RADIOFREQUENCY PARTICLE SEPARATOR
A method of separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid includes providing a housing along a surface of the fluid, moving the housing along the surface of the fluid with a driver, and applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the fluid with a generator. Applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing a temperature of the mineral bearing particle contained within the fluid to a boiling point of the fluid whereby the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/651,102, titled “Radiofrequency Particle Separator,” and filed Oct. 12, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for any and all purposes.
BACKGROUNDMining operations remove aggregate ore from an in-ground deposit and process the loose aggregate ore to remove metals, coal, and other minerals. Ore removed from the ground includes particles of the target material but may also include various other, secondary materials. Such secondary materials may include rock, soil, and other minerals. In order to produce a pure sample of the target material, the secondary material must be removed from the target material sample.
Traditional methods for removing secondary material from a target material involve a chemical process and one or more finishing steps. The finishing steps often fail to fully remove the secondary material from the target material. By way of example, finishing steps may include the size or weight dependent processes of frothing, filtering, and panning. Frothing uses chemicals and large bubbles to chemically separate target material. Filtering machines rely on a fluid containing the target material and secondary material and pass the fluid through one or more filters. The filters are generally fibrous and vary in precision from course to fine. After the fluid is passed through, particles of the same size are trapped within the filter regardless of whether the particles are target material or secondary material. Given the need for a pure target material final product, trapped filter material may be thereafter panned. While panning separates target material from secondary material, panning is very time consuming. Despite these deficiencies, frothing, filtering and panning remain the primary methods used for removing target material from a fluid containing target material and secondary materials.
SUMMARYOne method relates to a method of separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid. The method includes providing a housing along a surface of the fluid, moving the housing along the surface of the fluid with a driver, and applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the fluid with a generator. Applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing a temperature of the mineral bearing particle contained within the fluid to a boiling point of the fluid whereby the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid.
Another embodiment relates to a method for separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid. The method includes providing a housing, containing the fluid within the housing, the fluid containing the mineral bearing particle, applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the mineral bearing particle using a generator, and increasing the temperature of a portion of the mineral bearing particle with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field. The mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid, and the heated fluid imposes motion-inducing forces on the mineral bearing particle.
Still another embodiment relates to a method for separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid. The method includes providing a housing, containing the fluid within the housing, the fluid containing the mineral bearing particle, applying a non-uniform radio-frequency field to the mineral bearing particle using a generator, and moving the mineral bearing particle within the fluid with a propulsion force induced by the non-uniform radio-frequency field.
The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being carried out in various ways. Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features an combinations of features as may be generally recited in the claims.
The invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, in which.
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate the exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the application is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
RF separators are intended to provide an efficient replacement to traditional separation equipment. Such RF separators receive a fluid containing particles largely separated from rock through polymerization and raise the temperature of target material to raise the particles within a fluid. Such target particles may also be raised magnetically. Various conditions are controlled to ensure that secondary material is not raised within the fluid. The RF separators produce a final product of target material containing little, if any, secondary material.
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According to various alternative embodiments, generator 40 subjects fluid 30 to a continuous or pulsed field. The electromagnetic field within the separator may be a standing wave or a non-propagating evanescent field. Such fields may have a modal character dominated either by an electric field component (varying at an RF frequency) or an electromagnetic field component (varying at an RF frequency). According to an alternative embodiment, generator 40 produces a continuous electric field component. According to still another alternative embodiment, generator 40 subjects fluid 30 to an electromagnetic field component. Such electromagnetic field may be a continuous electromagnetic field. According to an alternative embodiment, the electromagnetic field is a pulsed electromagnetic field. Varying the type of field 42 generated by generator 40 allows for greater control of the extraction process undertaken by RF particle separator 10. By way of example, field 42 may be selected as having a predominately magnetic field characteristic in order to extract target particles having naturally occurring or introduced magnetic characteristics.
