Technical Field

Mixing of the fluids, static mixer, mixing of the fluids with different viscosity Technical problem

Existing static mixers do not ensure sufficient mixing with reasonable pressure difference (pressure losses).

Status on the area

In the literature exists a lot of documents, which report about different aspects of the industrial fluid mixing. It is known, that the basic principle of the static mixing at least two different components requires as much s possible sufficient merging of both, originally separated flows and towards the flow trough diverse plates, mix them in order to mix their layers as much as possible. It is important, that the product homogeneous is and that as much as possible low energy has been used for this (quality and efficiency). Another aspect is to ensure also simple production and assembling of the product, which results in low overall production costs.

Several patents which describe such a principle date even in year 1962 and 1965.

It is to mention the patent U.S. Pat. No. 03051453 (1962) where a static mixer with quadratic cross section is described. Here in a liner way the mixing elements are shifted to each other (Y mixing plates). These mixing elements are geometrically conical and triangular plate bodies, which form with its counter and 90deg rotated elements the mixing domain where the components are guided trough. Furthermore shows patent U.S. Pat. No. 03190618 (1965), slanting positioned mixing elements.

Patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,927 (1972) describes a mixer with guided plates, U.S. Pat. No 4,043,539. (1977) represents a mixer with a longitudinal separated flows, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,671 (1980, Gilmore) - a mixing with the flow rotation, U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,673 (1982, Speer) - a mixer with two mirrored labyrinths, U.S. Pat. No 4,408,892 (1983, Combes, et al.) - a rnixing with dividing the flow in a several parallel sub-flows, U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,579 (1984, McCallum) - with a description of basic mixing elements of the static mixer and finally U.S. Pat. No 4,848,920 (1989, Heathe, et al) with a series of angular shifted mixing elements.

Description of the new solution

Static mixer with asymmetric positioning of mixing elements solves technical problem according to invention with appropriate shape and shifting of mixing elements of the static mixer.

Static mixer comprises of the flow channel where mixing elements are positioned. Chanel can have different shapes however preferably it has quadratic cross section, but can be also quadrilateral or circular. Mixing elements are positioned one after another in at least one line, but can be positioned also in more lines.

Main point of the invention is that the mixing elements are shifted to each other and form a sharp edge according to the mixing flow.

In the special embodiment the stabilizers are added to the mixing elements, and they are oriented perpendicular to the mixing elements.

In the next sections the main point of the invention is in addition explained with the figures, whereby the same figures serve as an integral part of the patent application and are herewith included by reference. Figure 1 shows the cross section along the mixer with the mixing element 1 , housing 2 and indicated angle ofme mixing elements.

Figure 2 shows view of the mixer with mixing elements 1, left line of the mixing elements 11, right line of the mixing elements 12, upper line of the mixing elements 13, lower line of the mixing elements 14 and the housing 2.

Figure 3 shows cut along the mixer with mixing elements 1 and stabilizers 4.

Figure 4 shows view of the mixer with the bottom plate 16, deflection plate 17 and stabilizer section 4.

Figure 5 shows cross section along the mixer with bottom plate 16 and stabilizer 4.

Figure 6 shows view of the mixer with the stabilizer 4, phase delay 5, bottom plate 16 and added deflection plate 18.

Figure 7 shows a view of the mixer with stabilizer 4, phase delay 6, bottom part 16 and added deflection plate 18

Figure 8 shows a view of the mixer with stabilizer 4, bottom plate 6, deflection section 17 and additional deflection section 19.

Mixer has in the cross section essentially rectangular mixing elements 1, which are shifted to each other and form an angle 3 against the main flow direction with the deflection section 17, preferably this is a sharp edge, in special version between 60° and 70°, preferably 66°. Mixing elements comprise of bottom plate 16, deflection section 17 and stabilizers 4. Mixing elements are fixed on inlet and outlet side onto bottom plate 16 and stabilizers 4. Bottom plate (inlet) 6 of the mixing element is in fact perpendicular , but has conical profiled shape; stabilizer part (outlet) 4 is in special version due to slanting position of the deflection section 17 on his face side in upper and lower part shifted back, preferably between 20° and 30°, furthermore preferably 24 ^° . This reduces the pressure losses of the mixer.

In the current variant all mixing elements of the mixer have in fact the same size with exception of the first element and on the places of the phase delays, which are build in the mixer according to the need.

In the special embodiment the mixer has at least one phase delay, preferably five, with the purpose to introduce a irregularity in the equal distribution of the flow layers for both mixing components. Both flows are due to the shorter path adjusted on the non- typical way, where the mixing process is locally significantly improved.

In the special embodiment the mixing element's inlet side of the deflection section 17 is higher as on outlet side, preferably between 10% and 20% higher, most preferably 16% higher.

Inlet lower part 16 and outlet stabilizer 4 of the previous element are overlapping each other preferably between 10% and 20%, most preferably for 13% of the length of the inlet lower part 16. This means that connecting elements are not necessary.

The length of the mixing element is bigger than its width, preferably between 10% and 20%, most preferably for 14% bigger than mixer's cross-section height and in the same way it is smaller than its width in cross-section preferably between 10% and 20%, most preferably for 17% smaller than its width in cross-section.

Net height of the mixing element in cross-section is shorter than his width in cross- section preferably for 20% to 30%, most preferably for 28% shorter than its width in cross-section.

In special embodiment the mixer has 22 mixing elements, 5 out of them are non-typical phase delays, which introduce the disturbance in the flow of both fluid components. There are two types of the phase delays introduced - 5 and 6, where an irregular change of the fluid layers is done on purpose in different way as before (towards the fluid flow).

Structural change (phase delay) of the flow 5 has in order to improve the mixing effect an additional deflection part 18, which has the same inclination angle and is shifted for another length from the outlet stabilizer 4. Here the inlet lower part 16 of the next element is skipped.

Structural change 6 (phase delay) for improving mixing effect includes an additional short deflection plate 19, which has in fact the same inclination angle as the main deflection part 17. Inlet lower part 16 of the next mixing element is here not abolished.

In case of both structural changes there is in the flow direction a whole cross-section area covered (both main deflection parts 17 and additional deflection parts 18 and 19 cover the whole cross-section area of the mixer).

Benefits of the mixing according to the invention:

Due to the inclination of the mixing elements the efficiency of the mixer is improved. Pressure losses are decreased especially for viscous fluids. According to this the mixer is especially appropriate for mixing the fluids of higher viscosity like for instance glues.