Single-molecule systems

Abstract

A system comprising elements that interact with individual molecules so as to generate and sustain a flow from those molecules. Preferably, the elements include an enclosure defined by physical, mathematical, or statistical boundaries, and the elements include components that move rotationally within said enclosure.

1 . A system comprising elements that interact with individual molecules so as to generate and sustain a flow from those molecules.  
     
     
         2 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said elements include an enclosure.  
     
     
         3 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein said enclosure is defined by physical, mathematical, or statistical boundaries.  
     
     
         4 . A system as in  claim 3 , wherein said elements include components that move rotationally to define said enclosure.  
     
     
         5 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said flow is bulk molecular flow.  
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 5 , wherein said bulk molecular flow generates bulk fluid flow.  
     
     
         7 . A system as in  claim 6 , wherein said molecules are in a state of free molecular flow before interacting with said elements, and wherein momentum is transferred from said bulk molecular flow to a working fluid whereby said bulk fluid flow is generated.  
     
     
         8 . A system as in  claim 6 , wherein said molecules are in a state of free molecular flow before interacting with said elements, and wherein kinetic energy is transferred from said bulk molecular flow to a working fluid whereby bulk fluid flow is generated.  
     
     
         9 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said elements or wherein other elements transfer physical quantities to or from said individual molecules.  
     
     
         10 . A system as in  claim 9 , wherein said physical quantities comprise one or more of momentum, kinetic energy, heat energy, photonic energy, mass, charge, electric state, magnetic state, entropy, electromagnetic field strength, radioactivity, data, information, and knowledge.  
     
     
         11 . A system as in claim  1 o, wherein said kinetic energy is in the form of thermal translational motion, intermolecular vibration, or molecular rotation.  
     
     
         12 . A system as in  claim 9 , wherein said molecules are in a working fluid; and 
 wherein said transfer of physical quantities occurs as a result of thermal translational motion of said molecules, said thermal translational motion causing collisions between said molecules and said elements that transfer physical quantities.    
     
     
         13 . A system as in  claim 9 , wherein said molecules further transfer physical quantities through collisions with said molecules' surroundings.  
     
     
         14 . A system as in  claim 9 , wherein said molecules further transfer Physical quantities through collisions with other molecules.  
     
     
         15 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said elements that interact with individual molecules are arranged in a macroscopic device.  
     
     
         16 . A system as in  claim 15 , wherein said macroscopic device is a heteroscopic turbine.  
     
     
         17 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said elements further comprise at least two opposing substrate surfaces that exhibit rotational translational motion within a range of said molecules' thermal velocity.  
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 17 , wherein said opposing substrate surfaces are blades.  
     
     
         19 . A system as in  claim 17 , wherein a length of said blades is within a range of a mean free path of said molecules.  
     
     
         20 . A system as in  claim 17 , wherein a distance between adjacent ones of said blades is within a range of a mean free path of said molecules.  
     
     
         21 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said elements select or sort said molecules on a basis of one or more of direction, speed, amplitude of thermal translational motion, velocity, mass, degrees of freedom, common properties and quantities, and species.  
     
     
         22 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said elements of carry waste heat from a device, and wherein waste heat is transferred to said molecules in said flow so as to cool said device.  
     
     
         23 . A system as in  claim 22 , wherein said molecules with said waste heat interacts with other elements of said system, said other elements including rotational elements that convert said waste heat into rotational motion, thereby cooling said molecules and driving said rotational motion.  
     
     
         24 . A system as in  claim 23 , wherein as a result of driving said rotational motion, said molecules are cooled sufficient to mask a thermal profile for said system.  
     
     
         25 . A system as in  claim 23 , wherein said rotational elements drive a generator.  
     
     
         26 . A system as in  claim 25 , wherein said generator is used to charge a battery for said device.  
     
     
         27 . A system as in  claim 22 , wherein said elements are driven by said waste heat to provide reaction energy for a chemical reaction.  
     
     
         28 . A system as in  claim 22 , wherein said elements include an enclosure defined by physical, mathematical, or statistical boundaries, and wherein a chemical reaction involving said molecules occurs within said enclosure.  
     
     
         29 . A system as in  claim 28 , wherein said chemical reaction involves a physical chemistry process.  
     
     
         30 . A system as in  claim 29 , wherein said physical chemistry process involves interaction with said enclosure.  
     
     
         31 . A system as in  claim 29 , wherein said physical chemistry process involves molecules in said flow.  
     
     
         32 . A system as in  claim 29 , wherein said elements includes a heteroscopic turbine, and wherein reaction energy for said physical chemistry process is governed by a speed of said heteroscopic turbine.  
     
     
         33 . A system as in  claim 28 , wherein said elements select or sort said molecules on a basis of one or more of direction, speed, amplitude of thermal translational motion, velocity, mass, degrees of freedom, common properties and quantities, and species; and 
 wherein said chemical reaction involves said molecules after selection or sorting.    
     
     
         34 . A system as in  claim 33 , wherein a speed or frequency of said chemical reaction is governed by a rate of said selection or sorting.  
     
