Magnetic levitation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11676750-B2
Application number	US-201917279419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A magnetic levitation system is described, including a first cylinder-shaped magnet; a second cylinder-shaped magnet coaxially aligned with the first cylinder-shaped magnet; and a first cavity coaxially aligned with the first cylinder-shaped magnet; wherein the surfaces of the like-poles of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets are parallel to each other and face each other to result in a linear magnetic field between the first and the second magnets. Methods of using a magnetic levitation system for analyzing a diamagnetic or paramagnetic sample are also described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A magnetic levitation system comprising:
a first cylinder-shaped magnet;
a second cylinder-shaped magnet coaxially aligned with the first cylinder-shaped magnet;
a first cavity coaxially aligned with and formed in the first cylinder-shaped magnet; and
a container configured to hold a paramagnetic solution;
wherein the surfaces of like polarity of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets are parallel to each other and face each other to result in a linear, axially symmetric magnetic field between the first and the second magnets; and
wherein the container is at least partially disposed between the first and the second cylinder-shaped magnets.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first cavity is cylinder-shaped.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first cavity spans through the entire height of the first cylinder-shaped magnet.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the linear, axially symmetric magnetic field extends into the first cavity.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets have a different radius or height.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets have the same radius, height or both.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a second cavity formed in and coaxially aligned with the second cylinder-shaped magnet.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second cavity is cylinder-shaped.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the surfaces of like polarity of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets is d and the heights of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets are h 1 and h 2 , respectively; and the ratio of at least one of h 1 and h 2 to d is from about 0.2:1 to about 10:1.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the ratio of at least one of h 1 and h 2 to d is about 1.67:1.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein
the first cylinder-shaped magnet's inner diameter is id 1 ; and
the ratio of id 1 to d is from about 0.2:1 to about 10:1.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the ratio of id 1 to d is about 1.67:1.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein
the first cylinder-shaped magnet's outer diameter is od 1 ; and
the ratio of od 1 to d is from about 0.3:1 to about 100:1.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the ratio of od 1 to d is about 5:1.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein
the system further comprises a second cylinder-shaped cavity formed in and coaxially aligned with the second cylinder-shaped magnet;
the second cylinder-shaped magnet's inner diameter is id 2 ; and
the ratio of id 2 to d is from about 0.2:1 to about 10:1.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the ratio of id 2 to d is about 1.67:1.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein
the system further comprises a second cavity formed in and coaxially aligned with the second cylinder-shaped magnet;
the second cylinder-shaped magnet's outer diameter is od 2 ; and
the ratio of od 2 to d is from about 0.3:1 to about 100:1.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the ratio of od 2 to d is about 5:1.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first cavity is cylinder-shaped and the relationship of the first cylinder-shaped magnet's inner diameter (id 1 ):outer diameter (od 1 ):height (h 1 ):distance between the surfaces of like polarity of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets (d) is about 1.67:5:1.67:1.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the system further comprises a second cylinder-shaped cavity formed in and coaxially aligned with the second cylinder-shaped magnet; and
the relationship of the second cylinder-shaped magnet's inner diameter (id 2 ):outer diameter (od 2 ):height (h 2 ):distance between the surfaces of like polarity of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets (d) is about 1.67:5:1.67:1.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises an inlet configured to allow adding or removing the paramagnetic solution or a paramagnetic or diamagnetic sample.

22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises two ends, at least one of which extends into or through the first cavity.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein
the system further comprises a second cavity formed in and coaxially aligned with the second cylinder-shaped magnet; and
the other end of the container's two ends extends into or through the second cylinder-shaped cavity.

24. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is a cuvette.

25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic solution comprises an aqueous solution of a paramagnetic compound.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the paramagnetic compound is selected from the group consisting of MnCl 2 , MnBr 2 , CuSO 4 , GdCl 3 , DyCl 3 , HoCl 3 , a Gd chelated compound, and a combination thereof.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the Gd chelated compound is gadolinium (III) diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid.

28. The system of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic solution comprises a MnCl 2 aqueous solution.

29. The system of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic solution comprises a hydrophobic paramagnetic solution or a paramagnetic ionic liquid.

30. The system of claim 1 , wherein the maximal magnetic field along the common axis of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets is from about 0.20 T to about 0.05 T.

31. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets are NdFeB magnets.

32. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system optionally comprises a second cylinder-shaped cavity spanning through the entire height of the second cylinder-shaped magnet and coaxially aligned with the second cylinder-shaped magnet; and the first or second cylinder-shaped magnet's inner diameter is from about 15 mm to about 40 mm.

33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the first or second cylinder-shaped magnet's inner diameter is about 25 mm.

34. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system optionally comprises a second cylinder-shaped cavity spanning through the entire height of the second cylinder-shaped magnet and coaxially aligned with the second cylinder-shaped magnet; and the first or second cylinder-shaped magnet's outer diameter is from about 50 mm to about 100 mm.

35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the first or second cylinder-shaped magnet's outer diameter is about 76 mm.

36. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first or second cylinder-shaped magnet's height is from about 15 mm to about 50 mm.

37. The system of claim 36 , wherein the first or second cylinder-shaped magnet's height is about 25 mm.

38. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the surfaces of like polarity of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets is from about 5 mm to about 50 mm.

39. The system of claim 38 , wherein the distance between the surfaces of like polarity of the first and second cylinder-shaped magnets is about 15 mm.

40. A method of analyzing a diamagnetic or paramagnetic sample, comprising:
providing the system of claim 1 ;
adding a paramagnetic solution and a diamagnetic or paramagnetic sample, either separately or together, into the container; and
allowing the diamagnetic or paramagnetic s

Assignees

• Harvard College

Inventors

• Ge Shencheng
• Whitesides George M

Classifications

• H01F7/0278

  for generating uniform fields, focusing, deflecting electrically charged particles (for magnetic separation by Lorentz force B03C1/023; specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/383) · CPC title

• H01F7/0236 Primary

  Magnetic suspension or levitation (for vehicles B60L13/04; magnetic bearings F16C39/063) · CPC title

• H02N15/00

  Holding or levitation devices using magnetic attraction or repulsion, not otherwise provided for (electric or magnetic devices for holding work on machine tools B23Q3/15 {; monorail vehicle propulsion or suspension B60L13/00}; sliding or levitation devices for railway systems B61B13/08; material handling devices associated with conveyors incorporating devices with electrostatic or magnetic grippers B65G47/92; separating thin or filamentary articles from piles using magnetic force B65H3/16; delivering thin or filamentary articles from magnetic holders by air blast or suction B65H29/24; bearings using magnetic or electric supporting means F16C32/04; relieving bearing loads using magnetic means F16C39/06; magnets H01F7/00; dynamo-electric clutches or brakes H02K49/00 {; electric furnaces with simultaneous levitation and heating H05B6/32}) · CPC title

• G01R33/1261

  using levitation techniques · CPC title

• G01N9/12

  by observing the depth of immersion of the bodies, e.g. hydrometers · CPC title