Stirring device

Abstract

To provide an agitating device which can achieve advanced dispersion at low cost.SOLUTION: A turbine / stator type agitating device is provided, a turbine constituting an agitation unit of the agitating device has an annular impeller portion, and an inducer portion located in a central space of the impeller portion. The impeller portion has a plurality of groove portions which radially open in a radial direction of a center shaft of the turbine, and a side surface of the groove portion, that is rear with respect to a rotation direction of the turbine, is inclined forward with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine. A stator constituting the agitation unit of the agitating device is located on an outer periphery side of the impeller portion of the turbine with a prescribed interval therebetween, a portion of a main body portion of the stator, which faces the groove portion of the impeller portion of the turbine, has a plurality of pores which radially open toward the radial direction of the center shaft of the turbine.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stirring device. [Background technology]

[0002] Turbine-stator type agitators are used as agitators for manufacturing emulsion and suspension products such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. A turbine-stator type agitator is an agitator consisting of a turbine that rotates at high speed and a stator that surrounds the turbine in a stationary state, and is able to apply a large shear force to the material being treated in the clearance between the turbine and stator, which allows for a high level of dispersion treatment of the material being treated. However, turbine-stator type agitators can cause problems such as cavitation when the peripheral speed of the turbine exceeds a certain level.

[0003] As a mixer that solves this problem, the mixer shown in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. The agitator of Patent Document 1 includes a cylindrical agitator tank and a rotating blade housed in the agitator tank. The rotating blade is cylindrical and concentric with the agitator tank, with multiple through-holes extending radially. A relatively narrow gap is provided between the inner wall surface of the agitator and the rotating blade. When the agitator contains a material to be processed and the rotating blade is rotated at high speed, the material becomes thin in the gap and a very strong shear force is applied to the material. This solves the problems mentioned above and enables a more advanced dispersion process to be performed on the material.

[0004] On the other hand, with the recent advancement of industry, there is a demand for emulsion products and suspension products with higher performance and functionality, and the demands for dispersion and emulsification are increasing year by year. The agitator is also required to improve dispersion efficiency and further reduce particle size. To meet such demands, for example, it is possible to further increase the peripheral speed of the rotating blades. However, increasing the peripheral speed not only causes the flow of the material to be treated to spin freely, but also leads to the problem of increasing the size and cost of the agitator, such as requiring an increased capacity for the motor that serves as the driving source and increasing the rigidity of the agitator tank and the rotating blades. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3256801 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been devised in light of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a stirring device that can achieve high-level dispersion at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the agitator of the present invention is a turbine-stator type agitator, and the turbine constituting the agitation part of the agitator is an annular impeller part having the same center as the turbine. ,before Impeller Department and an inducer portion having the same center as the impeller portion, the impeller portion having a plurality of grooves that open radially in a radial direction of a central axis of the turbine, and a rear side surface of each groove in the rotation direction of the turbine is inclined forward with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine, and a front side surface of the turbine in a rotation direction thereof is inclined rearward with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine; The stator constituting the stirring section of the stirring device has a cylindrical main body portion that is centered on the same axis as the turbine, and the main body portion is arranged at a predetermined interval on the outer periphery of the impeller section of the turbine, and the part of the main body portion that faces the groove section of the impeller section of the turbine has a plurality of holes that open radially in the radial direction of the central axis of the turbine (Claim 1).

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the front or rear side of the groove of the impeller portion with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine is inclined in a curved shape (see claim 1). 2 ).

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the side surface of the hole of the stator is inclined rearward with respect to the direction of rotation of the turbine (see claims 3 ). [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve a high level of dispersion while avoiding the problem of the flow of the material to be treated spinning freely due to an increase in the peripheral speed, as well as the problems of an increase in the capacity of the motor that serves as the driving source, and an increase in the rigidity of the stirring tank and the rotating blades, which leads to an increase in the size and cost of the stirring device.

[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view showing a stirring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view (top) showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view (bottom) showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a top view showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view (top) showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of a stirring device based on a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view (bottom) showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a top view showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of a stirring device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing a turbine that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a stator that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a stator that constitutes the stirring unit of the stirring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a combination of a turbine and a stator that constitute the stirring unit of the stirring device based on an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0015] 1 to 12 show a stirring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an overall view showing an agitator 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The agitator 100 includes a cylindrical container 101 with a bottom, and a turbine (rotor) 110 and a stator 120 that constitute the agitator. The top opening of the vessel 101 is closed by a removable lid 103. A hole is provided in the center of the lid 103 for inserting a shaft 107 (rotating shaft) that drives the turbine 110. The shaft 107 is inserted into the vessel 101 through the hole and is sealed by a mechanical seal 106. A motor (not shown) is connected to the upper end of the shaft 107, and drives the turbine 110 connected to the lower end of the shaft 107. A stator rod 130 extending toward the bottom of the vessel 101 is provided in the center of the lower surface of the lid 103, and covers the portion of the shaft 107 inserted into the vessel 101. A stator 120 is connected to the tip of the stator rod 130. The material to be treated is poured into the container 101 through an inlet 104 provided at the bottom of the container 101 , treated by the agitator, and then discharged from a discharge outlet 105 provided in the lid 103 .

[0016] Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above showing the turbine 110 constituting the stirring unit of the stirring device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view from below. Fig. 4 is a top view of the turbine 110, and Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the same.

[0017] 3 and 7, the turbine 110 has an annular impeller portion 111. The impeller portion 111 is connected to a shaft portion 107A via a connecting portion 112 so that the impeller portion 111 and the shaft 107 are coaxial. In the illustrated example, the shaft portion 107A is connected to the shaft 107 via a connecting portion 107B, but the shaft portion 107A and the shaft 107 may also be integrally molded without providing the connecting portion 107B. The impeller section 111 has a plurality of grooves 113, each of which opens radially in the radial direction of the central axis of the turbine 110. The impeller section 111, by virtue of the action of the plurality of grooves 113, serves to discharge the material to be treated, which is transferred from an inducer section 116 (described later), toward a stator 120 (described later). 4, of the side surfaces 114 of each groove portion 113, the rear side surface 114A with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110 is inclined forward with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110. Here, the inclination angle θ of the side surface 114 of each groove portion 113 is defined as the angle between the radial direction of the rotation axis of the turbine 110 and the tangent of the side surface 114, and if θ>0° with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110, it is defined as being inclined forward with respect to the rotation direction D. Furthermore, Fig. 6 is a perspective view from above showing a turbine 110 constituting the stirring unit of a stirring device 100 based on embodiment 2 of the present invention, Fig. 7 is a perspective view from below of the same, Fig. 8 is a top view of the turbine 110, and Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the same. The turbine 110 of the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the turbine 110 of the first embodiment of the present invention in that, of the side surfaces 114 of each groove portion 113, the front side surface 114B with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110 is inclined rearward with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110, and the width W of each groove portion 113 decreases from the center side to the outer periphery side of the turbine 110. The inclination is defined in the same way as in the case of the rear side surface 114A. Regarding the inclination of the rear side surface 114A or the front side surface 114B, the effect of the present invention can be achieved as long as at least the rear side surface 114A is inclined, but it is preferable that both the rear side surface 114A and the front side surface 114B are inclined, as this further enhances the effect of the present invention. The inclination of rear side surface 114A or front side surface 114B may be curved, straight, bent, or a combination of these shapes, but it is preferable that the inclination is curved as in the example shown in the figure, as this further enhances the effect of the present invention.

[0018] The turbine 110 has a screw-shaped inducer portion 116. The inducer portion 116 is disposed in a central space 115 of the impeller portion 111, and is connected to the lower end of the shaft 107 so that the center thereof is the same as that of the shaft 107. The inducer section 116 is formed with a plurality of blade sections 117, which function to transfer the material to be treated to the impeller section 111 as the turbine 110 rotates. In the illustrated example, four blade sections 117 are formed, but this is not limited to this and the number can be increased or decreased depending on the embodiment. The inducer portion 116 is disposed at a position below the base surface 118 of the turbine 110 in the direction of the central axis of the shaft 107 and the like. A plurality of communication holes 119 are formed in the base surface 118 of the turbine 110, and the material to be stirred is transferred from the inducer portion 116 to the impeller portion 111 via the plurality of communication holes 119. In the illustrated example, the plurality of communication holes 119 are formed at four locations, but this is not limitative and the number can be increased or decreased depending on the embodiment.

[0019] Figure 10 is an oblique view from above showing the stator 120 that constitutes the stirring device 100 based on an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the central axis of the stator 120, and Figure 12 is a diagram of the turbine 110 and stator 120 combined.

[0020] The stator 120 has a cylindrical main body 121, and as shown in FIG. 8, covers the outer periphery of the turbine 110 and is disposed so that its center is coincident with that of the turbine 110 and the shaft 107. The stator 120 and the turbine 110 are arranged close to each other in the radial direction of the central axis of the shaft 107, etc. As a result, a clearance of about several mm is formed between the inner wall of the stator 120 and the outer periphery of the impeller portion 111 of the turbine 110. A plurality of holes 122 are formed in a portion of the main body 121 of the stator 120 that faces the groove 113 of the impeller 111 of the turbine 110. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the stator 120 at the position of the hole 122, and as shown in this figure, each hole 122 opens radially in the radial direction of the central axis of the turbine 110. In the illustrated example, the holes 122 are not inclined with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110, but it is preferable that the holes 122 are inclined rearward with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110, as this further enhances the effects of the present invention. The inclination of the holes 122 is defined in the same way as in the case of the rear side surface 114A of the turbine 110 described above. An intake port 123 is provided at the lower end of the main body 121 of the stator 120, allowing the material to be stirred to flow into the inducer portion 115 of the turbine 110.

