STATIC MIXER

Abstract

A static mixer for mixing together at least two components includes a mixer housing and a mixing element. The mixing element has a longitudinal axis, an upstream end and a downstream end and is arranged at least partly within the mixer housing. The mixing element includes a plurality of mixing bodies arranged one after another along the longitudinal axis for a repeated separation and re-combination of streams of the components to be mixed.

Claims

1. A static mixer for mixing together at least two components, comprising: a mixer housing; a mixing element having a longitudinal axis, an upstream end and a downstream end and being arranged at least partly within the mixer housing, the mixing element comprising a plurality of mixing bodies arranged one after another along the longitudinal axis so as to be capable of repeated separation and re-combination of streams of the components to be mixed, each of the mixing bodies comprising a first inlet and a second inlet, a first and a second lateral outlet and an intermediate outlet disposed between the first and the second lateral outlet, an input wall separating the first inlet and the second inlet and extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis, a deflection element arranged downstream of and adjacent to the input wall and extending transverse to the input wall at both sides of the input wall, a first output wall and a second output wall arranged downstream of and adjacent to the deflection element, and extending in a direction of the longitudinal axis and being spaced apart, the first output wall separating the first lateral outlet and the intermediate outlet and the second output wall separating the intermediate outlet and the second lateral outlet, the deflection element comprising a first opening, a second opening and a third opening, each opening, of the first, second and third openings extending through the deflection element from an upstream side of the deflection element to a downstream side of the deflection element, the first opening being arranged at a first side of the input wall and connecting the first inlet with the intermediate out-let, and the second and the third opening being arranged at a second side of the input wall and connecting the second inlet the first and the second lateral outlet; an exchange element is arranged between two successive mixing bodies, the exchange element comprising a further deflection element extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and positioned and sized to prevent a stream of the components exiting the first lateral outlet from flowing through the exchange element in the direction of the longitudinal axis and to deflect the stream in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis towards the second lateral outlet.

2. The static mixer of claim 1, wherein the further deflection element extends from an inner wall of the mixer housing at least until a center plane of the mixing element running through the longitudinal axis and through the intermediate outlet, the center plane defined by a mid-plane between the first and the second output walls.

3. The static mixer of claim 1, wherein, when seen from the downstream end of the mixing element in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the further deflection element completely covers the first lateral outlet.

4. The static mixer of claim 3, wherein, when seen from the downstream end of the mixing element in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the further deflection element covers at least a part of the intermediate outlet.

5. The static mixer of claim 1, wherein the further deflection element comprises a first deflection section extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and a first guiding wall extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis and having a first edge and a second edge, at least a first part of the first edge being connected to the first deflection section.

6. The static mixer of claim 5, wherein the further deflection element comprises a second deflection section extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and at least a first part of the second edge of the first guiding wall is connected to the second deflection section.

7. The static mixer of claim 6, wherein the further deflection element comprises a third deflection section extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and the third deflection section is connected to a second part of the first edge of the first guiding wall.

8. The static mixer or claim 7, wherein the first deflection section and the second deflection section are arranged at opposite sides of the first guiding wall, or the first deflection section and the third deflection section are arranged at opposite sides of the first guiding wall.

9. The static mixer of claim 7, wherein the first and the third deflection sections each covers a quarter of a cross section of the mixing housing.

10. The static mixer of claim 7, wherein the first guiding wall is disposed at an upstream side of the first or of the third deflection section.

11. The static mixer of claim 7, wherein a second guiding wall extending in the direction to the longitudinal axis is disposed at a downstream side of the first or of the third deflection section, the first guiding wall and the second guiding wall being rotated with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis by an angle of 90°.

12. The static mixer of claim 7, wherein a third guiding wall extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis is disposed at the downstream side of the first or of the third deflection section.

13. The static mixer of claim 12, wherein a fourth guiding wall extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis is disposed at a downstream side of at least parts of the deflection element.

14. The static mixer of claim 13, wherein a fifth guiding wall extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis is disposed at a upstream side of the second deflection section.

15. The static mixer of claim 1, wherein two successive adjacent mixing bodies have a same structure and are rotated with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis by an angle of 180°, or two successive mixing bodies are separated by an exchange element have the same structure and a same orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis, or the mixing element comprises two exchange elements, whereby the two exchange elements have a same structure and are rotated with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis by an angle of 180°.

16. The static mixer of claim 1, wherein the further deflection element extends from an inner wall of the mixer housing at least until a center plane of the mixing element running through the longitudinal axis and through the intermediate outlet, the first output wall and the second output wall running parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis, the center plane defined by a midplane between the first and the second Output walls.