     
         35 . A system as in  claim 28 , wherein said molecules are of a monatomic or polyatomic gas.  
     
     
         36 . (canceled)  
     
     
         37 . A method comprising the step of interacting with individual molecules so as to generate and sustain a flow from those molecules.  
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said elements include an enclosure.  
     
     
         39 . A method as in  claim 38 , wherein said enclosure is defined by physical, mathematical, or statistical boundaries.  
     
     
         40 . A method as in  claim 39 , wherein said elements include components that move rotationally to define said enclosure.  
     
     
         41 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said flow is bulk molecular flow.  
     
     
         42 . A method as in  claim 41 , wherein said bulk molecular flow generates bulk fluid flow.  
     
     
         43 . A method as in  claim 42 , wherein said molecules are in a state of free molecular flow before interacting with said elements, and wherein momentum is transferred from said bulk molecular flow to a working fluid whereby said bulk fluid flow is generated.  
     
     
         44 . A method as in  claim 42 , wherein said molecules are in a state of free molecular flow before interacting with said elements, and wherein kinetic energy is transferred from said bulk molecular flow to a working fluid whereby bulk fluid flow is generated.  
     
     
         45 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said elements or wherein other elements transfer physical quantities to or from said individual molecules.  
     
     
         46 . A method as in  claim 45 , wherein said physical quantities comprise one or more of momentum, kinetic energy, heat energy, photonic energy, mass, charge, electric state, magnetic state, entropy, electromagnetic field strength, radioactivity, data, information, and knowledge.  
     
     
         47 . A method as in  claim 46 , wherein said kinetic energy is in the form of thermal translational motion, intermolecular vibration, or molecular rotation.  
     
     
         48 . A method as in  claim 45 , wherein said molecules are in a working fluid; and 
 wherein said transfer of physical quantities occurs as a result of thermal translational motion of said molecules, said thermal translational motion causing collisions between said molecules and said elements that transfer physical quantities.    
     
     
         49 . A method as in  claim 45 , wherein said molecules further transfer physical quantities through collisions with said molecules' surroundings.  
     
     
         50 . A method as in  claim 45 , wherein said molecules further transfer physical quantities through collisions with other molecules.  
     
     
         51 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said elements that interact with individual molecules are arranged in a macroscopic device.  
     
     
         52 . A method as in  claim 51 , wherein said macroscopic device is a heteroscopic turbine.  
     
     
         53 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said elements further comprise at least two opposing substrate surfaces that exhibit rotational translational motion within a range of said molecules' thermal velocity.  
     
     
         54 . A method as in  claim 53 , wherein said opposing substrate surfaces are blades.  
     
     
         55 . A method as in  claim 54 , wherein a length of said blades is within a range of a mean free path of said molecules.  
     
     
         56 . A method as in  claim 54 , wherein a distance between adjacent ones of said blades is within a range of a mean free path of said molecules.  
     
     
         57 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said elements select or sort said molecules on a basis of one or more of direction, speed, amplitude of thermal translational motion, velocity, mass, degrees of freedom, common properties and quantities, and species.  
     
     
         58 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein at least some of said elements of carry waste heat from a device, and wherein waste heat is transferred to said molecules in said flow so as to cool said device.  
     
     
         59 . A method as in  claim 58 , wherein said molecules with said waste heat interacts with other elements of said method, said other elements including rotational elements that convert said waste heat into rotational motion, thereby cooling said molecules and driving said rotational motion.  
     
     
         60 . A method as in  claim 59 , wherein as a result of driving said rotational motion, said molecules are cooled sufficient to mask a thermal profile for said method.  
     
     
         61 . A method as in  claim 59 , wherein said rotational elements drive a generator.  
     
     
         62 . A method as in  claim 61 , wherein said generator is used to charge a battery for said device.  
     
     
         63 . A method as in  claim 58 , wherein said elements are driven by said waste heat to provide reaction energy for a chemical reaction.  
     
     
         64 . A method as in  claim 58 , wherein said elements include an enclosure defined by physical, mathematical, or statistical boundaries, and wherein a chemical reaction involving said molecules occurs within said enclosure.  
     
     
         65 . A method as in  claim 64 , wherein said chemical reaction involves a physical chemistry process.  
     
     
         66 . A method as in  claim 65 , wherein said physical chemistry process involves interaction with said enclosure.  
     
     
         67 . A method as in  claim 65 , wherein said physical chemistry process involves molecules in said flow.  
     
     
         68 . A method as in  claim 65 , wherein said elements includes a heteroscopic turbine, and wherein reaction energy for said physical chemistry process is governed by a speed of said heteroscopic turbine.  
     
     
         69 . A method as in  claim 64 , wherein said elements select or sort said molecules on a basis of one or more of direction, speed, amplitude of thermal translational motion, velocity, mass, degrees of freedom, common properties and quantities, and species; and 
 wherein said chemical reaction involves said molecules after selection or sorting.    
     
     
         70 . A method as in  claim 69 , wherein a speed or frequency of said chemical reaction is governed by a rate of said selection or sorting.  
     
     
         71 . A method as in  claim 64 , wherein said molecules are of a monatomic or polyatomic gas.