Dynamic Mixer-Injector for Continuous Sludge Thermal Hydrolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for continuous thermal hydrolysis of sludges with high dryness ratios face challenges in efficient steam injection and mixing, leading to incomplete hydrolysis and increased steam consumption, and require large reactor volumes with high manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a dynamic mixer-injector for simultaneous injection and mixing of pressurized steam with sludges to create a single-phase mixture, which is then conveyed to a tube reactor for thermal hydrolysis, optimizing energy transfer and reducing reactor volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If steam is directly injected into sludges with high dryness ratios in a tube reactor, then the method achieves continuous treatment, but the steam injection and mixing become inefficient leading to incomplete hydrolysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing steam with sludges in a dynamic mixer-injector before the sludges enter the tube reactor. This preliminary mixing ensures homogeneous distribution of steam throughout the sludge, preventing incomplete hydrolysis that would occur with direct injection into high-dryness sludges. The dynamic mixer-injector creates a single-phase mixture that guarantees complete contact between steam and all sludge particles throughout the subsequent treatment process.
2Productivity
If steam is directly injected into viscous sludges, then continuous treatment is enabled, but mixing efficiency decreases and steam consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic mixer-injector performs preliminary mixing of steam with sludge in a controlled environment before the mixture enters the tube reactor. This preliminary action ensures that steam is evenly distributed throughout the viscous sludge, maximizing mixing efficiency and eliminating the need for excessive steam to overcome mixing resistance. The pre-mixed single-phase slurry maintains optimal fluidity for continuous processing while minimizing energy waste.
3Reliability
If large reactor volumes are used to accommodate high dryness ratio sludges, then complete hydrolysis can be achieved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic mixer-injector performs the critical function of creating a homogeneous single-phase mixture before the sludge enters the tube reactor. This preliminary action ensures that every portion of the sludge receives adequate steam contact, allowing the use of smaller reactor volumes while maintaining complete hydrolysis. The pre-mixed slurry's improved fluidity and homogeneity enable efficient heat transfer and reaction completion in more compact reactor designs, reducing manufacturing costs.
4Stability of the object's composition
If mechanical mixing is applied to achieve homogeneous temperature distribution, then inhomogeneous temperatures are eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical mixing systems with a dynamic mixer-injector that uses fluid dynamics and pressure-driven flow to achieve homogeneous mixing. The injector creates a single-phase mixture through controlled steam injection and sludge agitation, eliminating the need for separate mechanical mixers, paddles, or agitators in the tube reactor. This substitution maintains temperature homogeneity while significantly reducing device complexity and mechanical maintenance requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient thermal hydrolysis of sludges with high dry solids content, reduces steam consumption, and eliminates mechanical constraints associated with inhomogeneous temperatures, allowing for smaller reactor volumes and improved hydrolysis performance.
Implementation Method 1
simultaneous injection under pressure of steam and mixing of the sludges with the steam by means of a dynamic mixer-injector
Implementation Method 2
conveying this single-phase mixture towards a tube reactor and bringing about plug flow of this mixture into this reactor for a retention time that is sufficient and at a temperature that is sufficient for the thermal hydrolysis of the organic matter
Implementation Method 3
cooling this single-phase mixture at its exit from this tube reactor to a temperature enabling the subsequent digestion of the hydrolyzed organic matter that it contains
Data Source
AI summary
Method for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of sludges containing organic matter, said method comprising the steps of:simultaneously injecting pressurized steam (100) into said sludges and mixing said sludges with said steam by means of a dynamic mixer-injector (4) so as to obtain a single-phase mixture,conveying said single-phase mixture towards a tube reactor (4) under pressure and bringing about the plug flow of this mixture into said reactor for a retention time that is sufficient and at a temperature that is sufficient to enable the thermal hydrolysis of the organic matter present in said sludges,cooling said single-phase mixture at its exit from said tube reactor to a temperature enabling the subsequent digestion of the hydrolyzed organic matter that it contains,depressurizing said cooled single-phase mixture.