UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY LAHORE

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

STATIC MIXERS

SYAD AYAD ALI 2010-CH-49

Miss Sidra Jabeen
STATIC MIXERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
1.0
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................
............................................................ 3 2.0
TYPES .............................................................................
....................................................................... 4 2.1 The
Suzler SMX
Mixer .............................................................................
.......................................... 4 2.2 Ross Low Pressure Drop
Mixture ...........................................................................
............................ 5 2.3 The Komax
Mixer .............................................................................
.................................................. 6 2.4 The Kinecs Static
Mixer .............................................................................
........................................ 6 2.5 The FIXMIX motionless
mixer..............................................................................
............................. 6 3.0 PRINCIPLES OF
OPERATION .........................................................................
................................... 7 3.1 Flow
Division...........................................................................
........................................................... 7 3.2 Radial
Mixing ............................................................................
......................................................... 8 4.0
BENEFITS ..........................................................................
....................................................................... 9 5.0
APPLICATIONS OF STATIC
MIXER .............................................................................
............................... 9 5.1 Water and Waste Water
Treatment .........................................................................
............................ 9 5.2 Oil, Gas and Petroleum
Industries ........................................................................
............................ 10 5.3 Chemical
Industry ..........................................................................
................................................... 10 5.4 Food
Industries.........................................................................
......................................................... 11 5.5 Polymer Production
Industries ........................................................................
.................................. 11
REFERENCES ........................................................................
................................................................... 11

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STATIC MIXERS

STATIC MIXERS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Mixing is an operation commonly encountered in the chemical process industries.
Often used mixing devices are dynamic mixers for agitated tanks and static mixers
for pipeline mixing. A static mixer or motionless mixer is a device inserted into a
housing or pipeline with the objective of manipulating fluid streams to divide,
recombine, accelerate/decelerate, spread, swirl or form layers as they pass through
the mixer. As a result of these alterations in the fluid flow, mixture components
are brought into intimate contact. Static mixers are therefore utilized not only
for strictly mixing requirements but also reaction processes. Flow in an empty pipe
produces some degree of radial mixing but in most cases, adequate mixing can only
be achieved by an impractical length of pipe. Inserting a static mixer
significantly accelerates inline mixing or reaction. This technique is essentially
desirable wherever a continuous, inexpensive and fast operation is required. Since
there are no moving parts in the motionless mixer, it is basically maintenance-free
and can be installed as easily as any piece of pipe. Normally the fluids to be
mixed are liquid, but static mixers can also be used to mix gas streams, disperse
gas into liquid or blend immiscible liquids. The device consists of mixer elements
contained in a cylindrical (tube) or squared housing. These can vary from about 6
mm to 6 meters diameter. Static mixer elements consist of a series of baffles made
of metal or a variety of plastics. Similarly, the mixer housing can be made of
metal or plastic. Typical construction materials for static mixer components
included stainless steel, polypropylene, Teflon, PVDF and polyacetal. The overall
system design incorporates a method for delivering two streams of fluids into the
static mixer. As the streams move through the mixer, the non-moving elements
continuously blend the materials. Complete mixing depends on many variables
including the fluids' properties, tube inner diameter, number of elements and their
design. Motionless or static mixers are flow-modifying inserts, built into a tube,
duct or vessel. These tools do not move themselves, but using the pressure
difference or the kinetic and potential energy of the treated materials, create
predetermined flow patterns and/or random movements, causing velocity differences
and thus relative displacements of various parts of the moving material. In this
way, motionless mixers can considerably improve the process to be carried out. In
fluids, motionless mixers work efficiently both in turbulent and laminar regions.
Splitting, shifting, shearing, rotating, accelerating, decelerating and recombining
of different parts of materials are common mechanisms in this respect, both in
fluids and bulk solids. Motionless mixers eliminate the need for mechanical
stirrers and therefore have a number of benefits: No direct motive power, driving
motor and electrical connections are necessary. The flow of
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materials (even particulate flow) through them may be induced either by gravity,
pressure difference or by utilizing the existing potential or kinetic energy. The
space requirement is small, allowing a compact design of equipment in bulk solids
treatments. Installation is easy and quick, e.g. by simple replacement of a section
of tube or by fixing inserts into a tube or vessel. Set-up and operating costs are
much lower than those of mechanical mixers, while maintenance is practically
superfluous. Motionless mixers are available in a number of different types, shapes
and geometries, made from a great variety of materials. The mixer can therefore
easily be matched to process requirements and to the features of the processed
materials. Physical properties e.g. flow behavior, particle size, mechanical
strength, abrasive effects, safe prescriptions E.g. for food and pharmaceutical
industries, can be taken into account by the proper design of mixers. Applications
in powder technology are equally feasible in gravity and pneumatic conveying tubes,
in chutes, hoppers and silos, or even in rotating, vibrated or shaken containers.
The greatest advantages of motionless mixers in bulk solids treatment are: high
performance, continuous operation, energy and manpower savings, minimum space
requirement, low maintenance costs.

