Oxygen is a paramagnetic gas and it has relatively high magnetic susceptibility. On the contrary, nitrogen is a diamagnetic gas and it has relatively low and negative magnetic susceptibility. This results in countermagnetizing forces acting on these gases. The characteristics of oxygen separation/enrichment from atmospheric air in a capsule and air flow in a parallel-plate duct using a magnetizing force were investigated numerically. The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method was utilized to obtain distribution of oxygen concentration of air under a strong magnetic field gradient. The molecular movement was calculated by taking into account the magnetizing forces on the molecules. The computations were performed for a wide range of pressure and magnetic flux density gradient. Quantitative characteristics of oxygen separation/enrichment from atmospheric air under a strong magnetic field gradient and a parameter which governs this phenomenon are obtained from the simulation results.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Keywords:
pipe flow, magnetic field effects, Monte Carlo methods, flow separation, paramagnetic materials, diamagnetic materials, magnetic susceptibility, oxygen separation, enrichment, magnetizing force, paramagnetic gas
Topics:
Ducts, Oxygen, Pressure, Separation (Technology), Magnetic fields, Magnetic induction, Computation, Magnetic susceptibility, Simulation
1.
Feynman
,
R. P.
, 1965,
Lectures of Physics III
,
Addison–Wesly
,
Reading, MA
.
2.
Pauling
,
L.
,
Wood
,
R. E.
, and
Sturdivant
,
J. H.
, 1946, “
An Instrument for Determining of Partial Pressure of Oxygen in a Gas
,”
J. Am. Chem. Soc.
0002-7863,
68
, p.
795
.
Crossref
Search ADS
PubMed
 
3.
Kaneda
,
M.
,
Tagawa
,
T.
, and
Ozoe
,
H.
, 2002, “
Convection Induced by a Cusp-Shaped Magnetic Field for Air in a Cube Heated from Above and Cooled from Below
,”
J. Heat Transfer
0022-1481,
124
, pp.
17
–
25
.
Crossref
Search ADS
 
4.
Toshiba Co., “Separation of Materials Having Different Magnetisms, Device Therefor and Thermal Power Generating System,” JP Published patent 2000-15136,2001.
5.
Toyota Motor Co., “Gaseous Oxygen Supplying Device,” JP Published patent, 2001-221111,2001.
6.
Kittel
,
C.
, 1966,
Introduction to Solid Physics
, 3rd ed.,
Wiley
,
New York
.
7.
Dean
,
J. A.
, 1992,
Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry
, 14th ed.,
McGraw-Hill
,
New York
.
8.
Bird
,
G. A.
, 1976,
Molecular Gas Dynamics
,
Oxford University Press
,
Oxford, UK
.
9.
Bird
,
G. A.
, 1994,
Molecular Gas Dynamics and the Direct Simulation of Gas Flows
,
Oxford University Press
,
Oxford, UK
.
10.
Hewitt
,
G. F.
et al.,
International Encyclopedia of Heat & Mass Transfer
,
CRC
,
New York
.
Copyright © 2007
 by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.