Rotor Design for Powder-Liquid Mixing Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixers for powder and liquid often face challenges with low throughput and a high tendency for agglutination due to inadequate design features that restrict fluid flow and create conditions conducive to deposits and adhesions.
Innovation Solution
The rotor design incorporates radially inwardly tapering liquid regions between connecting arms and shear blades with acute-angled wedges, along with a circular outer blade carrier plate, to enhance liquid flow and reduce agglutination by creating a high flow rate and large liquid surface area, while the specific geometry of the blades and arms ensures effective mixing and minimizes disruptive deposits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rotor uses a conventional design with connecting arms in one plane with the blade carrier plate, then the structure is simple, but the liquid throughput is low and agglutination tendency is high
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting arms are arranged in a star-like pattern extending radially outward from the shaft receptacle, creating three-dimensional fluid regions between the arms rather than a flat planar structure. This spatial arrangement increases liquid throughput by allowing liquid to flow through multiple pathways simultaneously while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor structure is segmented into discrete connecting arms that extend radially outward, creating separate fluid regions between each arm. This segmentation allows liquid to flow through multiple independent pathways, increasing overall throughput while preventing agglutination by disrupting continuous flow patterns that lead to deposits
2Productivity
If the rotor design restricts fluid flow to maintain structural simplicity, then manufacturing is easier, but material throughput decreases and agglutination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade carrier plate is offset axially relative to the star-like connecting arms, creating three-dimensional liquid passage channels. This axial offset allows liquid to flow through channels formed between the connecting arms and the blade carrier plate, significantly increasing material throughput while the overall structure remains simple and manufacturable
3Productivity
If the rotor creates high flow rate and large liquid surface area, then throughput increases, but the complexity of blade and arm geometry increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer blades are designed with specific geometric features including an inclined front side wall and a rear side wall that is rounded in the transition region to the connecting arm. This localized geometric optimization creates favorable flow conditions that increase liquid surface area and flow rate without requiring complex overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The rear side wall of the outer blade is rounded in the transition region to the connecting arm, creating smooth curved surfaces that guide liquid flow. This curvature eliminates sharp edges that would cause turbulence and deposits, increasing effective liquid surface area while maintaining simple manufacturable geometry
4Productivity
If the rotor design creates conditions for high throughput, then mixing efficiency improves, but the tendency for deposits and adhesions increases without proper flow management
Solution Approach 1:
The design converts the potential harm of high flow rates (which can cause turbulence and deposits) into a benefit by creating controlled turbulent flow through the star-like connecting arm arrangement. The liquid flows through defined channels between the arms, maintaining high throughput while the structured flow pattern prevents random turbulence that leads to agglutination
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded transition region on the rear side wall of the outer blade eliminates sharp edges where liquid flow separation and turbulence occur. This smooth curvature guides liquid flow continuously, preventing the formation of eddies and stagnant zones where deposits and adhesions would form, while maintaining high mixing efficiency
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 design achieves a high material throughput with a low tendency for agglutination, ensuring efficient mixing and continuous operation by maintaining a balance between laminar and turbulent flow components, thus preventing deposits and adhesions effectively.
Implementation Method 1
between the outer blade carrier plate and the connecting arms connecting webs extending in the axial direction and between the connecting arms, fluid regions tapering radially inward are formed, through which a relatively high throughput of liquid is created also in the radial direction
Implementation Method 2
maintaining a balance between laminar and turbulent flow components
Implementation Method 3
maintaining a balance between laminar and turbulent flow components
Data Source
AI summary
In the case of a rotor (109) for a device for mixing powder and liquid, a number of connecting arms (203) are formed, as a connecting structure, between an outer blade carrier plate (215), which is equipped with outer blades (127), and a shaft receptacle (117), between which connecting arms there are situated liquid outlet regions (206). This has the result, owing to a relatively high throughput with a shear action which is still sufficient, of a relatively high mixing rate and of a relatively low tendency for powder to agglutinate.