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According to various exemplary embodiments, field 42 includes electromagnetic waves having a frequency and amplitude. Varying the frequency of the electromagnetic waves emitted by generator 40 varies skin depth β. According to an exemplary embodiment, skin depth β is inversely proportional to the square root of the frequency of the electromagnetic waves. By way of example, a higher frequency tends to decrease the skin depth R whereas a lower frequency tends to increase the skin depth β. According to an exemplary embodiment, skin depth β is approximately ten percent of the diameter of the target particles 50. According to an alternative embodiment, the skin depth is increased until subjected portion 57 extends throughout target particle. In both instances, the efficiency of RF particle separator 10 is increased relative to embodiments where the skin depth is substantially larger than the size of the particle (or its mineral portion). The skin depth impacts the size of particles moved by RF particle separator 10. The frequency of field 42 may then be varied in order to remove different sized particles with each applied frequency. According to an exemplary embodiment, the frequency of the field is increased or decreased according to a specified pattern thereby allowing for the extraction of certain sized particles.
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According to an exemplary embodiment, the frequency of the electromagnetic waves within field 42 varies. Such variance may occur in a single linear dimension (e.g., vertically, laterally, along a depth, etc.), a single curvilinear dimension, two dimensions formed by two of the foregoing linear or curvilinear dimensions, spherically, or according to some other one, two, or three dimensional geometry. According to an alternative embodiment, the amplitude of the electromagnetic waves within the field varies. According various other alternative embodiments, still other characteristics of the field vary.
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According to an alternative embodiment, the target particles may have a conductance lower than highly conductive materials but greater than the secondary particles (e.g., titanium, platinum, etc.). As discussed above, the strength of the field may also impact the magnitude of a force vector. The strength of the field may be controlled in order to induce eddy currents within the target particles that create a sufficient magnitude of a force vector. According to an exemplary embodiment, the magnitude of a force vector may be sufficient where it is capable of moving the target particles along a specified path.
According to an alternative embodiment, the strength of the field may be further increased in order to create a force vector having a magnitude capable of moving the target particles faster or slower, as conditions may require. By way of example, a larger force may be necessary where the fluid is flowing rapidly or where the target particles must be extracted from the fluid quickly. Under these circumstances, the requisite force vector may have a magnitude much greater than the weight force of the target particle. According to an exemplary embodiment, the strength of the field is controlled to induce a force vector capable of moving the target particles without substantially moving the secondary particles.
According to an alternative embodiment, the target particles may have magnetic properties apart from those paramagnetically induced by a field. Such magnetic properties may have been introduced to target particles or naturally occurring within the target particles. The magnetic properties may be induced by the field but be nonlinear and dependent upon the amplitude or frequency of the field. Ferrous materials may be particularly susceptible to such properties. According to an exemplary embodiment, the target particles may be iron having naturally occurring magnetic properties. According to an alternative embodiment, target particles may be iron having introduced magnetic properties. The introduction of magnetic properties may occur through various known techniques including introducing the target particles to a magnetic material or an electromagnet. Naturally occurring or introduced magnetic properties of the target particles further interact with the applied electromagnetic field and create a larger force than similar target particles exposed to a similar electromagnetic field.
According to an alternative embodiment, the target particles may be charged. Charged target particles interact with an electromagnetic field and experience a Lorentz force acting to move the particle. Electromagnetic fields include an electric field portion, E and an electromagnetic field portion, B. For a particle having a given electric charge, q, the force acting to move the particle is the charge q multiplied by the applied electric field and the cross product of the velocity of the particle and the applied electromagnetic field. The cross product causes the Lorentz force to act perpendicular to both the velocity with applied electromagnetic field. According to an exemplary embodiment, the target particles may be naturally charged. According to an alternative embodiment, the target particles may be charged prior to entering the field. Such charging may occur or according to various known methods, including electrostatically charging the target particles or creating ions by exposing the target particles to a chemical compound.
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According to various alternative embodiments, other conditions of the fluid within a zone surrounding the carrier fluid may be regulated. According to an exemplary embodiment, a conditioner system may include a temperature regulating device, such as a heater or air conditioner. A heater or air conditioner in fluid communication with the fluid surrounding the carrier fluid may be necessary in order to facilitate the extraction of target particles from the carrier fluid. By way of example, the temperature of the fluid surrounding the carrier fluid may be regulated in order to prevent the fluid containing target and secondary particles from changing state.