2.0 TYPES
There are a number of different types of motionless mixers available from a number
of manufacturers; most of them are applicable for bulk solids, too. The most widely
known types are, e.g. Sulzer SMX and SMF mixers, Ross ISG and LPD mixers, Komax
mixer, Kenics and FixMix mixers, etc. Fig. 1 shows some examples of these devices.

2.1 The Suzler SMX Mixer

The Sulzer SMX mixer (Fig. 1a) is a typical form of lamellar mixer, composed of
narrow strips or lamellas placed side by side within a tube section. These strips
decline from axial direction alternately by positive and negative angles, crossing
the planes of each other, and thus constituting a 3-D series of X forms. During
flow, the material is split into several streams or layers corresponding to the
number of strips, shifted to opposite directions relative to each other. Flow
cross-sections contract along its up-flow sides and expand at the down-flow sides.
Thus, the material is forced laterally from the contracting to the neighboring
expanding channels. One SMX element, i.e. one series of crossing strips, mixes
principally in two dimensions along the plane of the X forms. Therefore, the next
series of X forms is aligned at 90 to ensure threedimensional mixing. Sulzer SMX
is thus characterized by excellent cross-sectional (transversal) mixing and a high
dispersing effect with a small space requirement and a narrow residence time
distribution. In multiphase flows no deposits and blockages occur, due to the high
turbulence caused by the sharp edges and crossings. But, a drawback of this mixer
also comes from this, because sharp edges and the sudden changes in flow directions
increases pressure drop. In bulk solids flow, troubles can arise, especially for
cohesive materials, for larger particles or broad size distributions.
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2.2 Ross Low Pressure Drop Mixture
Fig. 1b shows the Ross LPD mixer which consists of a series of slanted semi-
elliptical plates positioned in a discriminatory manner in a tubular housing. When
the material flows through this mixer, the input stream is split and diverted
repeatedly in different directions along the cross-section of the tube, until a
homogeneous mixture is achieved. This type of motionless mixer is generally used
for the turbulent flow of low-viscosity liquids to enhance macro- and micro-mixing
and/or to improve the heat transfer coefficient in heat exchangers. It is also
feasible for particulate flows. But, since the flow at a given tube section is
divided into two streams only, shear and material exchange takes place in one plane
only between the two halftube cross-sections, thus the mixing effect along a given
length is weaker than in SMX mixers, especially for viscous materials or bulk
solids. Naturally, the pressure drop is also less. For bulk solids, the maximal
throughput in a Ross LPD mixer is higher than in SMX, and the risk of plugging for
cohesive powders or large particle sizes is considerably reduced. Another
difference is that, due to the non-uniform axial velocity profile, the longitudinal
mixing effect of the LPD mixer may be higher than that of the SMX mixer.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

Fig. 1: Examples for motionless mixers also applicable for bulk solids

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2.3 The Komax Mixer
The Komax mixer (see Fig. 1c) consists of flat plates arranged essentially in axial
direction in a tube, but at both ends of these plates they are hatched, rounded and
bent in opposite directions. The neighboring mixer plates are arranged at 90 in
radial direction, touching each other with the tips of the bent flaps. This mixer
is also called a Triple-Action Mixer, because it provides (i) two-by-two
division, (ii) cross-current mixing and (iii) back mixing of counterrotating
vortices. Each mixing element set in combination sweeps approximately two-thirds of
the circumference of the pipe and directs the flow to the opposite side, providing
very strong wall-to-wall radial transfer. Between the sets of generally four mixer
elements, inter-set cavities provide space for intensive contacting of the sub-
streams of material by strong momentum reversal and flow impingement. For
multiphase flow, this mixer is resistant to fouling or clogging, because the flips
of the mixer elements are smoothly contoured with a large radius. Intersections
between the element ends with the wall are all oblique angles, eliminating corners
that can trap solid or fibrous materials and promote material accumulation.
Momentum reversal and flow impingement provide a self-cleaning environment.

