Orifice Plate Mixing Device for Aircraft Engine Fluid Homogenization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixing devices for fluid flows in fluid systems, such as those in aircraft engines, face challenges in achieving efficient and rapid mixing while maintaining thermal homogeneity, as they often result in significant pressure loss and incomplete mixing due to the use of fittings and fixed flow configurations.
Innovation Solution
A mixing device utilizing an orifice plate device with adjustable flow characteristics, which reduces the flow cross section by up to 85% to increase turbulence and internal fluid friction, allowing for targeted mixing by adjusting the orifice plate's position and material thermal expansion, ensuring homogeneous fluid properties are achieved with minimal pressure loss and rapid mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an orifice plate device is used to reduce flow cross section and increase turbulence, then mixing efficiency is improved, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs adjustable orifices that can be dynamically repositioned along the flow path. This dynamic adjustment allows optimization of the balance between turbulence generation (for mixing efficiency) and pressure loss, enabling the system to adapt to different operating conditions and achieve efficient mixing with minimized energy waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the flow path by varying the position and size of orifices. By adjusting the opening size and location, the system modifies flow velocity, turbulence intensity, and pressure distribution to achieve optimal mixing efficiency while controlling pressure loss within acceptable limits.
2Ease of operation
If fittings are used in the mixing device, then flow direction can be controlled, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes traditional fittings from the mixing device and replaces them with strategically positioned orifices in the pipe wall. This extraction of unnecessary components eliminates the pressure loss associated with fittings while maintaining flow direction control through the orifice geometry and positioning, thereby reducing energy loss without sacrificing operational control.
3Loss of time
If the mixing length is reduced to achieve rapid mixing, then thermal homogeneity is achieved faster, but mixing completeness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent generates controlled turbulence through strategically positioned orifices that create vortex structures and flow disturbances. This turbulence acts as a mixing mechanism that rapidly enhances thermal homogeneity within a short distance while ensuring complete mixing through the chaotic flow patterns and enhanced fluid interaction, thus achieving both speed and completeness.
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
The solution enables efficient and rapid mixing of fluid flows with minimal deviation in mean temperature from ideal mixing temperatures, achieving thorough homogenization within a short distance, suitable for aircraft engine applications like temperature control systems.
Implementation Method 1
an orifice plate device for a targeted reduction in the flow cross section... an increase in the turbulence or an increase in the internal fluid friction
Implementation Method 2
use is made here in particular of vortex shedding and turbulence
Implementation Method 3
The orifice plate device can be moved, for example, by means of a hydraulic, pneumatic and/or electric actuator
Implementation Method 4
The orifice plate device can be moved, for example, by means of a hydraulic, pneumatic and/or electric actuator
Implementation Method 5
a certain degree of mixing has to be complied with under specific conditions... thermal homogeneity condition
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a mixing device for a primary fluid flow in a first pipe with at least one secondary fluid flow, characterized in that a mixing point of the fluid flows is arranged in each case at the connection of the first pipe to at least one second pipe for the at least one secondary fluid flow, and an orifice plate device for a targeted reduction in the flow cross section is arranged upstream of the mixing point in the at least one second pipe, or the first pipe has a wall section with an orifice plate device for the targeted reduction in the flow cross section, through which orifice plate device the at least one secondary fluid flow flows into the first pipe during operation. The invention furthermore relates to a mixing method and to an aircraft engine.