Spheroidal Static Mixer for Compact NO-O3 Gas Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing static mixers are inefficient for converting nitric oxide (NO) and ozone (O3) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), requiring long lengths and being cumbersome and costly, and designs without helical or obstructive features can lead to hysteresis and inconsistent mixing.
Innovation Solution
A static mixer with a tubular body and spheroidal bodies that induce turbulence, having an outer diameter greater than 50% of the inner diameter, to ensure efficient mixing of NO and O3 into NO2, minimizing length and material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing static mixers with helical or obstructive features are used to convert NO and O3 to NO2, then mixing efficiency is improved, but device length and complexity increase making them cumbersome and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spherical mixing elements instead of traditional helical or obstructive fixtures. These spheres create effective turbulence and flow disruption with a compact arrangement, achieving high conversion efficiency in a much shorter mixer length while maintaining simplicity of design
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the mixing elements from elongated helical structures to compact spherical forms. This parameter change allows achieving the same mixing intensity with significantly reduced length, directly resolving the contradiction between conversion efficiency and device length
2Productivity
If existing static mixers with helical or obstructive features are used to convert NO and O3 to NO2, then mixing efficiency is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical mixing elements have simple geometry compared to helical or obstructive fixtures, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining effective turbulence generation for high conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The simple spherical elements can be manufactured more economically and potentially replaced more easily than complex helical structures, reducing overall device cost and maintenance complexity
3Device complexity
If static mixers without helical or obstructive features are used, then device simplicity is improved, but mixing consistency deteriorates due to hysteresis and multiple flow paths
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical elements create consistent flow disruption patterns that eliminate hysteresis effects while maintaining structural simplicity, achieving both simple design and consistent mixing performance
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical mixing elements provide uniform flow distribution and consistent turbulence generation throughout the mixer, eliminating the hysteresis and inconsistency problems associated with other simple designs
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
Achieves efficient conversion of NO and O3 to NO2 with a compact design, reducing mixer length by 90% while maintaining high conversion efficiency, and minimizing material usage and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the plurality of spheroidal bodies is configured to induce turbulence in the flow of the two or more fluids to produce the fluid product when the two or more fluids are conveyed through the mixing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a static mixer for mixing two or more fluids together. The static mixer comprises a tubular body defining a mixing chamber in which spheroidal bodies are positioned. The spheroidal bodies are arranged sequentially within the mixing chamber, and their size and shape is selected so that they maintain a staggered formation. The tubular body can receive a flow of the two or more fluids at one end and convey them towards an opposite end where a mixed product can be provided. The arrangement of the spheroidal bodies can induce turbulence in the flow of the two or more fluids to mix them as they meander around the spheroidal bodies. The present disclosure further provides a method for mixing two or more fluids by the static mixer.