Two-phase mixing method and equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of two-phase mixing, in particular to a two-phase mixing method and equipment which comprises a shell, an inlet pipe is arranged at one end of the shell, a discharge pipe is arranged at the other end of the shell, a plurality of conveying pipes are arranged on the side portion of the shell, and two micropore assemblies are fixedly connected to the interior of the shell. Each micropore assembly is provided with a plurality of micropore channels, and an inner core is arranged between every two micropore assemblies. According to the invention, the dispersed phase material is injected into the continuous phase material flowing at a high speed through the micro-pore channels on the micro-pore assembly, and the dispersed phase material is dispersed into bubbles, liquid drops or particles in the scale of nanometer, micrometer or millimeter under the shearing action of the continuous phase material and is suspended in the continuous phase; therefore, gas, liquid, flowable slurry or solid powder and other dispersed phase materials can be highly dispersed and mixed in gas, liquid, flowable slurry and other continuous phase materials at a high speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of two-phase mixing technology, specifically a method and apparatus for two-phase mixing. Background Technology

[0002] Multiphase fluid mixer technology has a wide range of applications and can be used in various industrial production devices such as physicochemical reactions, extraction, distillation, and flotation. Fluid mixers can be classified into three types according to the physical process of mixing: dynamic mixers, ejector mixers, and static mixers.

[0003] Dynamic mixers use rotating impellers to move fluids in a container in a certain way to achieve mixing. They have a wide range of applications and are relatively mature in technology, but they also have certain drawbacks: the shaft seal components are prone to leakage, the mixing uniformity is not high, continuous operation is difficult to design, they are bulky, energy consumption is high, and the design and operation and maintenance of their rotating components are relatively complex.

[0004] Ejector mixers utilize the kinetic energy of the main nozzle jet to eject and mix another gas in the environment, achieving purposes such as cooling, speed reduction, and noise reduction. Compared with dynamic mixers, they have advantages such as lower energy consumption, relatively simple component structure, and lower manufacturing costs. However, their disadvantages are that the jet mixing method is generally only suitable for low-viscosity fluids. In order to achieve a better jet shear mixing effect, the fluid supply system not only needs pressurization equipment to give the jet a high velocity, but also needs a large jet mixing space.

[0005] Static mixers utilize several stationary mixing elements placed inside pipes or equipment to divide the fluid multiple times, causing immiscible fluids to undergo splitting, merging, and rotational movements as they flow within the mixer, achieving good dispersion and mixing effects. Compared to dynamic mixers and ejector mixers, static mixers have no moving parts, and their structure is simple, with a small equipment size and footprint.

[0006] Some two-phase mixing technologies have also emerged in the prior art. For example, a Chinese patent with application number 201210360982.6 discloses a gas-liquid mixing method and its application, as well as a gas-liquid reaction method. The method includes injecting gas into a liquid through a through-hole with an average pore size of nanometers, thereby mixing the gas with the liquid. The invention also provides a gas-liquid reaction method, which mixes gas and liquid using the provided gas-liquid mixing method and reacts them, thereby highly dispersing the gas and dissolving it in the liquid at a faster rate.

[0007] Although the above mixing methods can meet the industry's needs to some extent, they still have the following shortcomings: ① The mixing performance is not universal, and the performance of different material systems varies greatly; ② The operation is inflexible, and different working conditions require redesign; ③ The scale-up effect is difficult to control, there are many models and specifications, and the use is confusing; ④ Dynamic mixing and ejector mixing have high energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for two-phase mixing to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0010] A two-phase mixing device includes a housing, an inlet pipe at one end of the housing, an outlet pipe at the other end of the housing, a plurality of conveying pipes on the side of the housing, two microporous components fixedly connected inside the housing, each microporous component having a plurality of microchannels, an inner core disposed between the two microporous components, a dispersed phase region formed on opposite sides of the two microporous components, and a continuous phase mixing region formed between the two microporous components, the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe each corresponding to the two microporous components, and the dispersed phase region located between the microporous components and the inner wall of the housing.

[0011] Furthermore, the microporous component is made of a rigid material, which may be metal, plastic, ceramic or composite material.

[0012] Furthermore, pressure sensors are installed inside the inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and delivery pipe.

[0013] Furthermore, the microporous assembly has an installation tilt angle of 0-30 degrees.

