A tee mixer

Abstract

The application discloses a tee mixer, which comprises a mixing pipe having a first inlet communicating with a first flow channel, the mixing pipe comprises a surrounding cavity adjacent to a side wall of the mixing pipe, the surrounding cavity communicates with an inner cavity of the mixing pipe through a hole matrix arranged on the side wall of the mixing pipe, and the surrounding cavity communicates with a second flow channel. According to the technical scheme of the application, the fluid in the second flow channel enters the surrounding cavity and is sprayed into the mixing pipe from multiple directions through the hole matrix arranged on the side wall of the mixing pipe, so that the high and low temperature fluids from the first flow channel are uniformly mixed; meanwhile, no complex shunt member is arranged inside, and under the long-term impact of high-speed fluid, there is no safety hidden danger such as loosening, fracture and falling, the operation reliability of the equipment is significantly improved, and the device is suitable for use in harsh use scenarios such as aerospace ground test which has high safety requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of fluid equipment technology, and more specifically, to a three-way mixer. Background Technology

[0002] Three-way mixers are commonly used to mix different fluids and are widely used in chemical, petroleum, environmental protection, and aerospace industries.

[0003] For example, in aerospace ground testing, to test engine performance, it is often necessary to mix high-temperature and low-temperature gases to simulate specific incoming flow temperature fields and reproduce the real working environment under different flight conditions, ensuring the validity and reliability of test data. In existing technologies, the SX-type static mixer shown in Figure 1 is used for fluid mixing due to its excellent mixing performance. However, its structure often adopts a multi-segment splicing design, involving a large number of small connecting parts (such as bolts, nuts, and rivets) and small steel plates (such as flow dividers, turbulence blocks, and limiting blocks). Under the long-term impact of high-speed fluids (≥40m / s) and alternating thermal cycles, such structures are highly susceptible to loosening, breakage, and detachment, seriously affecting equipment reliability and test safety.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a three-way mixer that combines good mixing performance with structural reliability has become a technical problem that needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, this application proposes a three-way mixer to achieve mixing of high and low temperature fluids while ensuring structural reliability.

[0006] According to this application, a three-way mixer is proposed, the three-way mixer including a mixing pipe having a first inlet communicating with a first flow channel, the mixing pipe including an enclosing cavity adjacent to the side wall of the mixing pipe, the enclosing cavity communicating with the inner cavity of the mixing pipe through a first hole matrix disposed on the side wall of the mixing pipe, and the enclosing cavity communicating with a second flow channel.

[0007] Optionally, the surrounding cavity is an annular cavity, and the second flow channel is connected to the surrounding cavity through at least one connection port. Preferably, there are multiple connection ports, which are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction.

[0008] Optionally, the first flow channel extends into the cavity of the mixing pipe from the first inlet, and the front of the mixing pipe is provided with a sealing member located between the first flow channel and the mixing pipe to seal the front of the mixing pipe.

[0009] Optionally, a spacer cavity is formed between the outer wall of the inner pipe portion of the first flow channel extending into the mixing pipe and the inner wall of the mixing pipe, and the spacer cavity communicates with the surrounding cavity through the first hole matrix.

[0010] Optionally, the outer wall of the internal pipe portion of the first flow channel is provided with a second hole matrix to connect the first flow channel and the spacer cavity.

[0011] Optionally, the first hole matrix and the second hole matrix are staggered along the axial direction of the mixing channel; and / or the first hole matrix and the second hole matrix are staggered along the circumferential direction of the mixing channel.

[0012] Optionally, the end of the internal pipe portion of the first flow channel is closed.

[0013] Optionally, the end of the internal pipe portion of the first flow channel has a conical structure extending along the axial direction of the mixing pipe.

[0014] Optionally, the three-way mixer is formed as a single unit.

