A method and apparatus for pumping a liquid

Abstract

Embodiments relate to an electromagnetic, or electric, pump for pumping and/or transporting a liquid. Embodiments impart motion to a liquid, so as to stir, mix, circulate, or otherwise move the liquid. Embodiments transport water. The liquids can be conducting or non-conducting. Embodiments pump liquids in pipes. Embodiments utilize a shockwave effect, a magneto hydrodynamic effect, and/or an electrohydrodynamic effect to push the liquid. Embodiments operate with no mechanically moving parts, increasing the reliability of the pump. Embodiments of the electromagnetic (or electric) lifting, or pumping, device are thin such that the electrodes that create the pumping are installed inside the piping of the pump, reducing, or eliminating, sealing/leakage problems. Embodiments create one or more sparks, and/or filament discharges, triggered between one or more pairs of electrodes positioned such that a liquid is between the electrodes of the electrode pair, where the spark, or filament discharge, creates a plasma.

1 . A device for pushing a liquid, comprising:
 at least one pair of electrodes,   wherein each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes comprises a corresponding first electrode of a corresponding at least one first electrode and a corresponding second electrode of a corresponding at least one second electrode; and   an electric charge source,   wherein the electric charge source is controllably electrically connected to the at least one pair of electrodes such that when the electric charge source is electrically connected to the at least one pair of electrodes when the at least one pair of electrodes are in contact with a liquid positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode of each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes, a corresponding at least one spark is produced across the at least one pair of electrodes,   wherein each spark of the at least one spark vaporizes a corresponding portion of the liquid of a corresponding at least one portion of the liquid, so as to produce a corresponding at least one shockwave,   wherein the at least one shockwave pushes the liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises:
 a structure,   wherein the structure holds a volume of the liquid,   wherein the at least one pair of electrodes is positioned with respect to the structure such that the at least one pair of electrodes are in contact with the liquid positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode of each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes.   
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the structure is a tube,   wherein the at least one shockwave pushes the liquid such that some of the liquid is transported from a first portion of the pipe to a second portion of the pipe.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electric charge source is electrically connected to the at least one pair of electrodes in accordance with a duty cycle such that a repetition of sparks is produced across each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes.   
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electric charge source provides a voltage in the range 1 kV to 100 kV.   
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the tube has a cross-sectional area in the range 6 cm 2  to 400 cm 2 .   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the voltage is pulsed with pulses having a duration in the range 1 ms to 10 ms.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the structure has a plurality of segments,   wherein adjacent segments of the plurality of segments are separated by a corresponding one-way valve such that the fluid is pushed through the corresponding one-way valve in a corresponding first direction and flow of the fluid is prevented or at least partially restricted in a corresponding second direction through the one-way valve.   
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein each segment of the plurality of segments has a height in the range 1 m to 30 m, wherein height is measured in a direction of flow of the fluid within the corresponding segment.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the device is a pump, wherein when the pump is oriented in a first orientation the pump pumps the liquid up from a first vertical position to a second vertical position, wherein the second vertical position is higher than the first vertical position.   
     
     
         11 . A device for pushing a liquid, comprising:
 at least one pair of electrodes,   wherein each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes comprises a corresponding first electrode of a corresponding at least one first electrode and a corresponding second electrode of a corresponding at least one second electrode;   a magnetic field source, wherein the magnetic field source produces a magnetic field; and   an electric charge source,   wherein the electric charge source is controllably electrically connected to the at least one pair of electrodes such that when the electric charge source is electrically connected to the at least one pair of electrodes when the at least one pair of electrodes are in contact with a liquid positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode of each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes, a corresponding at least one discharge current is produced across the at least one pair of electrodes such that each discharge current of the at least one discharge current has a corresponding component that is perpendicular to the magnetic field,   wherein each discharge current of the at least one discharge current creates charged particles that move in the magnetic field such that the magnetic field imparts a corresponding at least one Lorentz force on the charged particles,   wherein the at least one Lorentz force imparted on the charged particles pushes the liquid.   
     