[0014] Furthermore, the inner core is mounted on the outer shell using a fixed mounting structure, which includes a fixed bracket and a movable bracket. The fixed bracket is fixedly connected to one end of the inner core, and the movable bracket is located at the other end of the inner core. Both the fixed bracket and the movable bracket are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer shell.

[0015] Preferably, the inner core is mounted on the outer shell using a non-fixed mounting structure. The non-fixed mounting structure includes a valve stem and a second movable bracket. The valve stem is fixedly mounted on one end of the inner core, and the second movable bracket is slidably mounted on the other end of the inner core. The valve stem is slidably mounted on the outer shell, and the second movable bracket is fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the outer shell. The valve stem and the outer shell are sealed with packing.

[0016] Furthermore, a valve wheel is provided at one end of the valve stem located outside the housing, and the valve wheel is capable of driving the valve stem to move axially.

[0017] A method for two-phase mixing, using the aforementioned two-phase mixing equipment, comprises the following specific steps:

[0018] Step 1: Introduce the continuous phase material into the shell through the inlet pipe, allowing the continuous phase material to enter the continuous phase mixing area and flow along the inner core sidewall towards the outlet pipe.

[0019] Step 2: The dispersed phase material is introduced into the shell through the conveying pipe, so that the dispersed phase material enters the dispersed phase region and can pass through the micropores on the microporous component to enter the continuous phase mixing region.

[0020] Step 3: By continuously introducing continuous phase material and dispersed phase material into the shell, the continuous phase material flows in the continuous phase mixing area. When the dispersed phase material enters the continuous phase mixing area through the microchannels, the shearing of the continuous phase material disperses the dispersed phase material into bubbles, droplets or particles at the nano, micro, or millimeter scale, suspending them in the continuous phase material. This disperses and mixes the dispersed phase material within the continuous phase material, forming a mixture that can flow out from the drain pipe.

[0021] Furthermore, the continuous phase material is a gas, liquid, or flowable slurry, and the dispersed phase material is a gas, liquid, flowable slurry, or solid powder.

[0022] Furthermore, when the dispersed phase material is a gas, the micropore diameter is from 50 nanometers to 500 micrometers; when the dispersed phase material is a liquid, the micropore diameter is from 100 micrometers to 1 millimeter; and when the dispersed phase material is a flowable slurry or solid powder, the micropore diameter is two to four times the diameter of the solid particles or solid powder in the slurry.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0024] 1. By injecting the dispersed phase material into the high-speed flowing continuous phase material through the micropores on the microporous component, the dispersed phase material is dispersed into nano-, micro-, or millimeter-scale bubbles, droplets, or particles through the shearing action of the continuous phase material and suspended in the continuous phase. This enables the high dispersion of dispersed phase materials such as gases, liquids, flowable slurries, or solid powders, and their rapid mixing in the continuous phase materials such as gases, liquids, and flowable slurries.

[0025] 2. By forming two regions on both sides of the microporous component, one is a dispersed phase region and the other is a continuous phase mixing region, the dispersed phase material and the continuous phase material are mixed in the continuous phase mixing region. When the inner core is fixedly installed on the outer shell, multiple devices can be connected in parallel. By changing the number of devices in operation, the flow area of ​​the continuous phase material can be changed, thereby changing the flow rate of the continuous phase material. When a non-fixed installation structure is used, the flow area of ​​the continuous phase material can be changed by moving the position of the inner core, thereby changing the flow rate of the continuous phase material. Ultimately, by adjusting the flow rate of the continuous phase material, the mixing effect of the two phases can be changed. This is beneficial for adapting to different material mixing and different working conditions, improving the versatility of the equipment, and the mixing energy consumption is relatively low. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall device in this invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the inner core fixed installation structure in this invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the device connected in parallel in this invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the non-fixed installation structure of the inner core in this invention.

[0030] In the diagram: 1. Continuous phase material; 2. Dispersed phase material; 3. Mixed material; A. Dispersed phase region; B. Continuous phase mixing region; Ⅰ. Outer shell; Ⅱ. Microporous assembly; Ⅲ. Inner core; a. Fixed support; b. Movable support one; c. Valve stem; d. Movable support two. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] Please see Figure 1In this embodiment of the invention, a two-phase mixing device includes a housing I, with an inlet pipe at one end and an outlet pipe at the other end. Several conveying pipes are provided on the side of the housing I. Two microporous components II are fixedly connected inside the housing I. The microporous components II have an installation tilt angle of 0-30 degrees to facilitate the mixing of continuous phase material 1 and dispersed phase material 2. The microporous components II are made of a rigid material, which can be metal, plastic, ceramic, or composite material. The inlet pipe and outlet pipe correspond to the two microporous components II. The microporous components II have several microchannels. An inner core III is provided between the two microporous components II. A dispersed phase region A is formed on the opposite side of the two microporous components II. The dispersed phase region A is located between the microporous components II and the inner wall of the housing I. A continuous phase mixing region B is formed between the two microporous components II.

