A propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder

Abstract

This invention relates to a propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder, belonging to the field of energetic materials processing technology, specifically a device for co-mixing propellants containing magnetic powder. This invention addresses problems in existing propellant mixing processes, such as easy agglomeration of magnetic powder, poor flowability, uneven local mixing, and difficulty in precisely controlling the feeding amount. It includes a liquid storage tank, a magnetic premixing device, a quantitative solid powder feeding chamber, a vibration-assisted mixing chamber, a water bath chamber, a Y-type manifold mixing connector, and a flexible pipeline. By incorporating the magnetic premixing structure, the vibration-assisted mixing pipeline, and the quantitative solid powder feeding mechanism, it achieves liquid-phase pre-dispersion of magnetic powder, quantitative introduction of solid powder, and mixing through a flexible mixing channel, thereby improving the uniformity and flowability of the high-viscosity solid-liquid mixture system and enhancing mixing safety and continuity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of energetic materials processing technology, and specifically relates to a propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder. Background Technology

[0002] Solid propellants, as the core power source for propulsion systems in aerospace and rockets, are a class of high-energy composite materials composed of oxidizers, fuels, binders, and other functional additives. Their performance directly affects the efficiency and reliability of the propulsion system, and the uniformity of the mixing of the components is one of the key factors determining propellant performance.

[0003] To improve the combustion performance of propellants and precisely control their burning rate profile, introducing combustion performance modifiers into the system has become a standard practice in the industry. These additives, through physical or chemical actions, can effectively regulate the burning rate and pressure index of the propellant, thereby meeting the power requirements under different operating conditions. Among the many combustion performance modifiers, inorganic metal compounds are widely used due to their excellent regulating effects; typical examples include iron(II,III) oxide, iron oxide, copper oxide, cobalt oxide, and titanium dioxide.

[0004] However, the aforementioned metal oxide powders face numerous challenges during the mixing process. On the one hand, their magnetic responsiveness makes them prone to agglomeration due to magnetic attraction. On the other hand, their high surface energy leads to uneven sedimentation in high-viscosity liquid phases, resulting in the formation of localized high-concentration aggregates. These problems directly cause uneven slurry mixing, which not only reduces the coating efficiency of the binder on the powder but also triggers chain reactions such as unstable thermal field distribution, seriously affecting the final performance of the propellant. Especially in energetic systems, when these magnetic powders are mixed with binders or plasticizers, the poor flowability of the powders and the high interfacial tension between them and the liquid phase make them more prone to adhesion, flocculation, or agglomeration, further exacerbating the mixing difficulty.

[0005] Existing propellant mixing devices have significant limitations in addressing the aforementioned problems. Conventional devices typically employ blade, paddle, or ribbon structures, whose working principle primarily involves generating a shear flow field within the cavity through a rotating stirring shaft to achieve solid-liquid two-phase mixing and dispersion. However, in mixing environments with high filler content and high viscosity, this method of relying on strong shear forces to break up agglomerates is often ineffective and struggles to effectively alleviate the interfacial adsorption and aggregation problems of magnetic metal oxide powders. Furthermore, the friction generated during stirring can easily lead to localized temperature increases, posing a process risk of unexpected reactions in energetic materials. In addition, traditional devices generally complete all mixing steps within a single stirring chamber, lacking structural optimization for multi-phase synergistic mixing, and thus failing to achieve stepwise safe mixing and continuous dispersion of propellant components, making it difficult to meet the requirements for high-precision and high-safety mixing. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of easy agglomeration of magnetic powder, poor fluidity, uneven local mixing, and difficulty in accurately controlling the amount of feed in the existing propellant mixing process, and to propose a propellant synergistic mixing device containing magnetic powder.

[0007] The present invention relates to a propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder, comprising a liquid storage tank, a magnetic premixing device, a quantitative solid powder feeding chamber, a vibration-assisted mixing chamber, a water bath chamber, a Y-type manifold mixing connector, and a flexible pipeline. The liquid storage tank and the magnetic premixing device are connected by the pipeline to form a liquid material transmission path. The magnetic premixing device is connected to one channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector via the flexible pipeline. The quantitative solid powder feeding chamber is connected to the other channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector through its own discharge structure. The discharge end of the Y-type manifold mixing connector is connected to the inlet end of the vibration-assisted mixing chamber. The entire vibration-assisted mixing chamber is placed inside the water bath chamber.