17. The static mixer of claim 3, wherein, when seen from the downstream end of the mixing element in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the further deflection element covers at least a part of the intermediate outlet at least partially until the center plane of the mixing element until the second output wall. 18, The static mixer of claim 7, wherein a third guiding wall extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis running parallel to the second guiding wall is disposed at the downstream side of the first or of the third deflection section.

19. The static mixer of claim 12, wherein a fourth guiding wall extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis running parallel to the first guiding wall is disposed at a downstream side of at least parts of the deflection element.

20. The static mixer of claim 13, wherein a fifth guiding wall extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis running at an angle of 90° to the first guiding wall is disposed at a upstream side of the second deflection section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a first possible embodiment of a static mixer according to the disclosure,

[0036] FIG. 2 is a first view of a first possible embodiment of an exchange element,

[0037] FIG. 3 is a second view of the first possible embodiment of an exchange element,

[0038] FIG. 4 is a first view of a second possible embodiment of an exchange element,

[0039] FIG. 5 is a second view of the second possible embodiment of an exchange element,

[0040] FIG. 6 is a third view of the second possible embodiment of an exchange element,

[0041] FIG. 7 is a second possible embodiment of a static mixer according to the present disclosure,

[0042] FIG. 8 is a side view of another embodiment of a static mixer according to the present disclosure, and

[0043] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the static mixer of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] In the following, any statement made having regard to the direction of a component is made relative to the position shown in the drawing and can vary in the actual position of application. The description of the accompanying drawings is only by the way of example. Specific features of each aspect of the present disclosure and the figures can be combined with each other if of technical sense.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a first possible embodiment of a static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure, especially the respective mixing element 12, which can be arranged in a mixer housing 14 (see FIGS. 8, 9) of the static mixer 10. The mixing element 12 of the static mixer 10 comprises several mixing bodies 20 arranged adjacent to each other along a longitudinal direction 80 of the static mixer 10. The mixing bodies 20 of the present embodiment are identically constructed, wherein two successive mixing bodies 20 are rotated with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis 80 by an angle of 180°. At least two components to be mixed can be filled into the static mixer 10 at an upstream end, flow through the mixing element 12 and are consecutively mixed together. Between one of the pairs of subsequent mixing bodies 20, an exchange element 50 is arranged, whereby the mixing bodies 20 adjacently arranged to the exchange element 50 comprise the same orientation. Regions of unmixed components can be prohibited by this exchange element 50, as described with respect to the following FIGS. 2 to 6.

[0046] In FIGS. 2 and 3, a sectional view of a static mixer 10 with first possible embodiment of an exchange element 50 is shown. Hence FIGS. 2 and 3 are described together in the following.

[0047] The exchange element 50 is arranged along the longitudinal direction 80 of the mixing element 12 of the static mixer 10 downstream of one of the mixing bodies 20. As all other mixing bodies 20, the depicted mixing body 20 comprises a first inlet 22 (see FIG. 2) and a second inlet 24, (see FIG. 3). A stream of components flowing along the longitudinal direction 80 is divided in an upper and a lower part by an input wall 32 separating a lower first inlet 22 and an upper second inlet 24 of the mixing body 20 and extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis 80. Subsequent to the first and second inlet 24, 26, a deflection element 40 is arranged downstream of and adjacent to the input wall 32, extending transverse to the input wall 32 at both sides of the input wall 32. The deflection element 40 comprises a first opening 42 (see FIGS. 2, 3), a second opening 44 (see FIG. 2) and a third opening 46 (see FIG. 3), each extending through the deflection element 40 from an upstream side of the deflection element 40 to a downstream side of the deflection element 40. The first opening 42 is arranged at one side of the input wall 32 and connects the first inlet 22 with an intermediate outlet 30, and the second 44 and the third opening 46 are arranged at the other side of the input wall 32 and connect the second inlet 24 with the first 26 and the second lateral outlet 28, whereby the intermediate outlet 30 is disposed between the first 26 and the second lateral outlet 28. Further, a first output wall 34 and a second output wall 36 are arranged downstream of and adjacent to the deflection element 40. They extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis 80 and are spaced apart such, that the first output wall 34 separates the first lateral outlet 26 and the intermediate outlet 30 and the second output wall 36 separates the intermediate outlet 30 and the second lateral outlet 28.

[0048] In other words, the stream of components impinging on the mixing body 20 is divided in two parts by the input wall 32, wherein the upper part is guided to the intermediate outlet 30 and the lower part is divided and guided to the first 26 and second lateral outlets 30.

