Simultaneous source-sink flow, or radial counterflow, is driven by a
centrifugal pump disposed within a casing. Radially outward source flow of brine goes into a shrouding tank and concentrates while a radially inward sink flow of
fresh water flows back over the pump to axial extraction. An axial pump drives sink flow and axial extraction.Convergent sink flow passes under an
inductor to an axial exhaust port. Induced
viscosity and inductive repulsion hinder the passage of brine in sink flow, so only
fresh water can reach the axial exhaust port.
Crystallization of scale-forming salts is aided by
Joule heating from the
inductor.
Solvent and gases are continuously axially extracted in sink flow, favoring
crystallization.
Sodium chloride is cooled and crystallized in the shrouding tank. Brine comprising other salts flows out of the tank to treatment by suitable means. Thus brine is separated into
fresh water, crystallized salt, and concentrated brine. Oil also is separated from brine.
Metal recovery is another application, using the teacup effect, inductive repulsion, and grooved runners on the
centrifugal pump to separate metals from light solids and water.Tiny
centrifugal separation effects of innumerable turbulent eddy vortices are integrated by the forcing regime of the
centrifugal pump and the axial pump. A coherent network of organized low pressure gradients along capillary and arterial vortices gives bulk
porosity so that sink flow can go through source flow. In an embodiment comprising counter-rotating impellers in the centrifugal pump, radial vortices provide arterial conduits for sink flow of fresh water and gases to axial extraction.