[0008] Furthermore, the liquid storage tank is provided with a feed inlet at its upper end.

[0009] Furthermore, the magnetic premixing device is a cylindrical sealed cavity with a feed inlet at the top.

[0010] Furthermore, an electromagnetic coil is provided at the bottom of the magnetic premixing device.

[0011] Furthermore, the vibration-assisted mixing chamber includes a flexible mixing pipe and a piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit, with the flexible mixing pipe externally wrapped around the piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit.

[0012] Furthermore, the end of the flexible mixing pipe is provided with a propellant slurry outlet.

[0013] Furthermore, the water bath cavity provides a constant temperature control environment.

[0014] Furthermore, a powder storage silo is connected above the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber.

[0015] Furthermore, the operation process of the propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder is as follows: the liquid storage tank supplies liquid to the magnetic premixing device, the magnetic premixing device completes the premixing in conjunction with the electromagnetic coil, and then sends it to the Y-type manifold mixing connector through a flexible pipeline; the quantitative solid feeding chamber supplies powder to the Y-type manifold mixing connector, and the material enters the vibration-assisted mixing chamber after being merged at the Y-type manifold mixing connector. The vibration-assisted mixing chamber is surrounded by a piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit and built into the water bath chamber, and finally outputs the propellant slurry through the flexible mixing pipeline connected to the propellant slurry outlet.

[0016] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1. This device, by setting up a magnetic premixing unit, uses an electromagnetic coil to generate an alternating magnetic field, which drives the magnetic powder and liquid components inside the cavity to be uniformly dispersed. This significantly improves the uniformity of the distribution of magnetic powder in the liquid phase, reduces the phenomenon of magnetic component agglomeration, sedimentation and local high concentration accumulation, and provides a stable premise for subsequent multi-component mixing.

[0018] 2. The quantitative solid powder feeding chamber is equipped with a telescopic drive structure. A motor drives a telescopic rod to move up and down, which, in conjunction with the structural changes of the movable extrusion plate at the bottom, enables high-precision single-feed operation. When the telescopic rod moves upward, the blades close, allowing the powder to fall smoothly. When the telescopic rod moves downward, the blades open, forming an integral compression structure that squeezes the powder into the mixing channel. This design offers excellent anti-clogging performance and controllable feeding, making it particularly suitable for powder systems with high filler content or poor flowability.

[0019] 3. The flexible mixing pipe is wound around the piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit. Under the action of vibration, it can continuously disturb the internal flow of slurry, effectively increasing the shear force and interface disturbance during the mixing process, enhancing the mutual diffusion and synergistic effect between different components in the slurry, and significantly improving the overall mixing uniformity. It is suitable for safe mixing of high viscosity and high energy composite systems.

[0020] 4. The entire vibratory mixing pipeline is placed in a water bath chamber. Temperature control is used to stabilize the slurry mixing environment, avoid problems such as material pre-reaction and thermal instability caused by localized heating due to mixing friction, and enhance the safety and process stability of the system operation. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic premixing device.

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the downward movement of the telescopic rod in the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the upward movement of the telescopic rod in the feeding chamber for quantitative solid powder. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solution of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments listed below, but also includes any reasonable combination of the specific embodiments.

[0026] Specific Implementation Method 1: This implementation method includes a propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder, comprising a liquid storage tank 1, a magnetic premixing device 2, a quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3, a vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6, a water bath chamber 5, a Y-type manifold mixing connector 9, and a flexible pipeline. The liquid storage tank 1 and the magnetic premixing device 2 are connected via pipelines to form a liquid material transmission path. The magnetic premixing device 2 is connected to one side channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector 9 via a flexible pipeline. The quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3 is connected to the other side channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector 9 through its own discharge structure. The discharge end of the Y-type manifold mixing connector 9 is connected to the inlet end of the vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6. The vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6 is entirely placed inside the water bath chamber 5.

