Fluid injector and mixer apparatus

• US 20050133615A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABC Technologies Inc. (SAS Institute Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bowles Fluidics Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Romack, Alan S., Gopalan, Shridhar, Martin, Shawn
• Granted Patent: US 7,357,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/88
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2323 by circulating the flow in guiding constructions or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/237613 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/312 with Venturi elements; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/31241 the main flow being injected in the circumferential area of the venturi, creating an aspiration in the central part of the conduit

Abstract

An improved injector which mixes a secondary fluid into a carrier fluid stream has (a) a body for directing the flow of the carrier fluid, this body having an internal wall forming a flow passage therethrough, a central axis, an inlet, an outlet, and a port for receiving the secondary fluid that is mixed with the carrier fluid, (b) a ramp-like restriction portion which is located downstream of the body'"'"'s inlet and upstream of the secondary fluid port and configured so as to decrease the effective cross-sectional area of the flow passage in the direction of the flow of the carrier fluid, (c) a ramp-like expansion portion which is located downstream of the secondary fluid port and upstream of the body'"'"'s outlet and configured so as to increase the effective cross-sectional area of the flow passage in the direction of the flow of the carrier fluid, (d) a throat portion which is situated between the restriction and expansion portions, and (e) a cavity in the throat that extends from its internal wall and into the body, with the port entering the flow passage at a location in the throat cavity, and wherein this cavity is configured so to promote a vortical flow of the secondary fluid in the cavity.

Claims

1. A fluid injector having improved fluid mixing capabilities, said injector comprising:

a body for directing the flow of a carrier fluid, said body having an internal wall forming a flow passage therethrough, said flow passage having a central axis, an inlet, an outlet, and a port for receiving a secondary fluid that is mixed with said carrier fluid,

a ramp-like restriction portion in said flow passage, said restriction located downstream of said inlet and upstream of said port and configured so as to decrease the effective cross-sectional area of said flow passage in the direction of the flow of said carrier fluid,

a ramp-like expansion portion in said flow passage, said expansion located downstream of said port and upstream of said outlet and configured so as to increase the effective cross-sectional area of said flow passage in the direction of the flow of said carrier fluid,

a throat portion in said flow passage, said throat situated between said restriction and expansion portions, said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of said passage inlet,

said throat having a cavity that extends from the internal wall of said throat into said body,

wherein said port enters said flow passage at a location in said throat cavity, and

wherein said cavity configured so to allow for a vortical flow of said secondary fluid in said cavity.

2. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said restriction and expansion portions configured so as to provide for a specified pressure loss of said carrier fluid in flowing through said injector.

3. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said restriction portion sloping with respect to the inlet portion of said passage internal wall at an angle in the range of 25-35 degrees.

4. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said expansion portion sloping with respect to the outlet portion of said passage internal wall at an angle in the range of 2-8 degrees.

5. The fluid injector as recited in claim 3, wherein:

said expansion portion sloping with respect to the outlet portion of said passage internal wall at an angle in the range of 2-8 degrees.

6. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is in the range of 28-72 percent of said cross-sectional area of said passage inlet.

7. The fluid injector as recited in claim 3, wherein:

said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is in the range of 28-72 percent of said cross-sectional area of said passage inlet.

8. The fluid injector as recited in claim 4, wherein:

said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is in the range of 28-72 percent of said cross-sectional area of said passage inlet.

9. A method for injecting a secondary fluid into a carrier fluid that flows through a body that directs the flow of said carrier fluid, said body having an internal wall forming a flow passage therethrough, said flow passage having a central axis, an inlet, an outlet, and a port for receiving said secondary fluid that is mixed with said carrier fluid, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a ramp-like restriction portion in said flow passage, said restriction located downstream of said inlet and upstream of said port and configured so as to decrease the effective cross-sectional area of said flow passage in the direction of the flow of said carrier fluid,

providing a ramp-like expansion portion in said flow passage, said expansion located downstream of said port and upstream of said outlet and configured so as to increase the effective cross-sectional area of said flow passage in the direction of the flow of said carrier fluid,

providing a throat portion in said flow passage, said throat situated between said restriction and expansion portions, said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of said passage inlet,

providing said throat with a cavity that extends from the internal wall of said throat into said body,

wherein said port enters said flow passage at a location in said throat cavity, and

wherein said cavity configured so to allow for a vortical flow of said secondary fluid in said cavity.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

wherein said restriction and expansion portions configured so as to provide for a specified pressure loss of said carrier fluid in flowing through said injector.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

said restriction portion sloping with respect to the inlet portion of said passage internal wall at an angle in the range of 25-35 degrees.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

said expansion portion sloping with respect to the outlet portion of said passage internal wall at an angle in the range of 2-8 degrees.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein:

said expansion portion sloping with respect to the outlet portion of said passage internal wall at an angle in the range of 2-8 degrees.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is in the range of 28-72 percent of said cross-sectional area of said passage inlet.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein:

said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is in the range of 28-72 percent of said cross-sectional area of said passage inlet.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein:

said throat portion having a cross-sectional area that is in the range of 28-72 percent of said cross-sectional area of said passage inlet.