[0015] According to the technical solution of this application, after the fluid in the second flow channel enters the surrounding cavity, it is uniformly sprayed into the mixing pipe from multiple directions through the first hole matrix set on the side wall of the mixing pipe, so as to achieve uniform mixing of high and low temperature fluids with the fluids of different temperatures from the first flow channel. At the same time, there is no need to set up complex flow splitting components inside. Under the long-term impact of high-speed fluid and the alternating load of hot and cold cycles, there are no safety hazards such as loosening, breakage, or detachment. This significantly improves the operational reliability of the equipment and is suitable for use scenarios with strict safety requirements, such as aerospace ground tests. It is a three-way mixer suitable for high pressure difference and high performance.

[0016] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application, and the illustrative embodiments and descriptions thereof are used to explain this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an SX-type static mixer in the prior art; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a three-way mixer according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a three-way mixer according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fluid flow path of the three-way mixer according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] This application provides a three-way mixer, which includes a mixing pipe 40 with a first inlet 11 connecting to a first flow channel 10. The mixing pipe 40 includes an enclosing cavity 30 adjacent to its sidewall. The enclosing cavity 30 communicates with the inner cavity of the mixing pipe 40 through a first hole matrix 42 disposed on the sidewall of the mixing pipe 40, and the enclosing cavity 30 communicates with a second flow channel 20. After the second fluid enters the enclosing cavity 30 from the second flow channel 20, it is buffered and pressure-equalized within the cavity, and then radially injected into the mixing pipe 40 through the first hole matrix 42, achieving uniform mixing of high and low temperature fluids with the first fluid of different temperatures from the first flow channel 10. Thus, the three-way mixer provided by this application can achieve the function of uniformly mixing fluids of different temperatures without the need for complex flow-dividing components. Under the long-term impact of high-speed fluids and alternating thermal loads, there are no safety hazards such as loosening, breakage, or detachment, significantly improving the operational reliability of the equipment. It is suitable for use scenarios with stringent safety requirements, such as aerospace ground testing.

[0020] Preferably, the surrounding cavity 30 is an annular cavity, and the second flow channel 20 is connected to the surrounding cavity 30 through at least one connection port. In a preferred case, there are multiple connection ports, which are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the surrounding cavity 30.

[0021] Preferably, the first flow channel 10 extends into the cavity of the mixing pipe 40 from the first inlet 11, and a sealing member 13 is provided at the front of the mixing pipe 40 between the first flow channel 10 and the mixing pipe 40 to provide structural support between the first flow channel 10 and the mixing pipe 40. The two sides of the sealing member 13 are respectively sealed to the side walls of the first flow channel 10 and the mixing pipe 40 to seal the front of the mixing pipe 40 and prevent fluid in the mixing pipe 40 from escaping from the front end of the mixing pipe 40. In this application, "front" refers to the part attached. Figure 3 The directions shown in the figures are used to describe the relative positions of the products. It is understood that the above directional terms are used to clearly indicate the relative positional relationships of the technical solutions of this application. The placement and arrangement of the products carrying the technical solutions of this application are not limited to the directional relationships shown in the figures of this application. Therefore, the above directional terms do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] To further enhance the fluid mixing effect, a spacer cavity 41 is formed between the outer wall of the inner pipe portion of the first flow channel 10 extending into the mixing pipe 40 and the inner wall of the mixing pipe 40. This spacer cavity 41 communicates with the surrounding cavity 30 through a first perforation matrix 42. A second perforation matrix 15 is provided on the outer wall of the inner pipe portion of the first flow channel 10 to connect the first flow channel 10 and the spacer cavity 41. When the spacer cavity 41 is a narrow cavity, the narrow space allows the first fluid and the second fluid to undergo intense collision, shearing, and mixing. Preferably, the gap width W of the spacer cavity 41 is not greater than 7 times the smaller of the diameters of the first perforation matrix 42 and the second perforation matrix 15.

[0023] To achieve a more uniform mixing effect, the first orifice matrix 42 and the second orifice matrix 15 are staggered axially and / or circumferentially along the mixing channel 40. This design avoids direct collision between the two jets, as direct collision would result in significant energy loss. Through staggered arrangement, one jet impacts the sides or gaps of the other jet, creating a shearing effect. This shearing mixing promotes more uniform mixing of the two fluids and effectively reduces total pressure loss and noise caused by the impact.

[0024] To further achieve uniform mixing, the technical solution provided in this application further improves the first flow channel 10: To achieve a specific fluid mixing mode, the end 12 of the internal pipe portion of the first flow channel 10 is closed. The purpose of this design is to change the flow direction of the first fluid, preventing it from flowing directly out along the axial direction of the first flow channel 10, and instead forcing it to seek an outlet radially. Therefore, when the first fluid enters the first flow channel 10, the internal pressure increases due to the obstruction at the end 12 of the first flow channel 10, and the fluid is then radially ejected outward through the second orifice matrix 15, entering the mixing pipe 40, thereby allowing the first fluid and the second fluid to be fully mixed.

[0025] like Figure 4As shown by the fluid path arrows, the first fluid enters the first flow channel 10. Due to the closure of end 12, the fluid is forced to change direction and is radially ejected outward through the second hole matrix 15 on the sidewall of the first flow channel 10, forming multiple jets that enter the mixing pipe 40. Simultaneously, the second fluid enters the surrounding cavity 30 from the second flow channel 20 and, after being evenly distributed within the surrounding cavity 30, is radially ejected through the first hole matrix 42 on the sidewall of the mixing pipe 40, forming multiple inwardly converging jets that also enter the same mixing pipe 40. The mixed fluids converge within the mixing pipe 40 and flow axially downstream of the mixing pipe 40. By radially ejecting the two fluids into the mixing pipe 40 via the first hole matrix 42 and the second hole matrix 15 respectively, vigorous mixing of the fluids is achieved. Compared to simple pipe mixing, this significantly improves mixing efficiency and uniformity, meeting the requirements of applications with high mixing uniformity.

[0026] Preferably, the end 12 of the internal pipe portion of the first flow channel 10 has a conical structure 16 extending along the axial direction of the mixing pipe 40. Compared to a straight end plate, this design can effectively reduce flow dead zones and pressure losses, optimize the stress form of the structure, and prevent the end 12 from being deformed or damaged by long-term impact.

[0027] When fluid flows at high speed through orifices with sharp edges, local eddies are easily formed. This not only increases energy loss but can also cause unnecessary vibration and noise. To further reduce flow resistance, the opening edges of the first orifice matrix 42 and the second orifice matrix 15 are rounded. By smoothly rounding the orifice edges, the fluid can be guided to flow out of the flow holes more smoothly, effectively reducing flow losses in the three-way mixer and improving energy utilization efficiency.

[0028] Preferably, the three-way mixer proposed in this application is formed as a single unit. This means that the final product structure of the three-way mixer does not contain any traditional small, easily loosened mechanical connectors such as bolts, nuts, or rivets. This fundamentally avoids the risk of components loosening, breaking, or falling off under high-speed fluid impact and alternating thermal loads, improving the safety of the equipment and its service life under harsh operating conditions. In terms of manufacturing process, all components constituting the three-way mixer, such as the pipe body forming the first flow channel 10, its end 12, and the inner and outer pipe walls surrounding the cavity 30, are connected as a whole through an integral welding process. Alternatively, in another manufacturing method, the entire mixer can be integrally formed by metal 3D printing. Preferably, the entire three-way mixer is made of stainless steel. This allows the three-way mixer to meet the needs of different application scenarios: aero-engine testing requires extremely high gas cleanliness, ensuring no impurities or rust to avoid affecting downstream test pieces; while in the chemical industry, the equipment faces a highly corrosive environment, requiring high corrosion resistance.

[0029] To illustrate the technical solution of the present invention more specifically, a specific implementation based on a product is provided below. This embodiment provides a three-way mixer for an aero-engine ground test bench, designed to rapidly and uniformly mix a high-temperature main gas (773K) with a low-temperature branch gas (373K).

[0030] The specific structural parameters of this three-way mixer are as follows: It is made of 304 stainless steel through an integral welding process, without any bolts, nuts, or rivets. The diameter of the first flow channel 10 is 800mm, so as to directly connect with the existing main pipeline of the test bench. The diameter of the second flow channel 20 is 400mm, matching the existing branch pipeline. The outer diameter of the surrounding cavity 30 is 1600mm, and the inner diameter is 1200mm. The gap height of the partition cavity 41 is 200mm (i.e., (1200mm-800mm) / 2). The diameter of the mixing channel into which the mixed gas enters is 1200mm.

[0031] In terms of the aperture design, the diameter of a single aperture in both the first aperture matrix 42 and the second aperture matrix 15 is 30mm. The first aperture matrix 42 is arranged with 36 apertures circumferentially and 11 rows axially, totaling 396 apertures, corresponding to an aperture ratio of 10.6%. Based on empirical formulas, its resistance coefficient is approximately 150. The second aperture matrix 15 is also arranged with 36 apertures circumferentially and 11 rows axially, totaling 396 apertures, corresponding to an aperture ratio of 15.9%. Under design conditions, its resistance coefficient is measured to be approximately 60.

[0032] To verify the technical effectiveness of this embodiment, numerical simulation analysis was performed. Two typical operating conditions were set up, the main difference being the speed ratio of the main branch. The specific settings are shown in Table 1. The simulation results are shown in Table 2, where the outlet section was selected at 50 times the diameter downstream of the mixer outlet (L / D=50) to evaluate the sufficiency of mixing development.

[0033] The results show that, under operating condition 1, the outlet temperature non-uniformity of the three-way mixer in this embodiment is only 0.060%, while under the same operating condition, the non-uniformity of a simple empty three-way mixer without any internal mixing structure is as high as 0.821%. Under operating condition 2, the non-uniformity of this embodiment is 0.176%, while that of the empty three-way mixer is 1.173%.

[0034] The above data clearly demonstrates that the three-way mixer of this embodiment, while fundamentally ensuring high safety and reliability through its integral welded structure, achieves mixing performance that is more than an order of magnitude higher than that of a traditional empty three-way mixer. It can achieve efficient and uniform gas mixing without complex moving parts or introducing excessive flow losses, meeting the stringent requirements of rapid and precise temperature control under high flow conditions in ground tests.

[0035] The preferred embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. However, this application is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this application, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of this application, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0036] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this application will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0037] Furthermore, various different implementations of this application can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this application, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A three-way mixer comprising a mixing conduit (40) having a first inlet (11) communicating with a first flow channel (10), characterized in that, The mixing pipe (40) includes an enclosing cavity (30) adjacent to the side wall of the mixing pipe (40), which communicates with the inner cavity of the mixing pipe (40) through a first hole matrix (42) provided on the side wall of the mixing pipe (40), and the enclosing cavity (30) communicates with the second flow channel (20).

2. The three-way mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surrounding cavity (30) is an annular cavity, and the second flow channel (20) is connected to the surrounding cavity (30) through at least one connection port. Preferably, there are multiple connection ports, which are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction.

3. The three-way mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first flow channel (10) extends into the cavity of the mixing pipe (40) from the first inlet (11), and the front of the mixing pipe (40) is provided with a sealing member (13) located between the first flow channel (10) and the mixing pipe (40) for sealing the front of the mixing pipe (40).

4. The three-way mixer according to claim 3, characterized in that, A spacer cavity (41) is formed between the outer wall of the inner pipe portion of the first flow channel (10) extending into the mixing pipe (40) and the inner wall of the mixing pipe (40). The spacer cavity (41) communicates with the surrounding cavity (30) through the first hole matrix (42).

5. The three-way mixer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer wall of the inner pipe portion of the first flow channel (10) is provided with a second hole matrix (15) to connect the first flow channel (10) with the spacer cavity (41).

6. The three-way mixer according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first orifice matrix (42) and the second orifice matrix (15) are staggered along the axial direction of the mixing pipe (40); and / or The first hole matrix (42) and the second hole matrix (15) are arranged alternately along the circumference of the mixing pipe (40).

7. The three-way mixer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The end (12) of the internal pipe portion of the first flow channel (10) is closed.

8. The three-way mixer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The end (12) of the internal pipe portion of the first flow channel (10) has a conical structure (16) extending along the axial direction of the mixing pipe (40).

9. The three-way mixer according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The three-way mixer is formed as a single unit.

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