[0027] This embodiment achieves liquid-phase pre-dispersion of magnetic powder, quantitative introduction of solid powder, and mixing through a flexible mixing channel by incorporating a magnetic pre-mixing structure, a vibration-assisted mixing pipeline, and a quantitative solid feeding mechanism. This improves the uniformity and flowability of the high-viscosity solid-liquid mixture, enhancing mixing safety and continuity. Integrating magnetic pre-mixing, quantitative feeding, and vibration-assisted pipeline mixing into one unit avoids safety hazards caused by high-shear mixing and improves the dispersion efficiency and mixing uniformity of magnetic powder in high-viscosity propellant systems. The compact structure and controllable operation make it suitable for the continuous and safe preparation of propellants and similar high-filler, high-viscosity composite materials.

[0028] Specific Implementation Method Two: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method One in that the upper end of the liquid storage tank 1 is provided with a feed inlet. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method One.

[0029] Specific Implementation Method 3: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method 1 in that the magnetic premixing device 2 is a cylindrical sealed cavity with a feed inlet at the top. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method 1.

[0030] Specific Implementation Method Four: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method Three in that an electromagnetic coil 10 is provided at the bottom of the magnetic premixing device 2. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method Three.

[0031] In this embodiment, the electromagnetic parameters of the electromagnetic coil are adjustable to match the magnetic response characteristics of different magnetic powders. The electromagnetic coil generates an alternating magnetic field, which, utilizing the magnetic response characteristics of the magnetic powder, drives the magnetic stirring beads (or the magnetic powder itself) inside the cavity to move at high frequency in the liquid phase. The periodic changes in the direction and intensity of the alternating magnetic field generate continuous repulsive and attractive forces between the magnetic powder particles, breaking down the magnetic attraction between particles and the agglomeration force caused by surface energy, thus achieving uniform pre-dispersion of the magnetic powder in the liquid phase. This magnetic field-driven dispersion method eliminates the need for mechanical stirring blades, avoiding the agglomeration residue caused by insufficient local shear force in traditional stirring, and reducing the formation of agglomerates from the source.

[0032] Specific Implementation Method Five: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method One in that the vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6 includes a flexible mixing pipe 7 and a piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit 4, with the flexible mixing pipe 7 externally wound around the piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit 4. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method One.

[0033] The piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit described in this embodiment is connected to the control circuit, and the vibration frequency and intensity can be adjusted to adapt to different slurry viscosities and flow resistances.

[0034] Specific Implementation Method Six: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method Five in that the flexible mixing pipe 7 is provided with a propellant slurry outlet 8 at its end. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method Five.

[0035] Specific Implementation Method Seven: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method Six in that the water bath chamber 5 provides a constant temperature control environment. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method Six.

[0036] This implementation provides a constant temperature control environment to suppress the risks of localized heat accumulation and uneven mixing.

[0037] Specific Implementation Method Eight: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method One in that a powder storage silo is connected above the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method One.

[0038] Specific Implementation Method Nine: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method One in that: a drive motor 11 is provided at the top of the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3. The drive motor 11 drives the telescopic rod 12 to reciprocate axially. The lower end of the telescopic rod 12 is provided with a spiral buckle 13 and an extrusion plate 14. The extrusion plate 14 includes two flip-hinged blades. When the telescopic rod 12 moves upward, the blades separate vertically, allowing the powder to fall to the bottom of the chamber; when it moves downward, the blades merge to form a pressing structure, quantitatively pressing the powder into the flexible mixing pipe 7 to achieve intermittent quantitative feeding. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method One.

[0039] In this embodiment, the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3 adopts a composite structure of "telescopic rod + flip-hinged blades": when the telescopic rod moves upward, the two blades separate vertically to form a smooth feeding channel, reducing the resistance of powder falling; when it moves downward, the blades merge to form a pressing structure, which, together with the spiral buckle 13, squeezes the powder towards the mixing pipe, using mechanical force to overcome the problems of cohesion and poor flowability between powders, and preventing powder from stagnating at the bottom of the chamber. At the same time, when the liquid phase material and powder converge at the Y-type confluence mixing joint 9, the flushing effect of the liquid phase can further drive the powder flow, reduce the phenomenon of powder adhering to the pipe wall, and improve the overall flowability.

[0040] Precise quantity control is achieved through a mechanical structure consisting of a drive motor, a telescopic rod, and hinged rotating blades. The drive motor drives the telescopic rod to reciprocate axially, and its stroke can be precisely controlled by a program. When the telescopic rod moves upward, the blades separate vertically, and the powder falls to the bottom of the chamber under gravity, completing the material storage for a single feeding. When moving downward, the blades merge to form a tablet structure, forcibly pressing a fixed amount of powder into the mixing pipe. The fixed stroke of the telescopic rod ensures consistency in the amount of powder fed per feeding. This intermittent quantitative feeding mechanism achieves precise feeding control through the repeatability of mechanical actions, overcoming the metering errors caused by fluctuations in powder flowability in traditional gravity feeding.

