be conducted as follows: [0087] 1. The invention will be installed in a suitable location for the introduction of ionized fluid/plasma, either in the invention described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 17,128,117 or in some other appropriate device or location. (FIG. 11/FIG. 12 indicate ideal placement within the previously described invention.) [0088] 2. The outer walls/outer boundaries of the grooves (201) of the invention (FIG. 2) will initially be either uncharged or weakly charged and the inner walls (202) will be fully charged. [0089] 3. As appropriately charged ionized fluid/plasma begins to flow into the grooves, sections of the outer boundaries of the grooves (201) are fully charged, excluding those sections into which the ionized fluid/plasma flow is directed. [0090] 4. Once the invention has reached full ionized fluid/plasma-containing capacity, the remaining outer boundary sections are charged, thus fully containing the ionized fluid/plasma within the device. [0091] 5. The ionized fluid/plasma may be further accelerated by changing the relative strength of the sections of the groove inner walls (202) if directed by the operator or by preprogrammed instructions. [0092] 6. Once the ionized fluid/plasma flow has reached the desired speed and energy levels, it may be maintained for a length of time to be determined by either a preprogrammed routine or by an operator, who transmits control signals by way of radio signals, optical signals, or acoustic signals. [0093] 7. After the invention has been operated for the desired time, ionized fluid/plasma will be released from the grooves of the invention either omnidirectionally (in which case all sections of the outer walls/outer boundaries of the grooves of the invention are de-energized at the same rate) or through designated exit points, in which case only certain segments of the outer walls of the invention are de-energized. Release of ionized fluid/plasma may either take place gradually or nearly instantaneously. [0094] 8. In the event the operator wishes to slow the flow of ionized fluid/plasma within the grooves rather than immediately release it, the polarity of some (or all) of the inner groove-wall magnets may be reversed to increase magnetic resistance to flow. [0095] 9. During the deceleration process, the operator may set the system to recover energy from the ionized fluid/plasma flow by way of the magnetohydrodynamic effect, with surplus power being transmitted from an embodiment of the invention by the same means power was transmitted to it, either by way of direct (wired) or inductive power transfer.

SCOPE OF CLAIMS

[0096] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein with reference to the preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of requisite skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, are contemplated thereby, and are intended to be covered by the following claims: