Design of Static Mixer

7.0 Introduction
Static mixers or motionless mixers are fins, obstructions, or channels mounted in pipes,
designed to promote mixing as fluid flows through the mixer. Most static mixers use some
method of first dividing the flow, then rotating, channeling, or diverting the flow, before
recombining it. Other static mixers create additional turbulence to enhance mixing. The
power input to the mixing process is a result of pressure loss through the mixer.
Static mixers serve to put liquid in motion in order to achieve homogeneity of composition
and avoid the sedimentation process. They function by forcing sediment to flow in one
direction and overcome the resistance during a liquid circulation flow in open reservoirs,
ditches and canals.  Static mixers are also used to intensify physical and chemical processes
in liquids, particularly the processes of gas and solid dissolution. Gas dissolution is usually
used in sediment / waste water / anaerobic process. The intensified mixing operation is
applied in order to lengthen the distance covered by gas bubbles and to prevent smaller
bubbles from joining into bigger ones. Static mixers may also be used to prevent surface
scum from coming into existence and to destroy any surface scum that has already
appeared.
When determining which of the many available static mixers would be best for the given
application, there are two main factors to consider, the material to be processed and the rate
at which it must be processed.  If the process media or the finished product is acidic, a
high-purity chemical, a pharmaceutical, of a specific polymer type, or if the mixer itself
will have multi-use applications, it is best to select a lined or coated static mixer, which
provides a nonstick, chemically resistant mixing area. The speed at which a mixer can
process materials, also known as its flow rate, is a rated measurement based on the volume
of product the mixer can process during given period of time.  If the needed flow rate is
known, it is easy to find a static mixer that may operate

7.1 Historical Background

In the early 1950s a number of devices were developed in industry to handle thermal non
homogeneous regions in polymer piping (transfer lines). Molten Polymers usually are in
laminar flow and have no radial exchange when flowing. Thus temperature gradient can
form and be propagated. Heating and cooling of these materials through the wall is very
difficult because of the residence time distribution associated with the laminar velocity
profile. Material at the center moves much faster than the material at the wall, and in
addition, has less contact time because of the poor conductive heat transfer at the center
.These devices would reduce radial thermal gradients that occur in polymer processing.
They were called thermal homogenizers and flow inverters. One of the first commercial
units was the Kenics device. In the Kenics, a s et of twisted elements with left-and right and
twists caused the material to move from the wall to the center and from the center to the

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wall. After traveling through a number of these elements, the fluid is homogenized with
respect to age, composition, and temperature. These devices were called motionless mixers
or static mixers because the mixer did not move, although the liquid did. The term static
mixer was originally copyrighted by Kenics Corporation, but the term is now commonly
used for all such in-line motionless mixers.
Over the years a large number of companies have produced motionless mixers all based on
the principle of moving the streams radially by a series of metal baffles. These baffles may
consist of twists of metal, corrugated sheets, parallel bars, small-diameter passages, or tabs
sticking out from the wall. They are essentially plug flow devices with some small degree
of back mixing, depending on the exact design.

Fig: Spiral static mixer

Two common types are the twisted-ribbon mixer and the structured packing mixer, one of
which makes use of layers of crisscrossed corrugations. Another structured packing static
mixer is the over lapping lattice type. A simplification of the lattice type which generates a
mixing flow some what similar to the twisted ribbon is made of crossed elliptical plates
whose flat surfaces are at 45 to the direction of flow. A version of this has triangular plates
connecting the straight sides of the ellipses, making each element resemble a crude twisted
ribbon. Another incorporates a flat to divide the ellipse at the centerline. An example of a
radial mixer with tabs extending from the pipe wall is the Koch-Sulzer SMF, a low
intensity mixer with wide open structure used in highly plugging service.

Fig: Corrugated plate static mixer

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A recent static mixer innovation for application exclusively in highly turbulent flow is the
use of small tabs projecting from the wall of the pipe into the core region of a turbulent
flow. Another design utilizes a single larger tab mounted off the tube wall to create large
counter rotating vortices for mixing. The industry found a number of years later that even
in turbulent flow where there is radial turbulent mixing; this mixing can be enhanced by
using motionless mixers. The mechanism was different in detail, but the effect was the
same.

