INLINE MIXER

Abstract: An inline mixer to be fitted on the way of a pipeline (4) to stir up and mix the fluid flowing through the pipeline (4). The inline mixer is provided with a rotary cylinder (5) and a mixing element such as a static mixer (16) prepared within the rotary cylinder. The rotary cylinder is made of conductor material and an electro-­ magnetic coil (18), which generates rotary movable magnetic field, is located adjacent the rotary cylinder. This rotary cylinder is rotated by an electro-magnetic inductive action due to the electro-magnetic coil.

Description: The invention relates to an in-line mixer according to the preamble of claim 1. FR-A 2 196 190 discloses a mixing device that comprises a rotary cylinder driven by gear elements which rotary cylinder is provided with vanes on the inner side. During mixing action material flowing through the rotary cylinder can be collected between vanes and wall of the rotary cylinder, so that the mixing effect is not very good in this region near the wall of the rotary cylinder. It is the object of the invention to provide an in-line mixer according to the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that the fluid flow near the pipe wall surrounding the mixing element is promoted for effective mixing action. This object is achieved by the features in the characterizing part of claim 1. Due to the fact that the mixing element is a static mixer within the rotary cylinder, an effective fluid flow along the wall of the rotary cylinder is achieved and no stagnation occurs due to the movement of the wall of the rotary cylinder relative to the mixing element. The electromagnetic coil that drives the rotary cylinder provides a compact structure so that the mixer can be inserted in a pipeline without difficulties. Static mixing elements within a tube are known per se from DE-A 2 356 595. JP-A 52-30970 discloses an electromagnetical driving means for a drum which driving means, however, has no compact structure and there is no relation to an in-line mixer. An example of the invention is described in more detail in connection with the drawings. Fig. 1 is a partial sectional view of the in-line mixer, and Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view mainly showing another embodiment of a cooling device. This invention can be applied to in-line mixers having various kinds of static mixing elements. The following is one of the embodiments. In figs. 1 and 2, a main body 1 is so formed that it is connectable with pipe lines 4 by means of flanges 2, 3, having a rotary cylinder 5 within the body. The rotary cylinder may be rotatably supported by various means, and in the drawings, both ends are supported by rotary joint mechanism. Namely, in the drawing, left hand end portion of the rotary cylinder has a flange 6, which is fixed to a flange 8 of a cylindrical rotary shaft 7, and this shaft is supported by bearings 9 such as ball bearings and the like. On the end of the rotary shaft 7, a protecting tube 10 is inserted, and the outer periphery of the protecting tube sheets 11 of Teflon and the like and springs 12 are provided. Sealing rings 13, 14 and O-rings 15 are provided between the rotary shaft 7 and the sheet 11. In the drawing, the right side of the rotary cylinder is supported by nearly the same construction as that of the left side, and it is carried on the main body by a bearing 9 such as ball bearings and the like, and a protecting tube 10 is inserted in its end, and the outer periphery of the protecting tube is provided with sheets 11, a spring 12, sealing rings 13, 14 and an O-ring 15 are provided between the sheet 11 and the rotary cylinder. Within the rotary cylinder, a longitudinally extending mixing element (16) is provided. This element 16 has a plurality of vanes, which are inclined to the right and to the left alternatingly at the periphery of a shaft, and is fixed to the main body at its both ends. Inside of the rotary shaft 7, an impeller 17 is provided to feed the fluid within the pipe line in the direction of the mixing element 16. The rotary cylinder 5 is rotated by a driving means. In the drawing, on the outer periphery of the rotary cylinder, an electro-magnetic coil 18, which generates a rotating magnetic field, is provided. The whole rotary cylinder or at least a portion corresponding to the electro-magnetic coil is is formed of suitable conducting material such as iron, silicon steel, amorphous and the like, to rotate the rotary cylinder by electro-magnetic induction of the magnetic coil. On the outside of the electromagnetic coil 18, preferably a jacket 19 is provided, and cooling medium such as water and the like is circulated from an inlet 20 to an outlet 21 to absorb heat generated by the coil. In place of a cooling device of water cooling type as shown in the drawing, a cooling device of air cooling type may be provided. In this case, for instance, an air cooling fan 22 may be provided on the outer periphery of the rotary cylinder to feed air from the fan to the coil 18 for cooling (Fig. 2). As a driving means, a motor may be used with a belt and gears. When the electro-magnetic coil 18 is energized, a rotating magnetic field is generated, and by electro-magnetic inductive action, the rotary cylinder 5 rotates. When the impeller 17 connected with the rotary cylinder rotates, thereby pumping action is generated on the fluid flowing through the pipe line 4, and the fluid is fed in the direction of the mixing element 16. As usual, the fluid may be fed by pressure of a separately provided pump, and in this case, the impeller may be eliminated. The fluid fed to the mixing element 16 is divided by the element into a flow twisted to the right and to the left, and the flowchanges from central portion to the wall portion of the rotary cylinder and vice versa along the surface of the element, thus an axial mixing is effected. Because of the rotation of the rotary cylinder, the fluid never stagnate near the wall portion, and in case of non-Newtonian fluid such as pseudo-plastic fluid, plastic fluid and the like, considerable stirring effect can be obtained. As mentioned above, this invention is simple in construction, and may be made compactly, and by rotating the pipe wall with electro-magnetic inductive action, stirring effect may be achieved. If the impeller is provided on the rotary cylinder, an usual pump may be omitted for pumping the fluid.

Claims: In-line mixer for insertion in a pipeline to effect mixing of material flowing through the pipeline, the in-line mixer comprising a main body (1) connectable with pipelines (4) and a rotary cylinder (5) rotatably disposed within the main body (1), characterized in that the rotary cylinder (5) is made of magnetic material, a mixing element (16) is disposed stationary within the rotary cylinder (5) and an electromagnetic coil (18) is disposed around the rotary cylinder (5) for electromagnetically generating a rotating magnetic field and for rotationally driving the rotary cylinder. In-line mixer according to claim 1, wherein the rotary cylinder (5) is provided with an impeller (17). In-line mixer according to claim 1, wherein a cooling device (19,20,21) is provided around the electromagnetic coil (18) for absorbing heat generated by the electromagnetic coil.

Inventors: INOUE, YOSHITAKA, KAMIWANO, MITSUO
Applicants: INOUE SEISAKUSHO (MFG) CO., LTD.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B01F9
IPC codes: B01F9, B01F13, B01F5