According to an alternative embodiment, the conditioner system may include an air conditioner that reduces the temperature of fluid surrounding the carrier fluid. As discussed above, the temperature of the carrier fluid under certain atmospheric conditions (e.g., low pressure, etc.) may lead to uncontrolled vaporization and cause the RF particle separator to extract both target and secondary particles. Uncontrolled vaporization may be avoided by increasing the pressure of the fluid acting on the carrier fluid. Such uncontrolled boiling may further be avoided by reducing the temperature of the fluid surrounding the carrier fluid thereby causing heat transfer from the carrier fluid into the surrounding fluid. An air conditioner or heat pump that reduces the temperature of a surrounding fluid may reduce the temperature of the carrier fluid until the uncontrolled vaporization condition (i.e. the maximum temperature of the carrier fluid before vaporization occurs at a given pressure) is no longer present.
According to an alternative embodiment, the conditioner system may include a heating element that increases the temperature of fluid surrounding the carrier fluid. An increased temperature of the surrounding fluid may increase the temperature of the carrier fluid through heat transfer from the surrounding fluid to the carrier fluid. Such an increase may be necessary in order to prevent the carrier fluid from freezing due to cold atmospheric conditions, for example. Preventing the carrier fluid from freezing provides at least the benefit of allowing bubbles to extract target particles from the carrier fluid. Should a portion of the carrier fluid freeze, bubbles will not lift target particles to the surface of the carrier fluid for separation. Separation may not be possible for at least the reason that a separator may not have physical access to the target particles due to physical separation by a frozen layer of carrier fluid. Separation may further not be possible due to frozen carrier fluid interfering with the operation of the separator in another way (i.e. preventing the movement of various components).
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According to an alternative embodiment, the dispenser may be a nozzle system capable of facilitating the transmission of a fluid substance into the carrier fluid. The dispenser may include a tank configured to store the fluid substance and a nozzle that regulates the flow of the fluid substance. The dispenser may further include a mixer that facilitates creating a solution of the fluid substance and carrier fluid. While a specific configuration is disclosed, it should be understood that the dispenser may further include various additional components configured to manipulate the substance either prior to or after the substance is introduced into the carrier fluid.
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According to an alternative embodiment, controller 97 may activate dispenser 95 in a timer mode according to a predetermined schedule. Timer mode operation may be appropriate where the conditions of fluid 30 vary predictably over time or do not substantially vary with time. Such timer mode operation provides at least the benefit of limiting the number of additional sensors or components needed to regularly activate dispenser 95. A predetermined schedule may be programmed by a user into controller 97 or may be calculated by controller 97. By way of example, a user may input a time duration of one minute into controller 97 thereby causing controller 97 to activate dispenser 95 once every minute.
According to still another alternative embodiment, controller 97 may activate dispenser 95 continuously. Such continuous operation may be necessary where the conditions of fluid 30 require a constant release of the regulating substance. By way of example, a constant release of the regulating substance may be necessary where the ambient temperature surrounding the carrier fluid is very low. As discussed above, these conditions may cause the carrier fluid to freeze and prevent effective separation of the target particles from the carrier fluid.
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According to an exemplary embodiment, the carrier fluid flows within a basin along a specified path and RF particle separator 130 moves within a current generated by the carrier fluid. According to an alternative embodiment, RF particle separator 130 further includes a driving device configured to move RF particle separator 130 within the carrier fluid. Such movement may occur along the surface of the carrier fluid or may occur within the carrier fluid. RF particle separator 130 may further include a controller configured to regulate the movement of RF particle separator 130 within the carrier fluid. Such regulated movement may include a specified path or a random pattern having specified operation parameters.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the systems and methods as shown in the exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the enclosure may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Additionally, in the subject description, the word “exemplary” is used to mean serving as an example, instance or illustration. Any embodiment or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present inventions. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Any means-plus-function clause is intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the preferred and other exemplary embodiments without departing from scope of the present disclosure or from the spirit of the appended claims.
The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a machine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.
Although the figures may show a specific order of method steps, the order of the steps may differ from what is depicted. Also two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps and decision steps.
Claims
1. A method of separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid, comprising:
- providing a housing along a surface of the fluid;
- moving the housing along the surface of the fluid with a driver; and
- applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the fluid with a generator, wherein applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing a temperature of the mineral bearing particle contained within the fluid to a boiling point of the fluid whereby the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising floating the housing along the surface of the fluid.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing the temperature of the mineral bearing particle within a region defined by an outer surface of the mineral bearing particle and extending inward to a specified skin depth.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising boiling the fluid to form a plurality of vapor bubbles within the fluid at a formation rate.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising moving the mineral bearing particle through the fluid with the plurality of vapor bubbles.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes increasing the temperature of the mineral bearing particle homogeneously.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio-frequency electromagnetic field includes a specified wave form.