Some of the improved radial mixing came from increased radial turbulent diffusion. In the
Ger and Holley formulation for empty pipe there is a friction factor. In motionless mixers
the friction factor is many times larger than for empty pipe (i.e., the pressure drop is
higher). This in itself would increase mixing and reduce mixing length. Also, there is in
some motionless mixers a bulk radial flow. Etch ells and Short (1988) took some limited
data on SMV motionless mixers and showed that the improved mixing rate over an empty
pipe was due to almost entirely the increased friction factor. Subsequent data on the HEV,
however, do not fit that model. It is now believed that only a portion of the pressure drop
energy expended goes into radial mixing and that the rest is lost in skin friction. Thus, the
newer motionless mixers for application in turbulent flow rely on vortex generation a way
from surfaces to mix and take less pressure drop to get equivalent blending results.

Fig: Static mixer shown with two mixing elements.

7.2 Principle of Operation:
In case of two miscible liquids in laminar flow, the main mechanism in a static mixer is
flow division. The elements are helical or pseudo-helical and are arranged in a series of
alternating left and right hand 180 twists. The elements split the fluids entering in two
streams and than rotate them through 180 degrees. The elements are in series in the mixer.

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As the number of streams or layers increases, the layer thickness decreases. Typically, 12
to 24 elements are required to provide a complete mix.
In case of two miscible liquids in a turbulent flow, the main mechanism is radial mixing:
fluids are constantly moved from the pipe centre to the pipe walls and the fluid change
direction with each succeeding element. To achieve a fully homogeneous mix in a turbulent
flow 1.5 to 4 elements are sufficient.

In case of two immiscible liquids in a turbulent flow, the radial mixing mechanism reduces
radial differences in velocity and in droplet sizes. This raises the surface area of contact
between phases, improving the mixing. The disperser length necessary depends on the
required contact time. For mass transfer processes in which equilibrium is quickly
established, a length of 5 diameters is generally sufficient.

In general mixing in Static Mixer occurs in four steps,

 Division of main stream
 Streams are forced to opposite walls
 Creating a mixing vortex
 Mixing vortex shear.

Fig: Internal details of Static Mixer

In general the static mixer effectively mixes fluids, executing the operations by

 Division of Flow.
 Radial Mixing.
 Flow Reversal

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Division of Flow: As fluids go along the curves of each element, they are rotated
radially toward the pipe wall, or rotated back to the center.
Radial Mixing: As fluids pass each element, it changes its direction to the right or to the
left. The force of inertia that suddenly occurs creates a strong flow reversal motion that
results in stirring and mixing of the fluids.
Flow Reversal: Fluids are bisected as they pass each element.

Fig: Division of Flow; Radial Mixing; Flow Reversal

7.3 Types of Static Mixer
Static mixers can be applied to a wide range of process operations, including dosing,
dispersion, and laminar flow heat exchange and emulsion formation. They offer many key
benefits for combining liquids, gases and powders and they are tried, tested and trusted in
many different industries. Mixing action is achieved by the continuous splitting, extension
and transportation of the components. Motionless mixers use a series of precisely
configured mixing elements to process the components. Differences in concentration,
temperature and velocity are equalized over the flow cross-section. Mixers are supplied as
simple plain ended pipe sections, flanged with multiple injectors and sampling points,
fitted in bends, or in square or rectangular section for ducts and open channels. They are
manufactured in a wide range of materials, including carbon steel, stainless steel, exotic
alloys, GRP, uPVC, cPVC, PTFE, etc.

The elements are made in various designs to suit different applications, and are available
fitted into a range of housings, from high pressure to open-channel, making them ideal for
all kind of industrial environments. The elements are fixed or removable and the necessary
number of mixing elements for a specific application depends on the required
homogeneity and on the volume flow ratio of the components.

Static mixers are installed in thousand of process plants worldwide, providing the highest
standard of mixing efficiency, reliability and economy.
Static mixers are grouped in the following categories:

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7.3.1 Channel Mixers: Installed in new treatment works or retrofitted in existing

installations, they rapidly achieve a high degree of mix with extremely low head loss on
very short lengths. Channel mixers cover a wide range of flow rates and are ideal for
efficient chemical dosing. They allow chemical savings with consequently economical
and environmental savings.
7.3.2 Pipe Mixers: In stainless steel, PVC, PP, carbon steel, fixable or removable. Available
with heating and cooling jackets, injectors, sample points and instrumentation bosses.
Suitable for all industries. Wide range of diameters: from 10 to 300 cm.

7.3.3 Gas Dispersion systems: It uses two different mixers, one to form gas bubbles and
the second to provide contact time and efficient mass transfer.

Examples of the most commercially significant static mixers are, by manufacturer:

Chemineer, Inc. (Kenics)
 KMS: Twisted ribbon or bowtie type, with alternating left-and right-hand twists. An
element is 1.5 or 1.0 diameters in length. The KME variation is edge sealed to the tube
wall.
 KMX: A series of inclined retreat curve rods forming an X lattice; alternating in
direction every diameter an element is one diameter in length.
 HEV: A series of four tabs spaced around the pipe. An element consists of four tabs
symmetrically placed. Axially, the tabs are about 1.5 diameters apart.
 SMV: Several stacked sheets of corrugated metal running at 30 or 45 to the pipe axis.
Each element is 0.5 to 1.0 diameter in length and adjacent relative to each other. Mixer
hydraulic diameter elements are rotated 90 is determined by the height of the corrugation
or the number of stacked corrugated sheets.
 SMX: Guide vanes are intersecting bars at 45 to the pipe axis. Each mixing element
is 1.0 diameter length. Adjacent elements are rotated 90.
 SMXL: Similar to the SMX but with intersecting bars at 30 to the pipe axis.
Typically, fewer bars per element and the element length is variable, depending on
application.
 SMR: Guide vanes are hollow tubes through which heat transfer fluid circulates. The
tubular bundle is arranged similar to the shape of the SMX design.
 KVM: Single inclined tab mounted off the tube wall. Axially, tabs are about 2.5
diameters apart.
 KHT: Twisted ribbon with alternating right-and left- handed twists.

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 SMF: Three guide vanes project from the tube wall so as not to contact each other.
This is a special design for high plugging applications. Element length is approximately
1.0 diameter.
 KFBE: Special version of the SMX/SMXL design with guide bars for exclusive
application as fluidization of solid particles.

Komax Systems, Inc.

 Komax mixer: Crossed elliptical plates with a flat at the center line. Adjacent
mixing elements are rotated 90.
Charles Ross & Son Company
 ISG: Solid tube inserts with shape dends so that adjacent elements form a tetrahedral
chamber, each with four holes drilled at oblique angles.
Sulzer Chem tech
 SMV, SMX, SMXL, SMF, and SMR: As described above. These products,
initially developed jointly by Koch and Sulzer under a licensing agreement, now expired.

7.4 Benefits of Static Mixer:

The main applications are in the following fields:
7.4.1 Oil, gas and petrochemical industries
 Measurement of water content of crude oil in pipelines
 Desalting crude oil with water
 Diluting ploy acryl amide for enhanced recovery
 Mixing additives into gasoline or fuel oil
 Adjusting the viscosity of heavy fuel oil with gas oil.
7.4.2 Water and wastewater treatment:
 Coagulation processes, e.g. for phosphorous removal from waste water
 Chemical dosing
 Representative sampling
 Aeration of drinking water
 PH control
 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

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7.4.3 Continuous process industry:

 Plastics, fibbers
 PH control
 Resins, adhesives, epoxies
 Colours, hardeners
7.4.4 Food and pharmaceutical
 Mixing CO2 into fruit juices, wine or coffee extract
 Mixing milk wit acids
 Diluting molasses with water
 Diluting concentrates and mixing flavourings
7.4.5 Pulp and paper:
 Acid and caustic dilution
 PH control
 Blending
 Low consistency bleaching
7.4.6 Chemicals
 Mixing miscible/dispersing immiscible reactants
 Dissolving gases (e.g., chlorination processes)
 Providing plug flow and controlled-reaction conditions in tubular reactors with low or
high viscous fluids.
 Dispersing liquids in extraction and washing processes.
 Mixing gases in front of catalytic reactors (e.g. ,the production of styrene, nitricacid,
maleic anhydride).
 Vaporizing liquids in front of oxidation reactors (e.g., xylene in phthalic anhydride
plants).
 Co-current scrubbing acid process gas components.
 Homogenizing process and product streams for representative sampling.
 Neutralizing or pH adjustment/control of process streams with caustic or acid
7.4.7 Cosmetics and Detergents:
 Saponifying greases with caustic soda.
 Sulfonating fatty alcohols with oleum.
 Mixing components of toothpaste, lotions, shampoo, soaps, or detergents.
 Diluting surfactants.