     
         12 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A device for pushing a liquid, comprising:
 at least one pair of electrodes,   wherein each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes comprises a corresponding first electrode of a corresponding at least one first electrode and a corresponding second electrode of a corresponding at least one second electrode; and   an electric charge source,   wherein the electric charge source is controllably electrically connected to the at least one pair of electrodes such that when the electric charge source is electrically connected to the at least one pair of electrodes when the at least one pair of electrodes are in contact with a liquid positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode of each pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes,
 (i) a corresponding at least one spark or a corresponding at least one filament discharge is produced across the at least one pair of electrodes, 
 (ii) each spark of the at least one spark or each filament discharge of the at least one filament discharge creates a corresponding plasma of a corresponding at least one plasma, and 
 (iii) a corresponding at least one electrohydrodynamic force is produced, wherein the at least one electrohydrodynamic force pushes the liquid. 
   
     
     
         22 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein energy from the at least one spark heats the liquid, such that the at least one portion of the liquid is vaporized,   wherein vaporization of the at least one portion of the liquid creates a corresponding at least one vapor bubble that creates a corresponding at least one acoustic wave,   wherein the at least one acoustic wave is the at least one shockwave.   
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second at least one pair of electrodes,   wherein each pair of electrodes of the second at least one pair of electrodes comprises a corresponding first electrode of a corresponding at least one first electrode and a corresponding second electrode of a corresponding at least one second electrode; and   a second electric charge source,   wherein the second electric charge source is controllably electrically connected to the second at least one pair of electrodes such that when the second electric charge source is electrically connected to the second at least one pair of electrodes when the second at least one pair of electrodes are in contact with the liquid positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode of each pair of electrodes of the second at least one pair of electrodes,
 (i) a corresponding second at least one spark or a corresponding second at least one filament discharge is produced across the second at least one pair of electrodes, 
 (ii) each spark of the second at least one spark or each filament discharge of the second at least one filament discharge creates a corresponding plasma of a corresponding at least one plasma, and 
 (iii) a corresponding second at least one electrohydrodynamic force is produced, wherein the second at least one electrohydrodynamic force pushes the liquid. 
   
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 32 ,
 wherein the second at least one spark or of the second at least one filament discharge creates ionized particles,   wherein the at least one electrohydrodynamic force is caused by the ionized particles being pushed by a corresponding at least one electric field created by the second electric charge source being electrically connected to the second at least one pair of electrodes.   
     
     
         34 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second at least one pair of electrodes,   wherein each pair of electrodes of the second at least one pair of electrodes comprises a corresponding first electrode of a corresponding at least one first electrode and a corresponding second electrode of a corresponding at least one second electrode;   a magnetic field source,   wherein the magnetic field source produces a magnetic field; and   a second electric charge source,   wherein the second electric charge source is controllably electrically connected to the second at least one pair of electrodes such that when the second electric charge source is electrically connected to the second at least one pair of electrodes when the second at least one pair of electrodes are in contact with the liquid positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode of each pair of electrodes of the second at least one pair of electrodes, a corresponding at least one discharge current is produced across the second at least one pair of electrodes such that each discharge current of the at least one discharge current has a corresponding component that is perpendicular to the magnetic field,   wherein the at least one discharge current creates charged particles that move in the magnetic field such that the magnetic field imparts a corresponding at least one Lorentz force on the charged particles,   wherein the at least one Lorentz force imparted on the charged particles pushes the liquid.   
     
     
         35 . The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least one shockwave stirs, mixes, and/or circulates the liquid.   
     
     
         36 . The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the structure comprises a paraboloid portion,   wherein a first pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes is positioned at a focus point of the paraboloid portion.   
     
     
         37 . The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the structure comprises a parabolic reflector,   wherein a first pair of electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes is positioned in a concave portion of the parabolic reflector.   
     
     
         38 . The device according to  claim 37 ,
 wherein the structure further comprises a guide section,   wherein liquid reflected by the parabolic reflector is guided by the guide section.