Segmented Turbine Blade Flocculant Dispersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flocculating-mixing tanks face issues with insufficient dispersion of flocculants due to turbine blade design, leading to inadequate formation of fine flocs, which increases power consumption and affects dewatering processes.

Innovation Solution

A rapid stirring machine with a shearing stirring blade featuring turbine blades disposed along a virtual circle centered around the drive shaft, positioned to face the sludge inlet and maintain a space from the tank bottom, reduces power consumption by effectively dispersing flocculants into fine particles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If turbine blades deliver fluid in massive form to create upward flow, then rapid stirring is achieved, but dispersion of flocculant deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestirring speedVSAvoiddispersion of flocculant

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The single turbine blade is segmented into multiple turbine blades (at least three) radially disposed on the rotating plate. This segmentation divides the fluid delivery into multiple smaller streams rather than one massive flow, creating better dispersion zones throughout the tank while maintaining rapid stirring capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The turbine blades are arranged radially in multiple dimensions around the drive shaft axis, creating three-dimensional dispersion patterns. This radial arrangement in at least three different angular positions transforms the single-direction upward flow into multi-directional fluid movement, enhancing flocculant dispersion throughout the treatment volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If residence time is increased to improve dispersion, then flocculant disperses better, but power loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedispersion of flocculantVSAvoidpower loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The multiple turbine blades create turbulent flow patterns and mechanical mixing action that rapidly disperse the flocculant through chaotic fluid motion. This mechanical mixing mechanism achieves thorough dispersion in shorter residence time compared to laminar flow, reducing the energy required for liquid circulation while ensuring adequate flocculant distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the flow regime parameters by using multiple blades to create high-velocity turbulent flow with enhanced mixing intensity. This parameter change allows achieving complete dispersion at lower circulation powers and shorter residence times compared to conventional single-blade designs operating at lower mixing intensities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If single turbine blade creates rapid upward flow, then stirring is effective, but short pass occurs varying residence time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid flow speedVSAvoidresidence time

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The fluid flow path is segmented into multiple circulation loops by the radially arranged turbine blades. Instead of a single large circulation loop that creates short-passing, the multiple blades create several smaller, distributed flow paths that extend the residence time of water and flocculant in the mixing zone while maintaining high flow velocities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating multi-blade turbine creates periodic disturbance patterns as each blade passes through the fluid, generating pulsed mixing action. This periodic action prevents the formation of stable, short circulation paths and ensures that water and flocculant remain in the mixing zone for extended periods, stabilizing residence time while maintaining rapid mixing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 generates large quantities of uniform flocs, stabilizing their formation for efficient dewatering with reduced power consumption by shearing flocculant lumps into fine particles, enhancing the dewatering process.

Implementation Method 1

turbine blades that are disposed along a virtual circle centered around the axis of the drive shaft, on at least one of the front and back sides of the shearing stirring blade in the axial direction of the drive shaft, the turbine blades being raised in the axial direction of the drive shaft

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShear stress: Shear Stress

Data Source

PatentUS10369535B2Rapid stirring machine

Publication Date: 2019.08.06 KUBOTA CORP

AI summary

A rapid stirring machine including a tank for stirring sludge and a flocculant; a drive shaft disposed in the tank; and an edged turbine blade attached to the drive shaft, the edged turbine blade including turbine blades that are disposed along a virtual circle centered around the axis of the drive shaft, on at least one of the front and back sides of the edged turbine blade in the axial direction of the drive shaft, the turbine blades being raised in the axial direction of the drive shaft.