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7.4.8 Energy
 Mixing blast furnace and coke oven gas.
 Reheating flue gas in desulfurization plants.
 Blending emulsifier for water into fuel, dispersing/emulsifying water, and fuel.
 Blending fuel gases with air before combustion.

7.5 Mixer Selection

Deciding which type of mixer should be used for a certain process or application mainly
depends on the task and the physical properties of the process fluids involved. The main
criterion for selecting a static mixer for mixing two fluids is the question of whether the
flow is laminar (at high viscosity and low velocity) or turbulent (at low viscosity and high
velocity).

The mixing in laminar flow is based on the mixing actions, namely, flow division and
radial mixing, which operate simultaneously. In turbulent flow, the mixing occurs through
radial mixing and through the increase of turbulence by the static mixer. Static mixers are
generally designed to work either in laminar or turbulent flow.

Basically all static mixers which are designed for laminar flow also function in turbulent
flow but the efficiency is lower. On the other hand, static mixers which are designed for
turbulent
flow usually do not work in laminar flow.

Mixing may be combined with a wide range of basic process functions. There is a growing
use of using static mixers as reactors or for other complex operations, including:

 Blending of gases and liquids.

 Emulsifying immiscible liquids
 Gas-liquid contacting for accelerating mass transfer in gas-liquid reactions.
 Heat transfer and temperature control.
 High-viscosity heat exchangers.
 Plug-flow reactors.
 Blending solids

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The rough selection criteria for selection of static mixer are shown below in the table.

Fig: Selection criteria for static Mixer

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7.6 DESIGN, SIZING, SCALE UP:

Now we consider the specific design and sizing of classical static mixers, including scale
up issues. The design parameters for a static mixer, depending on the application and
physical properties, could be:

 Homogeneity
 Pressure drop
 Heat transfer coefficient
 Residence time and residence time distribution
 Droplet size
 Gas-liquid mass-transfer coefficient

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Thermo Hydraulic Design Considerations of Static Mixer:

Static Mixer
Sour LPG
5625.1 kg/hr Sweet LPG
350C; 1200 Kpa

Caustic Solution
(30% w/w)

The Chemical reaction taking place in the static mixer is;

2NaOH (aq) + H2S (l) Na2S (aq) + 2H2O (l)

1. Material Balance:
The amount of H2S to be converted is evaluated by the use of extraction coefficient;

Ki = Ai(mi)Bi
Where,
Ki = Extraction Coefficient.
mi = Molarity of caustic solution.
Now,
Molarity of caustic solution = (30*1000)/(100*40).
= 7.5M.
The relation for Extraction coefficient becomes,
Ki = 801678.1 (7.5)1.084
= 7121417.203.
The large value of extraction coefficient shows great affinity for H2S with NaOH.

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Now the weight fraction of H2S that will be extracted from sour LPG is,

Wi = Ki Xif - Ki Xif exp(-F/Kif *100)

= 0.7.
So,
The weight of H2S that is to be removed is 0.7 of it is in the feed.
i-e
H2S diffused to caustic = 0.7 *(70.64)
= 50 kg/hr.
H2S in the final sweet LPG = 20 Kg/hr.
Now the amount of H2S to be removed in the reactor is 50 Kg/hr = 1.47 Kgmol/hr.
NaOH req. = 2*1.47
= 2.94 = 3 kgmol/hr = 120 Kg/hr.
NaOH supplied = 120*1.05
= 126 kg/hr.
Caustic Sol. Supplied = 126/0.3 = 420 Kg/hr.
Now,
H2S leaving = 10 kg/hr.
Na2S leaving = 114.7 kg/hr.
NaOH leaving = 6 kg/hr.
LPG leaving = 5554.5 kg/hr
H2O leaving = 294+52.92 = 347 kg/hr
Sweet LPG = 6042.2 kg/hr.

