Powder Reagent Injection Chamber for Plug-Free Oil Pipeline Mixing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in effectively injecting drag reducing powder reagents into high-pressure petroleum product flows without causing plugging at the powder inlet duct and ensuring complete dissolution of the reagent, leading to inefficient mixing and potential pump failure.

Innovation Solution

A cylindrical mixing chamber with tangential inlets for petroleum product and an axial inlet for powder reagent, combined with a gear motor-driven screw and flow restriction devices like ball or plug valves, ensures the powder reagent is washed out and dissolved under pressure, using the petroleum product's flow to mix and homogenize the slurry without additional pumps, and includes additional dissolution units if necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a powder reagent introducer is used to inject drag reducing powder into high-pressure petroleum product flow, then the reagent injection efficiency is improved, but the powder inlet duct may get plugged by liquid penetration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereagent injection efficiencyVSAvoidpowder inlet duct plugging prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A flow restriction device is introduced as an intermediary component between the powder inlet duct and the mixing chamber. This device acts as a mediator that selectively restricts liquid flow while allowing powder passage, preventing liquid from entering and plugging the powder inlet duct while maintaining effective reagent injection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The flow restriction device is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and flow restriction characteristics based on operating conditions. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain optimal performance while preventing plugging under varying pressure and flow conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If a cylindrical mixing chamber with tangential inlets is used for mixing powder reagent and petroleum product, then mixing efficiency is improved, but complete dissolution of reagent may not be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemixing efficiencyVSAvoidreagent dissolution completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tangential inlets are designed to create preliminary swirling motion and turbulence in the petroleum product flow before the powder reagent is introduced. This preliminary action pre-conditiones the liquid flow to enhance subsequent mixing and dissolution efficiency, ensuring more complete reagent dissolution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mixing chamber utilizes three-dimensional swirling flow patterns created by tangential inlets, transforming the mixing process from simple linear mixing to complex three-dimensional turbulent mixing. This dimensional enhancement significantly improves contact between powder reagent and petroleum product, ensuring complete dissolution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If additional dissolution units are added to ensure complete reagent dissolution, then dissolution completeness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereagent dissolution completenessVSAvoidmixing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dissolution function is merged with the mixing chamber itself rather than being separated into additional standalone units. The tangential inlet design and internal chamber geometry are configured to provide both mixing and dissolution functions in a single integrated component, avoiding the need for separate dissolution units and reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 ensures reliable and efficient injection of powder reagents into petroleum products, preventing plugging and ensuring complete dissolution, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of the mixing process.

Implementation Method 1

The powder reagent introducer is a screw for transporting, which transports the powder reagent to the mixing chamber through the flow restriction device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew transport: Screw

Implementation Method 2

ensures the powder reagent is washed out and dissolved under pressure, using the petroleum product's flow to mix and homogenize the slurry

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-driven flow: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4472760B1Apparatus for injection of a powder reagent into the flow of a petroleum product and plant for transportation of petroleum products
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 IRIS TECH INC
  • EP4472760B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4472760B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4472760B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to the field of mixing plants, in particular, to devices for mixing a powder reagent with a flow of a liquid medium. The specified technical result is produced due to the development of an apparatus for injection of a powder reagent into the flow of a petroleum product, which comprises: a cylindrical mixing chamber, an inlet for feeding a powder reagent, an outlet to remove the powder reagent mixed with the petroleum product; a powder reagent introducer with an outlet connected to the inlet of the mixing chamber through a flow restriction device; a pump for feeding the mixture from the mixing chamber to the oil pipeline, in which the specified at least one inlet for feeding petroleum products are tangential, an inlet for feeding the reagent and the outlet to remove the mixture are axial.