[0041] Specific Implementation Method Ten: This implementation method differs from Specific Implementation Method One in that the operation process of the propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder is as follows: Liquid storage tank 1 supplies liquid to magnetic premixing device 2. After premixing by magnetic premixing device 2 in conjunction with electromagnetic coil 10, the mixture is sent to Y-type manifold mixing connector 9 via a flexible pipeline. The quantitative solid feeding chamber supplies powder to Y-type manifold mixing connector 9. After the material is collected at Y-type manifold mixing connector 9, it enters vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6. Vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6 is surrounded by piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit 4 and built into water bath chamber 5. Finally, it is output through flexible mixing pipeline 7 connected to propellant slurry outlet 8. Everything else is the same as in Specific Implementation Method One.

[0042] This embodiment first achieves preliminary uniform dispersion of magnetic powder and liquid phase through a magnetic premixing device, then the premixed liquid phase and a quantitative amount of powder are initially merged through a Y-type manifold mixing connector, and finally enters the vibration-assisted mixing chamber for deep mixing, forming a step-by-step mixing process of "premixing-merging-enhancing" to avoid the limitations of a single mixing stage. The piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit 4 wound around the flexible mixing pipe 7 generates high-frequency vibration, which is transmitted to the internal slurry through the pipe, keeping the mixture flow in a state of continuous vibration and disturbance. This vibration increases the relative motion frequency of particles inside the slurry, promoting the diffusion and collision of different components. Especially in high-viscosity systems, it can break local concentration gradients and compensate for the insufficient mixing in dead corners of the pipe caused by traditional stirring. The constant temperature environment provided by the water bath chamber 5 avoids slurry viscosity fluctuations caused by local frictional heating, ensuring that the materials are mixed under stable physical conditions and reducing local flow unevenness caused by viscosity differences.

[0043] The beneficial effects of the present invention are verified by the following embodiments:

[0044] The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder includes a liquid storage tank 1, a magnetic premixing device 2, a quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3, a vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6, a water bath chamber 5, a Y-type manifold mixing connector 9, and flexible pipes. The liquid storage tank 1 and the magnetic premixing device 2 are connected by pipes to form a liquid material transmission path. The magnetic premixing device 2 is connected to one side channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector 9 via flexible pipes. The quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3 is connected to the other side channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector 9 through its own discharge structure. The discharge end of the Y-type manifold mixing connector 9 is connected to the inlet end of the vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6. The vibration-assisted mixing chamber 6 is entirely placed inside the water bath chamber 5.

[0045] Liquid storage tank 1 is used to store the liquid phase components of the propellant. The liquid flows into magnetic premixing device 2 through a pipeline. Magnetic premixing device 2 is a cylindrical closed cavity. Under the alternating current of electromagnetic coil 10, the magnetic powder inside the device generates vortex disturbance in the liquid, achieving preliminary uniform dispersion.

[0046] The premixed magnetic liquid is guided into the Y-type manifold mixing joint 9, where it makes its first contact with the powder from the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3. A powder storage silo is connected above the feeding chamber. The top of the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber 3 is equipped with a drive motor 11, which drives the telescopic rod 12 to reciprocate axially. The lower end of the telescopic rod 12 is equipped with a spiral buckle 13 and an extrusion plate 14. The extrusion plate 14 includes two flip-hinged blades. When the telescopic rod 12 moves upward, the blades separate vertically, allowing the powder to fall to the bottom of the chamber. When it moves downward, the blades merge to form a pressing structure, which, together with the lower spiral buckle 13, pushes the powder toward the flexible mixing pipe 7, preventing the powder from stagnating or agglomerating, and realizing intermittent quantitative feeding.