2.4 The Kinecs Static Mixer

The Kenics static mixer shown in Fig. 1d possesses almost all the advantages of the
Komax mixer. It consists of a long cylindrical pipe containing a number of helical
elements twisted by 180 alternately in left-hand and right-hand directions,
perpendicular to flow direction. The adjacent elements are set by 90 in radial
direction; therefore the outlet edge of a given element and the inlet edge of the
next one are perpendicular to each other. The smooth helical surface directs the
flow of material towards the pipe wall and back to the center, due to secondary
vortices induced by the spiral-form twist of the flow channels. Additional velocity
reversal and flow division results from shearing of the material along the tube
cross-section between the adjacent elements. For fluids or in multiphase flows, a
relatively narrow residence time is ensured, in addition to excellent radial
mixing. Due to the smooth and mildly bending surfaces of the helices, the pressure
drop along a Kenics mixer is very low, while it provides continuous and complete
mixing and eliminates radial gradient sin temperature, velocity and composition.
For bulk solids, because of the non-uniform axial velocity profile, a certain
degree of longitudinal mixing also takes place. Due to the smooth surfaces and
relatively wide flow channels, the risk of plugging or blockage is very limited.

2.5 The FIXMIX motionless mixer

The FixMix motionless mixer shown in Fig. 1e is very similar to the Kenics static
mixer, with the essential difference that the individual elements are slanted
relative to the tube axis and are tapered along their length. It results in several
benefits: the slightly increasing gap between the mixer element and the tube wall
eliminates the corners or contact points between them. Therefore, there are no dead
zones, and deposition or blockage cannot occur. On the other hand, the cross-
section of the flow channels on the two sides of a mixer element changes
continuously along its length: the cross-sectional area on one side expands while
on the other side it contracts.
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Due to the tangential flow at the wall and the pressure difference between the two
sides, an intensive cross flow takes place between the neighboring flow channels.
These features provide improved mixing efficiency, lower pressure drop with
suitable cross-sectional turbulence, and more uniform radial and tangential
velocity fields. The higher velocity and the turbulence close to the tube wall
results in higher heat transfer coefficients and a cleaner surface. In addition to
this self-cleaning effect, the lack of corners makes the cleaning easier for
difficult materials. This mixer provides higher mixing efficiency per unit mixer
length and reduces the risk of blockage in bulk solids treatment.

3.0 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

A static mixer's fixed, typically helical elements can simultaneously produce
patterns of flow division and radial mixing:

3.1 Flow Division

The main mechanism in laminar flow in a static mixer (Reynolds number < 2000) is
flow division. In laminar flow, a processed material divides at the leading edge of
each element of the mixer and follows the channels created by the element shape. At
each succeeding element, the two channels are further divided, resulting in an
exponential increase in stratification. The number of striations produced is 2n
where 'n' is the number of elements in the mixer. In flow division, the leading
edge of the first element splits the fluids entering the mixer into 2 streams,
which are then rotated through 180. The second element splits the flow again, this
time into 4 streams, followed by a further rotation, in the opposite direction,
through 180. The third element repeats the process by splitting into 8 streams,
and so on. As the number of streams or layers increases, the layer thickness
decreases. Typically, 12 to 24 elements are required to provide a complete mix.
Mixture quality is a function only of mixer diameter and number of elements and, in
laminar flow, is independent of flow rate and viscosity.