8. The method of claim 1, the fluid defining a first fluid, further comprising varying a condition of a second fluid with a regulator, the second fluid disposed adjacent the first fluid.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein varying the condition of the second fluid includes at least partially surrounding the first fluid with a case of the regulator.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein varying the condition of the second fluid includes varying a pressure of the second fluid within the case with a pressure controller.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressure controller includes a piston pump.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a heating characteristic associated with the mineral bearing particle by varying a parameter of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field with a controller.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising varying the parameter of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field based on a specified target unit size for the mineral bearing particle.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the heating characteristic is a specified skin depth.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the heating characteristic is a specified thermal gradient.
16. The method of claim 12, further comprising varying the parameter of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field based on a specified target unit density for the mineral bearing particle.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the heating characteristic is a specified skin depth.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the heating characteristic is a specified thermal gradient.
19. A method for separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid, comprising:
- providing a housing;
- containing the fluid within the housing, the fluid containing the mineral bearing particle;
- applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the mineral bearing particle using a generator; and
- increasing a temperature of a portion of the mineral bearing particle with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field, wherein the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid to produce a heated fluid, the heated fluid imposing motion-inducing forces on the mineral bearing particle.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by at least one of size and density, wherein differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by at least one of size and density includes varying a field intensity of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field.
21. The method of claim 19, further comprising resistively heating the mineral bearing particle with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field to generate a specified temperature gradient.
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising heating the mineral bearing particle by magnetic hysteresis with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field to generate a specified temperature gradient.
23. The method of claim 19, further comprising dielectrically heating the mineral bearing particle with the radio-frequency electromagnetic field to generate a specified temperature gradient.
24. The method of claim 19, further comprising boiling the fluid to form a plurality of vapor bubbles within the fluid at a formation rate.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising moving the mineral bearing particle through the fluid with the plurality of vapor bubbles.
26. A method for separating a mineral bearing particle from a fluid, comprising:
- providing a housing;
- containing the fluid within the housing, the fluid containing the mineral bearing particle;
- applying a non-uniform radio-frequency field to the mineral bearing particle using a generator; and
- moving the mineral bearing particle within the fluid with a propulsion force induced by the non-uniform radio-frequency field.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising moving the mineral bearing particle at least one of laterally, vertically, and rotationally within the fluid.
28. The method of claim 26, further comprising differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by size, wherein differentially sorting the mineral bearing particle by size includes varying a field intensity of the non-uniform radio-frequency field.
29. The method of claim 26, wherein moving the mineral bearing particle includes inducing a plurality of currents within the mineral bearing particle to generate a force produced by interaction of the plurality of currents with a magnetic component of the non-uniform radio-frequency field.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein moving the mineral bearing particle includes generating a gradient in the force applied to the mineral bearing particle.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein applying the non-uniform radio-frequency field includes applying a specified wave form.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the specified wave form comprises a continuous wave having a specified frequency and a specified intensity.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the specified wave form comprises a pulsed electromagnetic field, wherein the pulsed electromagnetic field includes a gradient and a field strength.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein the specified wave form comprises a continuous electromagnetic field, wherein the continuous electromagnetic field includes a gradient and a field strength.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein applying the specified wave form includes differentially manipulating the mineral bearing particle.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 16, 2016
Publication Date: Jan 5, 2017
Applicant: Elwha LLC (Bellevue, WA)
Inventors: Michael H. Baym (Cambridge, MA), Terry Briggs (Lone Tree, CO), Clark J. Gilbert (Denver, CO), W. Daniel Hillis (Cambridge, MA), Roderick A. Hyde (Redmond, WA), Muriel Y. Ishikawa (Livermore, CA), Jordin T. Kare (San Jose, CA), Conor L. Myhrvold (Bellevue, WA), Nathan P. Myhrvold (Bellevue, WA), Tony S. Pan (Bellevue, WA), Clarence T. Tegreene (Mercer Island, WA), Charles Whitmer (North Bend, WA), Lowell L. Wood,, JR. (Bellevue, WA), Victoria Y.H. Wood (Livermore, CA)
Application Number: 15/267,951