[0033] Specifically, dispersed phase material 2 can enter the interior of shell I through the conveying pipe, and continuous phase material 1 can enter the interior of shell I through the inlet pipe. Continuous phase material 1 can enter continuous phase mixing region B, while dispersed phase material 2 can enter dispersed phase region A. Dispersed phase material 2 can be injected into the high-speed flowing continuous phase material 1 through the micro-channels on the microporous component II. In continuous phase mixing region B, dispersed phase material 2 is dispersed into nano-, micro-, or millimeter-scale bubbles, droplets, or particles by the shearing of continuous phase material 1 and suspended in the continuous phase. This enables the gas, liquid, flowable slurry, or solid powder dispersed phase material 2 to be highly dispersed and mixed at a relatively fast speed in the gas, liquid, or flowable slurry continuous phase material 1. The mixture 3 after mixing continuous phase material 1 and dispersed phase material 2 can flow out of shell I through the outlet pipe.

[0034] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the inner core III is mounted on the outer shell I using a fixed mounting structure. The fixed mounting structure includes a fixed bracket a and a movable bracket b. The fixed bracket a is fixedly connected to one end of the inner core III, and the movable bracket b is located at the other end of the inner core III. The fixed bracket a corresponds to the inlet pipe of the outer shell I, while the movable bracket b corresponds to the outlet pipe of the outer shell I. Both the fixed bracket a and the movable bracket b are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer shell I.

[0035] In specific implementation, when a fixed installation structure is adopted, the inner core III can be positioned by the fixed bracket a and the movable bracket b. Multiple devices can be connected in parallel. By changing the number of devices in operation, the flow area of ​​the continuous phase material 1 can be changed, thereby changing the flow rate of the continuous phase material 1. By adjusting the flow rate of the continuous phase material 1, the mixing effect of the two phases can be changed. Alternatively, the flow rate of the continuous phase material 1 can be kept constant when the equipment processing capacity changes to maintain a stable mixing effect. This is beneficial for adapting to different material mixing and different working conditions, improving the versatility of the equipment, and the mixing energy consumption is relatively low.

[0036] like Figure 4As shown, the inner core III is mounted on the outer shell I using a non-fixed mounting structure. The non-fixed mounting structure includes a valve stem c and a movable bracket 2d. The valve stem c is fixedly mounted on one end of the inner core III, and the movable bracket 2d is slidably mounted on the other end of the inner core III. The valve stem c is slidably mounted on the outer shell I, and the movable bracket 2d is fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the outer shell I. A packing seal is used between the valve stem c and the outer shell I. A valve wheel is provided at the end of the valve stem c located outside the outer shell I, and the valve wheel can drive the valve stem c to move axially.

[0037] In practical implementation, when the inner core III is installed on the outer shell I using a non-fixed installation structure, the valve stem c is driven to move through a valve wheel or other drive mechanism. The valve stem c can drive the inner core III to move axially on the movable bracket IId, thereby adjusting the position of the inner core III, which in turn changes the flow area of ​​the continuous phase material 1 and changes the flow rate of the continuous phase material 1. By adjusting the flow rate of the continuous phase material 1, the mixing effect of the two phases can be changed. The flow rate of the continuous phase material 1 can be changed in real time to adjust the mixing effect, or the flow rate of the continuous phase material 1 can be kept constant when the equipment processing capacity changes to maintain a stable mixing effect, which is beneficial for adapting to different working conditions.

[0038] Pressure sensors are installed inside the inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and delivery pipe.

[0039] In practice, the pressure of the continuous phase material 1, the dispersed phase material 2, and the mixture material 3 can be obtained through pressure sensors, thereby understanding the flow conditions.