[0021] Due to the configuration of the stirring device 100 based on the embodiment of the present invention described above, the material to be treated poured into the container 101 flows into the stirring section from the intake port 123 of the stator 120 due to the suction force generated by the rotation of the turbine 110. The material to be treated that has flowed into the stirring section is then transferred to the impeller section 111 by the action of the blade section 117 of the inducer section 115 of the turbine 110, and is poured into the groove section 113. The material to be treated that has been poured into the groove section 113 is discharged from the opening of the groove section 113 by the action of the forward inclination of the rear side surface 114A with respect to the rotation direction D of the groove section 113 of the turbine 110, and is poured into the clearance between the inner wall of the main body section 121 of the stator 120 and the outer periphery of the impeller section 111 of the turbine 110. At this time, the radial flow of the central axis of the turbine 110 generated by the action of the inducer section 115 and the flow in the rotational direction D of the turbine 110 generated by the action of the side surface 114A of the groove section 113 are combined, and the flow rate of the material to be treated within the clearance is increased. Furthermore, it is preferable to use the blade portion 117 of the inducer portion 115 of the turbine 110 to transfer the material to be treated to the impeller portion 111 via a plurality of communication holes 119, as this particularly enhances the effect of increasing the flow rate of the material to be treated within the above-mentioned clearance. On the other hand, if the inducer section 115 is not provided and the peripheral speed of the turbine 110 is simply increased to increase the discharge speed of the material to be treated from the opening of the groove section 113 toward the clearance, the supply of the material to be treated into the groove section 113 cannot keep up, resulting in problems such as the flow of the material to be treated spinning freely.However, with the configuration of the agitator 100 based on the embodiment of the present invention described above, such problems are suppressed.

[0022] Next, due to the effect of increasing the flow velocity of the material to be treated injected into the clearance, the material to be treated collides at high speed with the inner wall of the main body 121 of the stator 120. Furthermore, the material to be treated injected into the clearance is subjected to a large shear force due to the interaction between the inner wall of the main body 121 of the stator 120 and the outer periphery of the impeller part 111 of the turbine 110. The high-speed collision with the inner wall and the large shear force exert a synergistic effect, making it possible to subject the material to be treated discharged into the clearance to a high level of dispersion treatment.

[0023] Next, the material to be treated injected into the clearance circulates within the clearance and passes through a plurality of holes 122 in the main body 121 of the stator 120, and is then discharged outside the stirring section. In this case, if the height of the multiple holes 122 in the main body 121 of the stator 120 is Hs (see Figure 10), and the height of the impeller part 111 of the turbine 110 (the height from the base surface 118 to the tip of the impeller part 111) is Hi (see Figure 2), and the relationship Hs<4Hi is satisfied, this is preferable because it allows for advanced dispersion processing of the material to be treated discharged into the clearance and promotes the release of the material to be treated outside the stirring part via the multiple holes 122 in the main body 121 of the stator 120, and it is more preferable to set Hs<3Hi, even more preferably Hs<2Hi, and even more preferably Hs<1.5Hi. Furthermore, if the height Hs of the multiple holes 122 in the main body 121 of the stator 120 becomes smaller, the release of the material to be treated outside the stirring section via the multiple holes 122 in the main body 121 of the stator 120 is hindered, so it is preferable to satisfy the relationship Hs>0.5Hi, more preferably Hs>0.6Hi, even more preferably Hs>0.7Hi, and even more preferably Hs>0.8Hi.

[0024] The stirring device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the specific configuration of each part of the stirring device according to the present invention can be freely designed and modified in various ways. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 100: Stirring device 101: Container 102: Jacket 103: Lid 104: Inlet 105: Outlet 106: Mechanical seal 107: Shaft (rotating axis) 107A: Shaft 107B:Connection part 110: Turbine (rotor) 111: Impeller part 112: Connection part 113: Groove 114: Side 114A: Rear side of the turbine 110 in the direction of rotation D 114B: Front side with respect to the rotation direction D of the turbine 110 115: Central space 116: Inducer section 117: Wing 118: Base 119:Communication hole 120: Stator 121: Main body 122: Hole 123: Intake port 130: Stator rod

Claims

1. A turbine-stator type agitator, The turbine constituting the stirring unit of the stirring device is an annular impeller portion having the same center as the turbine; an inducer portion having the same center as the impeller portion, the impeller portion has a plurality of grooves that open radially in a radial direction of the central axis of the turbine, a rear side surface of the groove portion with respect to a rotation direction of the turbine inclined forward with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine, and a front side surface of the groove portion with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine inclined backward with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine, The stator constituting the stirring unit of the stirring device is a cylindrical body portion that is coaxial with the turbine; the main body is disposed at a predetermined interval on the outer circumferential side of the impeller of the turbine, The main body has a plurality of holes that open radially in the radial direction of the central axis of the turbine in a portion that faces the groove of the impeller of the turbine. A stirring device characterized by:

2. 2. The agitator according to claim 1, wherein a front or rear side surface of the groove of the impeller portion relative to the rotation direction of the turbine is inclined in a curved shape.

3. 2. The stirring device according to claim 1, wherein a side surface of the hole of the stator is inclined rearward with respect to the rotation direction of the turbine.

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