Systems For Extracting Oxygen From A Fluid

Abstract

A system for extracting oxygen from a fluid includes a separator allowing a fluid to pass lengthwise through the separator to produce a mixture with the fluid having at least a portion of oxygen removed from the fluid. The separator includes a wall surrounding an interior portion of a tube. The wall has at least one aperture formed in the wall. The separator also includes at least one magnet positioned adjacently to the at least one aperture. The magnet has a north pole end and a south pole end. A magnetic field gradient is formed between the north pole end and the south pole end, and extends into an interior portion of the tube. The system also includes a storage tank fluidly coupled to the at least one aperture for storing the at least a portion of the oxygen removed from the fluid via the separator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for extracting oxygen from a fluid, the system comprising:
 a separator configured to: allow a fluid to pass lengthwise through the separator, and produce a mixture comprising the fluid having at least a portion of oxygen removed from the fluid, the separator comprising:
 a tube having a wall surrounding an interior portion of the tube, the wall having at least one aperture formed in the wall; and 
 at least one magnet positioned sufficiently with respect to the wall to form a magnetic field gradient extending into the interior of the tube. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is configured to form the magnetic field gradient as a 10 Tesla/meter magnetic field gradient. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a 1 Tesla magnet. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a feedback system coupled in flow communication with the separator and configured to supply the mixture back to an input of the separator upstream of the at least one aperture to facilitate removal of an additional amount of oxygen from the mixture. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a storage tank coupled in flow communication with the at least one aperture and configured to store the at least a portion of oxygen removed from the fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a compressor coupled in flow communication with the separator upstream of the at least one aperture, the compressor configured to compress the fluid from a gaseous state into a liquid state prior to the fluid passing through the separator. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the fluid includes atmospheric air, and wherein the compressor is further configured to compress the atmospheric air into liquid air. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a dehumidifier coupled in flow communication with separator upstream of the at least one aperture, the dehumidifier configured to remove water vapor from the fluid in a gaseous state prior to the fluid passing through the separator. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises at least one permanent magnet. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an expander coupled in flow communication with the separator downstream of the at least one aperture, the expander configured to expand the mixture in a liquid state to a gaseous state. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the wall includes a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions forming a cross-sectional “X” shape. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first portion of the wall includes a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions forming a cross-sectional “X” shape; and   a second portion of the wall includes a circular cross-sectional shape.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is further positioned adjacently the at least one aperture to form the magnetic field gradient extending into the interior of the tube. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet has a north pole and a south pole, and wherein the at least one magnet is further positioned sufficiently with respect to the wall to form the magnetic field gradient between the north and south poles of the at least one magnet. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the separator is further configured to allow the fluid to pass lengthwise through the separator with the fluid being air in a liquid state. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the separator is further configured to produce the mixture comprising the air in the liquid state having the at least a portion of oxygen removed therefrom. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the separator is further configured to allow the fluid to pass lengthwise through the separator with the fluid being air in a gaseous state. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the separator is further configured to produce the mixture comprising the air in the gaseous state having the at least a portion of oxygen removed therefrom. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises:
 a first magnet positioned adjacently to the at least one aperture to form a north pole; and   a second magnet positioned adjacently to the at least one aperture to form a south pole.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , the magnetic field gradient extending into the interior of the tube being formed between the north pole of the first magnet and the south pole of the second magnet.