[0040] like Figure 1-4 As shown, a two-phase mixing method using the aforementioned two-phase mixing equipment includes the following specific steps:

[0041] Step 1: Introduce continuous phase material 1 into the interior of outer shell I through the inlet pipe, so that continuous phase material 1 enters the continuous phase mixing region B, and continuous phase material 1 can flow along the side wall of inner core III to the outlet pipe;

[0042] Step 2: The dispersed phase material 2 is introduced into the interior of the outer shell I through the conveying pipe, so that the dispersed phase material 2 enters the dispersed phase region A and can pass through the micropores on the microporous component II to enter the continuous phase mixing region B;

[0043] Step 3: By continuously introducing continuous phase material 1 and dispersed phase material 2 into the shell I, the continuous phase material 1 flows in the continuous phase mixing region B. When the dispersed phase material 2 enters the continuous phase mixing region B through the micropores, the shearing of the continuous phase material 1 disperses the dispersed phase material 2 into nano-, micro-, or millimeter-scale bubbles, droplets, or particles, suspending them in the continuous phase material 1. Thus, the dispersed phase material 2 is dispersed and mixed in the continuous phase material 1, forming a mixture 3 between the continuous phase material 1 and the dispersed phase material 2. The mixture 3 can flow out from the drain pipe.

[0044] The continuous phase material 1 is a gas, liquid, or flowable slurry, and the dispersed phase material 2 is a gas, liquid, flowable slurry, or solid powder. When the dispersed phase material 2 is a gas, the micropore diameter is 50 nanometers to 500 micrometers. When the dispersed phase material 2 is a liquid, the micropore diameter is 100 micrometers to 1 millimeter. When the dispersed phase material 2 is a flowable slurry or solid powder, the micropore diameter is two to four times the diameter of the solid particles or solid powder in the slurry.

[0045] In practice, the dispersed phase material 2 is injected into the high-speed flowing continuous phase material 1 through the micropores on the micropore component II. The dispersed phase material 2 is dispersed into nano-, micro-, or millimeter-scale bubbles, droplets, or particles by the shearing action of the continuous phase material 1 and suspended in the continuous phase material 1. Thus, the continuous phase material 1 and the dispersed phase material 2 are mixed to form a mixture material 3, which has a good mixing effect. The micropores of the appropriate size can be selected according to the type of dispersed phase material 2, which is convenient to adapt to the mixing of different materials and helps to improve the versatility of the equipment.

[0046] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments and comparative examples.

[0047] Comparative Example 1

[0048] Annular packing is used to mix air and water, with air as the dispersed phase. The size of the dispersed phase (bubbles) after mixing is as follows.

[0049]

[0050]

[0051] Comparative Example 2

[0052] According to the patent application with application number 201210360982.6, a microporous ceramic material with a pore size of 0.05μm is used to mix hydrogen and kerosene, with air as the dispersed phase. The size of the dispersed phase (bubbles) after mixing is as follows.

[0053] air velocity water flow velocity Average bubble diameter 60L / h 60L / h 1000μm 120L / h 60L / h 2000μm

[0054] Example 1

[0055] Using the present invention Figure 2 The two-phase mixer with a fixed inner core shown mixes air and water. The inner core has a micropore diameter of 100μm, and air is the dispersed phase. The size of the dispersed phase (bubbles) after mixing is as follows.

[0056] air velocity water flow velocity Average bubble diameter 60L / h 60L / h 400μm 120L / h 60L / h 650μm

[0057] Example 2

[0058] Hydrogen and kerosene were mixed in the same manner as in Example 1, with hydrogen as the dispersed phase. The size of the dispersed phase (bubbles) after mixing is as follows.

[0059] Hydrogen flow rate Diesel flow rate Average bubble diameter 60L / h 60L / h 300μm 120L / h 60L / h 500μm

[0060] Example 3

[0061] Water and kerosene were mixed in the same manner as in Example 1, with water as the dispersed phase. The size of the dispersed phase (water droplets) after mixing is as follows.

[0062] water flow velocity diesel flow rate Average bubble diameter 60L / h 60L / h 200μm 120L / h 60L / h 300μm

[0063] Example 4

[0064] Using the present invention Figure 4 The two-phase mixer shown has a non-fixed inner core for mixing air and water. The inner core has a micropore diameter of 100μm, and air is the dispersed phase. The size of the dispersed phase (bubbles) after mixing is as follows.

