Static mixer

• US 6,599,008 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sulzer MixPac AG (Sulzer AG)
• Original Assignee: Sulzer Chemtech AG (Sulzer AG)
• Inventors: Heusser, Rolf, Fleischli, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooley, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US09/771,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20010015936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 366/181.5, 366/336, 366/337, 366/340, 138/37, 138/39, 138/40, 138/42, 481/894, 222/145.6
• US Class Current: 366/337
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/2305 Mixers of the two-component package type, i.e. where at least two components are separately stored, and are mixed in the moment of application
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/47 involving high-viscosity liquids, e.g. asphalt
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4321 the subflows consisting of at least two flat layers which are recombined, e.g. using means having restriction or expansion zones
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held

Abstract

A static mixer includes a plurality of mixing chambers for mixing at least two flowable components. The mixing chambers are arranged one behind the other as well as adjacently in a tube along a tube axis. The mixer includes basic mixing chambers and modified mixing chambers. Basic mixing chambers are bounded off from one another by radial walls oriented in the direction of the tube axis and by end walls transverse to the tube axis. Apertures in the radial walls form inputs and outputs between adjacent chambers for the components to be mixed. Modified mixing chambers have structural modifications relative to the basic mixing chambers. In one embodiment, the modification includes adding inclined walls. In another embodiment, the modification includes changing the longitudinal dimension of the chamber relative to the basic mixing chamber.

Claims

1. A static mixer for mixing at least two flowable components, comprising:

a mixing tube; and

a plurality of mixing chambers disposed within the mixing tube so as to form a plurality of interconnected chamber strings arranged around an axis of the mixing tube, the plurality of mixing chambers including a plurality of basic mixing chambers and a first modified mixing chamber,

each of the basic mixing chambers having a basic structure including at least two side walls oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the mixing tube and at least two end walls oriented substantially transverse to the axis of the mixing tube, each of the at least two side walls having at least one aperture therein, thereby providing passages connecting mixing chambers in different ones of the plurality of chamber strings,

the first modified mixing chamber having a modified structure including an inclined web of material oriented so as to deflect a flowable material either toward or away from the axis of the mixing tube.

2. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers further includes a second modified mixing chamber, the second modified mixing chamber having a structure different from the basic structure, wherein the first modified mixing chamber is disposed at a first disturbance location along the axis of the mixing tube and the second modified mixing chamber is disposed at a second disturbance location along the axis of the mixing tube.

3. The static mixer according to claim 2, wherein the second modified mixing chamber includes an inclined web of material oriented so as to deflect a flowable material either toward or away from the axis of the mixing tube.

4. The static mixer according to claim 2, wherein the second modified mixing chamber has a shorter length than each basic mixing chamber and fewer passages than each basic mixing chamber.

5. The static mixer according to claim 2, wherein the second modified mixing chamber has a web of material disposed so as to partially obstruct at least one passage of the second modified mixing chamber.

6. The static mixer according to claim 2, wherein the second modified mixing chamber has a portion of an end wall removed, thereby creating a passage in the end wall.

7. The static mixer according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least two holding chambers, each holding chamber adapted to receive a flowable material and having an outlet coupled to an inlet of the mixing tube.

8. The static mixer according to claim 7, further comprising:

a piston member insertable into each of the at least two holding chambers, wherein compressing the piston member causes a flowable material in each holding chamber to flow through the outlet of the respective holding chamber.

9. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers is in the form of a monolithic structure.

10. The static mixer according to claim 9, wherein the monolithic structure comprises a thermoplastic.

11. The static mixer according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers is formed by injection molding.

12. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein each basic mixing chamber has two side walls, each side wall having two apertures therein disposed so as to connect the basic mixing chamber to four other mixing chambers.

13. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the mixing chambers have a square or rectangular cross-section and are disposed so as to form four adjacent chamber strings.

14. The static mixer according to claim 13, wherein each chamber string includes between five and fifteen mixing chambers.

15. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers is adapted for mixing a first component having a first viscosity with at least a second component having a second viscosity, wherein the first viscosity is greater than the second viscosity by a factor of between 10 and 1000.

16. The static mixer according to claim 1, wherein the mixing chambers have a square or rectangular cross-section and are disposed so as to form four adjacent chamber strings.

17. The static mixer according to claim 16, wherein each chamber string includes between five and fifteen mixing chambers.

18. The static mixer according to claim 16, wherein each basic mixing chamber has a length and a width, the length being between 1.5 times the width and 2.5 times the width.

19. The static mixer according to claim 18, wherein the width is between about 1 mm and about 10 mm.

20. A static mixer for mixing at least two flowable components, comprising:

a mixing tube; and

a plurality of mixing chambers disposed within the mixing tube so as to form a plurality of interconnected chamber strings arranged around an axis of the mixing tube, the plurality of mixing chambers including a plurality of basic mixing chambers and at least three modified mixing chambers,

each basic mixing chamber having a basic structure including at least two side walls oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the mixing tube and at least two end walls oriented substantially transverse to the axis of the mixing tube, each of the side walls having at least one aperture therein, thereby providing passages connecting mixing chambers in different ones of the plurality of chamber strings, each basic mixing chamber having substantially the same length between end walls,

the modified mixing chambers including a group of three connected chambers each having a shorter length between end walls than each basic mixing chamber and fewer apertures in the side walls than each basic mixing chamber, wherein a first chamber and a second chamber of the group are disposed in a first one of the plurality of chamber strings with the second chamber directly behind the first chamber and a third chamber of the group is disposed in a second one of the plurality of chamber strings with its passages oriented so as to connect the first chamber to the second chamber.

21. The static mixer according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers further includes a fourth modified mixing chamber, the fourth modified mixing chamber having a structure different from the basic structure, wherein the group of three connected chambers are located at a first disturbance location along the axis of the mixing tube and the fourth modified mixing chamber is located at a second disturbance location along the axis of the mixing tube.

22. The static mixer according to claim 21, wherein the fourth modified mixing chamber includes an inclined web of material oriented so as to deflect a flowable material either toward or away from the axis of the mixing tube.

23. The static mixer according to claim 21, wherein the fourth modified mixing chamber has a shorter length than each basic mixing chamber and fewer passages than each basic mixing chamber.

24. The static mixer according to claim 21, wherein the fourth modified mixing chamber has a web of material disposed so as to partially obstruct at least one passage of the fourth modified mixing chamber.

25. The static mixer according to claim 21, wherein the fourth modified mixing chamber has a portion of an end wall removed, thereby creating a passage in the end wall.

26. The static mixer according to claim 20, further comprising:

at least two holding chambers, each holding chamber adapted to receive a flowable material, each holding chamber having an outlet coupled to an inlet of the mixing tube.

27. The static mixer according to claim 26, further comprising:

a piston member insertable into each of the at least two holding chambers, wherein compressing the piston member causes a flowable material in each holding chamber to flow through the outlet of the respective holding chamber.

28. The static mixer according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers is in the form of a monolithic structure.

29. The static mixer according to claim 28, wherein the monolithic structure comprises a thermoplastic.

30. The static mixer according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers is formed by injection molding.

31. The static mixer according to claim 20, Wherein each basic mixing chamber has two side walls, each side wall having two apertures therein disposed so as to connect the basic mixing chamber to four other mixing chambers.

32. The static mixer according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of mixing chambers is adapted for mixing a first component having a first viscosity with at least a second component having a second viscosity, wherein the first viscosity is greater than the second viscosity by a factor of between 10 and 1000.