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3.2 Radial Mixing

At higher Reynolds numbers, much greater than 2000, a second mixing mechanism,
acting simultaneously with flow division, becomes important to the overall mixing
process. In either turbulent or laminar flow, rotational circulation of a processed
material around its own hydraulic center in each channel of the mixer causes radial
mixing of the material. Processed material is intermixed to reduce or eliminate
radial gradients in temperature, velocity and material composition. In general
terms, the fluid viscosity in turbulent flow is lower than in laminar flow. The
element shape is now able to impart a rotational spin to the fluids, which changes
direction with each succeeding element. Fluids are constantly moved from the pipe
centre to the pipe wall and back again, with the interface between elements a
particularly active zone. This mechanism is called radial mixing, which dominates
the flow division mechanism in turbulent flow. It very rapidly eliminates radial
differences in, for example, composition, colour, pH, temperature and velocity. The
number of mixing elements required to achieve a fully homogeneous mix in turbulent
flow applications is much less than in laminar flow and is typically 1.5 to 4
elements. The radial mixing mechanism is important in reducing radial differences
in velocity and therefore shear rate.
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4.0 BENEFITS
Some of the benefits of static mixers are given below: Static mixers deliver a
high level of mixing efficiency, therefore the consumption of dosed chemicals and
formation of byproducts can be dramatically reduced. They eliminate the need for
tanks, agitators, moving parts and direct motive power and they allows gaining
highly efficient mixing with low energy consumption. The energy required for
mixing is efficiently extracted as pressure drop from the fluid flow through the
elements. Mixers are invariably installed in existing systems without reducing the
capacity of existing pumps. The installation is very easy; no special skills are
required other than normal engineering skills. Mixers have no moving parts and
are virtually maintenance free. Static Mixers are available in all standard pipe
sizes and, in the case of open channel designs, are available in any size with no
upper limit. Each Static Mixer is carefully designed to meet the specific
requirements of each application.

5.0 APPLICATIONS OF STATIC MIXER

Today, static mixers are used for a wide range of different applications in many
different market segments. A common application is mixing two-component adhesives
(e.g., epoxy) and sealants. Some applications of static mixers are discussed below:

5.1 Water and Waste Water Treatment

In the field of water treatment, mixing and contacting are important unit
operations having a fundamental influence on the performance of individual process
stages or even on the results of the complete process itself. Its main applications
in waste water treatment are in: Coagulation processes, e.g. for phosphorous
removal from waste water Chemical dosing Representative sampling Aeration of
drinking water PH control
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Disinfection of drinking water, e.g. chlorination and dechlorination Diluting
flocculants and mixing with water, wastewater or sludge Ozone injection and
mixing Desalination of seawater Reverse Osmosis Systems

5.2 Oil, Gas and Petroleum Industries

Applications in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries range from low viscosity
turbulent flow static mixing to high viscosity laminar flow static mixing of
miscible liquids, immiscible liquids and gases. Fabrication requirements are
particularly demanding with regard to QA/QC, exotic materials of construction and
high pressure applications. Static mixers are commonly used in oil, gas and
petroleum industries. They are used in Measurement of water content of crude oil
in pipelines Desalting crude oil with water Diluting ployacrylamide for
enhanced recovery Mixing additives into gasoline or fuel oil Adjusting the
viscosity of heavy fuel oil with gas oil Blend crude oil from various storage
tanks to provide uniform feed to refinery Contact used lubricating oils with
sulfuric acid for waste oil regenerations

5.3 Chemical Industry

Applications of static mixers in chemical industries are:

Dispersing immiscible liquids in washing and extraction operations Mix gases with
air in front of catalytic reactors such as in the production of Nitric Acid
Dissolve gases into liquids such as NH3, SO2, Cl2 Mix Reactive materials in short
length Heat and Cool viscous materials

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5.4 Food Industries
Static mixers are used in

Blend fruit juice concentrates Add CO2 to fruit juices, wine, beer, etc. Dilute
concentrates Heating and cooling chocolate

5.5 Polymer Production Industries

Static mixers find its application in polymer production industries. Its main
applications are in

Mix low viscosity additives into polymer melts Heat and cool polymers
Polymerization in plug flow reactors

REFERENCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_mixer#Applications
http://www.lenntech.com/static-mixers.htm
http://www.sulzerchemtech.com/portaldata/11/Resources//brochures/mrt/Static_Mixer_f
o r_Water-e.pdf J.Gyenis; MOTIONLESS MIXERS INBULK SOLIDS TREATMENT-A REVIEW;
UNIVERSITY OFKAPOSVAR; Veszprem, Egyetem u. 2, Hungar; June 28, 200
http://www.stamixco-usa.com/principles-of-operation/default.html
http://www.enotes.com/topic/Static_mixer#Principles_of_Operation

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