[0065] air velocity water flow velocity Average bubble diameter 60L / h 60L / h 400μm 120L / h 60L / h 450μm

[0066] Referring to the results of Examples 1-4, the mixing effect of the method and equipment described in this invention is far superior to that of ordinary filler mixing. Moreover, even when the micropore size is much larger than that of the microporous ceramic material, the size of the dispersed phase after mixing is still smaller than that of the microporous ceramic material. Since the processing difficulty and processing stability of micropores increase as the pore size decreases, the method and equipment described in this invention are not only superior to similar technologies in terms of effect, but also in terms of cost and stability. If a non-fixed inner core installation method is adopted, the method and equipment described in this invention can maintain a stable mixing effect under different mixing conditions and has controllability.

[0067] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0068] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A two-phase mixing device, comprising a housing (Ⅰ), wherein an inlet pipe is provided at one end of the housing (Ⅰ), an outlet pipe is provided at the other end of the housing (Ⅰ), and a plurality of conveying pipes are provided on the side of the housing (Ⅰ), characterized in that, The outer shell (Ⅰ) has two microporous components (Ⅱ) fixedly connected inside. Each microporous component (Ⅱ) has a plurality of micropores. An inner core (Ⅲ) is disposed between the two microporous components (Ⅱ). A dispersed phase region (A) is formed on the opposite side of the two microporous components (Ⅱ). A continuous phase mixing region (B) is formed between the two microporous components (Ⅱ).

2. The two-phase mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microporous component (II) is made of a rigid material.

3. The two-phase mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Pressure sensors are installed inside the inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and delivery pipe.

4. The two-phase mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microporous assembly (Ⅱ) has an installation tilt angle of 0-30 degrees.

5. The two-phase mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner core (Ⅲ) is mounted on the outer shell (Ⅰ) using a fixed mounting structure. The fixed mounting structure includes a fixed bracket (a) and a movable bracket (b). The fixed bracket (a) is fixedly connected to one end of the inner core (Ⅲ), and the movable bracket (b) is located at the other end of the inner core (Ⅲ). Both the fixed bracket (a) and the movable bracket (b) are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer shell (Ⅰ).

6. The two-phase mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner core (Ⅲ) is mounted on the outer shell (Ⅰ) using a non-fixed mounting structure. The non-fixed mounting structure includes a valve stem (c) and a movable bracket (d). The valve stem (c) is fixedly mounted on one end of the inner core (Ⅲ), and the movable bracket (d) is slidably mounted on the other end of the inner core (Ⅲ). The valve stem (c) is slidably mounted on the outer shell (Ⅰ), and the movable bracket (d) is fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the outer shell (Ⅰ).

7. The two-phase mixing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The valve stem (c) is provided with a valve wheel at one end outside the housing (I), and the valve wheel can drive the valve stem (c) to move axially.

8. A method for mixing two phases, characterized in that, Using the two-phase mixing apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-7, the method comprises the following specific steps: Step 1: Introduce continuous phase material (1) into the shell (Ⅰ) through the inlet pipe, so that the continuous phase material (1) enters the continuous phase mixing region (B) and the continuous phase material (1) can flow along the side wall of the inner core (Ⅲ) to the outlet pipe; Step 2: The dispersed phase material (2) is introduced into the shell (Ⅰ) through the conveying pipe, so that the dispersed phase material (2) enters the dispersed phase region (A) and can pass through the micropores on the microporous component (Ⅱ) to enter the continuous phase mixing region (B); Step 3: By continuously introducing continuous phase material (1) and dispersed phase material (2) into the shell (Ⅰ), the continuous phase material (1) flows in the continuous phase mixing region (B). When the dispersed phase material (2) enters the continuous phase mixing region (B) through the micropores, the shearing of the continuous phase material (1) disperses the dispersed phase material (2) into nano-, micro-, or millimeter-scale bubbles, droplets, or particles, suspending them in the continuous phase material (1). Thus, the dispersed phase material (2) is dispersed and mixed in the continuous phase material (1), forming a mixture (3) between the continuous phase material (1) and the dispersed phase material (2). The mixture (3) can flow out from the drain pipe.

9. The method for two-phase mixing according to claim 8, characterized in that, The continuous phase material (1) is a gas, liquid, or flowable slurry, and the dispersed phase material (2) is a gas, liquid, flowable slurry, or solid powder.

10. The method for two-phase mixing according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the dispersed phase material (2) is a gas, the micropore diameter is from fifty nanometers to five hundred micrometers; when the dispersed phase material (2) is a liquid, the micropore diameter is from one hundred micrometers to one millimeter; when the dispersed phase material (2) is a flowable slurry or solid powder, the micropore diameter is two to four times the diameter of the solid particles or solid powder in the slurry.

Images