[0047] The flexible mixing pipe 7 is spirally arranged around the piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit 4, and together with the water bath chamber 5, forms a constant-temperature mixing channel. When energized, the piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit 4 outputs high-frequency vibrations, which are transmitted to the internal slurry via the flexible mixing pipe 7, keeping the mixture flow in a state of continuous vibration and disturbance, effectively increasing the relative motion frequency of particles within the slurry and improving mixing efficiency. The water bath chamber 5 is a closed tank structure with an internal temperature control system that maintains a preset constant temperature environment, ensuring the thermal stability and safety of temperature-sensitive propellants during the mixing process.

[0048] The mixture flow relies solely on flow inertia and the shearing action driven by vibration to achieve final mixing. This design significantly reduces the destructive forces of mechanical stirring on sensitive systems while retaining the advantages of vibration-enhanced mixing, thus improving the consistency and stability of the final mixture. The mixed slurry is discharged through propellant slurry outlet 8.

[0049] This invention constructs a synergistic propellant mixing system integrating liquid pretreatment, magnetic field premixing, quantitative feeding, flexible vibration mixing, and water bath temperature control. Through multiple synergistic methods, including electromagnetic stirring to pre-disperse magnetic powder, articulated quantitative feeding and extrusion discharge, in-pipe vibration mixing, and temperature-controlled environmental stabilization, it effectively overcomes key problems in traditional stirring processes of propellant systems containing magnetic additives, such as severe agglomeration, uneven dispersion, and thermal instability. This system is suitable for the efficient and safe preparation of multi-component, easily reactive, and high-viscosity propellants.

Claims

1. A propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder, characterized in that... The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder includes a liquid storage tank (1), a magnetic premixing device (2), a quantitative solid powder feeding chamber (3), a vibration-assisted mixing chamber (6), a water bath chamber (5), a Y-type manifold mixing connector (9), and a flexible pipeline. The liquid storage tank (1) and the magnetic premixing device (2) are connected by a pipeline to form a liquid material transmission path. The magnetic premixing device (2) is connected to one side channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector (9) via a flexible pipeline. The quantitative solid powder feeding chamber (3) is connected to the other side channel of the Y-type manifold mixing connector (9) through its own discharge structure. The discharge end of the Y-type manifold mixing connector (9) is connected to the inlet end of the vibration-assisted mixing chamber (6). The vibration-assisted mixing chamber (6) is entirely placed inside the water bath chamber (5).

2. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that... The liquid storage tank (1) is provided with a feed inlet at its upper end.

3. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that... The magnetic premixing device (2) is a cylindrical sealed cavity with a feed inlet at the top.

4. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 3, characterized in that... The bottom of the magnetic premixing device (2) is provided with an electromagnetic coil (10).

5. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that... The vibration-assisted mixing chamber (6) includes a flexible mixing pipe (7) and a piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit (4), with the flexible mixing pipe (7) wrapped around the piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit (4).

6. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 5, characterized in that... The flexible mixing pipe (7) is provided with a propellant slurry outlet (8) at its end.

7. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that... The water bath cavity (5) provides a constant temperature control environment.

8. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that... The quantitative solid powder feeding chamber (3) is connected to a powder storage silo above it.

9. A propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that... The top of the quantitative solid powder feeding chamber (3) is provided with a drive motor (11). The drive motor (11) drives the telescopic rod (12) to reciprocate along the axial direction. The lower end of the telescopic rod (12) is provided with a spiral buckle (13) and an extrusion plate (14). The extrusion plate (14) includes two flip-hinged blades. When the telescopic rod (12) moves upward, the blades separate vertically, allowing the powder to fall to the bottom of the chamber. When it moves downward, the blades merge to form a pressing structure, which quantitatively presses the powder into the flexible mixing pipe (7) to achieve intermittent quantitative feeding.

10. The propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that... The operation process of the propellant co-mixing device containing magnetic powder is carried out in the following steps: the liquid storage tank (1) supplies liquid to the magnetic premixing device (2), the magnetic premixing device (2) completes the premixing in conjunction with the electromagnetic coil (10), and then sends it to the Y-type confluence mixing connector (9) through the flexible pipeline; the quantitative solid feeding chamber supplies powder to the Y-type confluence mixing connector (9), and the material enters the vibration-assisted mixing chamber (6) after confluence in the Y-type confluence mixing connector (9). The vibration-assisted mixing chamber (6) is surrounded by a piezoelectric ceramic vibration unit (4) and built into the water bath chamber (5), and finally outputs the propellant slurry through the flexible mixing pipeline (7) connected to the propellant slurry outlet (8).

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