Components Mass Flow

Rate (Kg/hr)
Sour LPG 5625
Sweet LPG 6042
Caustic Sol. 420

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2. Energy Balance:
The relation used is

∆H = mCp∆T + V∆P.

Components Temp.(OC) Pressure ∆H (KJ/hr)

3. Diameter of Static Mixer: (Kpa)
Sour LPG 35 1200 147659
Sweet LPG 43 1180 303073
Caustic Sol. 35 1200 2529
Mass flow Rate = 6042.2 kg/hr.
Density of mixture = 580 kg/m3
Volumetric Flow Rate = 10.42 m3/hr

Now using the Optimum pipe diameter relation

Di = 0.363 *(vol. Flow rate) 0.45 *(density) 0.23
= 0.113 m = 4.5 inch.

From Steel Pipe dimensions

ID = 4.026 inch = 0.102 m

Schedule no. = 40.
OD = 4.5 inch

4. Velocity of Fluid:

V = 4*Q/(3.14*D2).
= 0.35 m/sec.

5. Reynolds No.:

NRe = (d*V*D)/µ

= 155801.35.
6. No. of Elements:
From the table;
No. of elements = 4

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Ref; Appendix D, Table 7.1

7. Selection of Static Mixer:

From table

The static mixer applicable for reaction is SMX type

8. Length of Static Mixer:

H2S diffused in Caustic = 50 kg/hr.
Volume fraction = 0.24.
Now

Initial intensity of mixing = CoV = (1-0.24)/0.24.

= 1.78.

From graph,

CoVr = 0.002.
For SMX type mixer,
KiT = 0.46
So,
L/D = ln(0.002)/ln(0.46).
=8
L = 8*0.102 = 0.816 m.
For viscosity effect,

(L/D)add. = K*log(µc/µd) = 1*log(0.5177/0.1255)

= 0.62

Total length = 0.816+0.62

= 0.9 m

9. Dimension Evaluation:

Froude No. = d*V2 /(∆d* D*g)

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= 0.18 <20.
So it is recommended to be vertical.

10. Detention Time:

T = Static mixer length/velocity

= 2.6 sec.

11.Pressure Drop Calculation:

The relative roughness of the steel pipe is taken to be 0.2mm.

So,

K/D = 0.2× 10-3/0.102

=1.96 × 10-3

So from Moody Diagram,

fd = 0.256

Now,
ff = 0.256/4 = 6.4 ×10-3
So,
∆PS = 4×f × (L/D) × d × (V2/2)
= 8 pa
Now,
For SMX Static Mixer,

Kit = 500.

So pressure drop through the static mixer is

∆P = ∆PS × Kit × Nt
= 16 Kpa.

12.Drop Size:
For drop size evaluation,

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We = (D×d×V2)/δ
Where

The velocity of sour LPG is,

V = 0.36 m/sec

So,
We = 2275.
Now,
d32 = K×D/(We)0.6
= 494 µm <500 µm.
So the diameter of pipe is appropriate.

13. Side Stream Specification:

For sour LPG,

Di = 0.363 *(vol. Flow rate) 0.45 *(density) 0.23

= 0.113m

From Std. Steel Pipe Dimensions,

ID = 0.102 m
Schedule No. = 40
OD = 0.114 m
Thickness = 0.012m
For Caustic Sol.

Di = 0.363 *(vol. Flow rate) 0.45 *(density) 0.23

= 0.032 m

From Std. Steel Pipe Dimensions,

ID = 0.035 m
Schedule No. = 40
OD = 0.0422 m
Thickness = 0.0072m

Specification Sheet

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SMX Type Static Mixer R-001

Vertically installed
Material of Pipe Carbon Steel
Pipe Diameter (m) 0.102
Length (m) 0.9
Pipe thickness (m) 0.012
Velocity (m/sec) 0.35
Reynolds no. 155801
Material of Pipe
Drop Size (µm) 494
Detention Time (sec) 2.6
Material of element Cast Iron
Length of each element (m) 0.2
Spacing with wall (m) 0.001
Side Stream Spec
Pipe Diameter (m) 0.035
Thickness of pipe (m) 0.0072
Nozzle Spec
Diameter of Nozzle (m) 0.001

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