MIXING APPARATUS

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for installation of a mixer in a liquid tank. The mixer is brought downwards into the tank along a guide which is pivotally attached in the upper part of the tank. During operation the reaction force from the impeller will course the guide to pivot making the mixer to take support against the tank wall.

Description: The most common method to install a submersible mixer is to lower it along a guide which is turnable supported, at least at its lower end in the tank bottom and having its upper end at the rim or at an opening in the tank cover. The mixers here referred to are normally of the propeller type having a horizontal axis and functionally corresponding with side installed propeller mixers. This type of mixers has been used for a long time within the pulp industry for mixing big volumes. A submersible mixer, for instance of the type shown in WO 84/03126, obtains a significant reaction force against the guide and also, depending on its alternation, a torque around the impeller axis which both must be absorbed by the guide and its attachments. The latter must be installed in an empty tank which sometimes means significant costs. It may also be unadvisable to attach a support bearing to the tank wall or to the bottom as then there is a risk that the wall surface may be damaged. In addition such a support bearing may collect rags and other objects that may be present in the liquid. According to the invention a mixing apparatus comprising a tank, a submersible mixer and a guide is obtained which solve the above mentioned problems and which in addition decreases the installation time of the submersible mixer from two days work to two hours. The invention means that the guide is supported pivotally in the opening of the tank such, that the guide is allowed to swing out towards the tank wall, the wall taking the reaction force from the mixer via a shock absorber. The mixer thus operates in its lower position on the guide most of the time, where the reaction force is strong enough to make the guide swing out until the mixer takes support from the tank wall. The position of the mixer will then correspond with that of a side installed mixer mentioned above and its vertical inclination may be chosen freely as long as the horizontal component of force is strong enough. As the guide and the mixer only take support against the wall during operation and as the reaction force partly is counteracted by gravity, the pressure against the tank wall is considerably smaller as compared with that occurring at conventionally installed mixers on guides having a support on the wall and even smaller as compared with side installed mixers attached to a lead-in in the tank. Especially in sedimentation tanks for sludge from purification plants and liquid manure the proposed method is very suitable. These tanks have often obtained a thick floating sludge cover depending on lack of mixing and are therefore very difficult to clean for installation of conventionally guided submersible mixers. The most common type of tanks which is shown in the drawing has an opening at its upper central part and has a significant depth in relation to its diameter. By help of the proposed installation method it is possible to arrange a ring formed plate between the cover and the opening on which the support for the guide is fixed where-after the guide is lowered into the tank and hooked on the support. The mixer may then be lowered along the guide by help of a lifting tackle mounted on the plate or near the opening. The electric cable to the mixer can be arranged in a waterfilled hose and out through a sealing liquid filled tank near the opening. In this way it is secured that the cable will not be surrounded by explosive gas in the sediment tank above the liquid surface. A level means in the sealing liquid tank secures that the electric current is switched off if the liquid level is not high enough. The installation of the submersible mixer can be made very reliable. The hose with the electric cable and the lifting means for the machine can be guided along the guide and being protected by the guide from attaching rags. Thanks to the pivoting guide installation and by stopping the machine and restart it for instance once a week, the advantage is obtained that possible collections of rags and the like between the guide and the mixer will fall down. The guide will go down to its vertical position when the machine stops. At this movement a fluid flow occurs over the mixer and the guide which is counterdirected the fluid flow during operation. Another advantage is that the mixer very easily may be taken out for inspection irrespective of the fact that it during operation has a position which is very difficult to access from the tank opening. At demounting the cover is removed and the ring formed plate with the guide remain in their places when the mixer is hoisted. In order to obtain a certain inclination of the working direction of the impeller with relation to the tank radius, the support against the wall can be made of a high friction material or in another way be given the ability to take forces in the periphery direction. In order to secure that the machine will not swing out in the opposite direction if the motor should be connected wrongly, the guide or the machine itself may be provided with a position switch which disconnects the current. Alternatively the machine or its connection box may be provided with a protection means against false phase sequence.

Claims: A mixing apparatus comprising a tank, a submersible mixer and a guide, in which the guide supports the mixer, is meant to lower the mixer into the fluid and is pivotally attached at its upper end near the opening of the tank, characterized in that the guide can make a swing around the pivoting axis so that the mixer during operation swings out and takes support against the tank wall by way of a shock absorber attached to the mixer, if the reaction force from the impeller of the mixer exceeds the back bringing component of gravity. A mixing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mixer is directed mainly horizontally and that the reaction force from its impeller is mainly directed perpendicular to the pivoting axis of the guide. A mixer apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the pivoting axis of the guide is essentially parallel to the tangent at a point on the normally cylindrical envelope surface of the tank where the mixer takes support.

Inventors: FRIES, HJALMAR, NAERHOLM, ROLAND, THOMAEUS, BENGT, Närholm, Roland
Applicants: ITT FLYGT AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B01F7
IPC codes: B01F7