[0049] Subsequent to the above described mixing body 20, an exchange element 50, provided in a first possible embodiment, is arranged. In particular the exchange element 50 comprises a further deflection element 52 which extends transverse to the longitudinal axis 80 and which is positioned and sized to prevent that the stream of the components exiting the first lateral outlet 26 of the previous mixing body 20 flows through the exchange element 50 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 80 by deflecting the stream in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis 80 towards the second lateral outlet 28. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this task is especially achieved by that the further deflection element 52 comprises a first deflection section 54 and a second deflection section 56 transverse to the longitudinal direction 80, whereby the first and second deflection sections 54, 56 are connected to a first guiding wall 60 along the longitudinal direction 80, the second deflection section 56 upstream to a. first part 70 of a second edge 68 of the first guiding wall 60 and the first deflection section 54 downstream to a first part 64 of a first edge 62 of the first guiding wall 60, respectively. In addition, the first deflection section 54 and the second deflection section 56 are arranged at opposite sides of the first guiding wall 60. With this structure, it can be easily ensured that, when seen from the downstream end of the mixing element 12 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 80, the further deflection element 52 covers the complete first lateral outlet 26. A stream of components leaving the previous mixing body 20 through its first lateral outlet 26 is therefore completely blocked in its flow along the longitudinal direction 80 and transversely diverted in direction of the second lateral outlet 28. A second guiding wall 72, arranged at a downstream side of the first 54 and of the third deflection section 58 and rotated with respect to the first guiding wall 60 about the longitudinal axis 80 by an angle of 90°, prohibits flowing back of the aforementioned part of the stream of components back in the direction of the first lateral outlet 36.

[0050] In addition, the further deflection element 50 also comprises a third deflection section 58 arranged at a second part 66 of the first edge 62 of the first guiding wall 60. Also the third deflection section 58 and the first deflection section 54 are arranged at opposite sides of the first guiding wall 60. This third deflection section 58 is dedicated to the stream of components leaving the mixing body 20 through its second lateral outlet 28. As depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, both the first deflection section 54 and the third deflection section 58, respectively, cover a quarter of the cross section of the mixing housing and extend up to a center plane 82, which coincide with a mid-plane 84 defined between the parallel arranged first and second output walls 34, 36 of the previous mixing body 20. By this extension of the first deflection section 54 and the third deflection section 58 up to the center plane 82, also coverage at least of a part of the intermediate outlet 30 of the previous mixing body 20 can be provided.

[0051] FIGS. 4 to 6 show another possible embodiment of an exchange element 50 of a static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure. Hence FIGS. 4 to 6 are described together in the following. The mixing bodies 20 are identical to the embodiments already described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3. Therefore, please refer to the respective description above.

[0052] However, the used exchange element 50 differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in such that the exchange element 50 depicted in FIGS. 4 to 6 also provides an additional mixing of the incoming stream of components.

[0053] In particular, the present embodiment of the exchange element 50 of a static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure also comprises similar to the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 a further deflection element 52 with a first 54, second 56 and third deflection section 58 and additionally a first 60 and second guiding wall 72. In addition to the embodiment described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3, this further deflection element 50 further comprises a third 74, fourth 76 and fifth guiding wall 78, all further guiding walls 74, 76, 78 extending along the longitudinal direction. The third guiding wall 74 is disposed at the downstream side of the first 54 and of the third deflection section 58. It runs parallel to the second guiding wall 72. The fourth guiding wall 76 runs parallel to the first guiding wall 60 and is disposed at a downstream side of at least parts of the deflection element 40, The fifth guiding wall 78 runs at an angle of 90° to the first guiding wall 60 and is provided at a upstream side of the second deflection section 56.

[0054] The fifth guiding wall 78 divides the incoming stream of components into two substreams, in particular whereby the stream of the intermediate outlet 30 of the previous mixing body 20 is also divided, see in particular FIG. 6. The part of the incoming stream of components above the fourth guiding wall 76 is channeled between the second 72 and third output wall 74, see especially FIGS. 4, 5. The part of the incoming stream of components coming from the first lateral outlet 26 is completely directed to the opposite side of the exchange element 50 with respect to the longitudinal direction 80, whereby the incoming stream of components coming from the second lateral outlet 28 is directed to the complete opposite side of the exchange element 50. All in all, this ensures on the one hand that there is no unaffected flow of components coining from the first lateral outlet 26 flows through the exchange element 50, and hence through the static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure, and on the other hand provides in fact additional mixing of the at least two components to be mixed.

[0055] FIG. 7 shows a further possible embodiment of a static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure. In this embodiment, two exchange elements 50 in the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4 to 6 are arranged between two successive mixing bodies 20 which have the same structure and the same orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis 80. In addition, the two exchange elements 50 have the same structure but are rotated with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis 80 by an angle of 180°. With this structure, it can be provided for both intermediate outlets 28, 30 of the respective mixing bodies that flow regions of unaffected component are prohibited.

[0056] In FIGS. 8 and 9, a possible embodiment of the static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure is shown, whereby in FIG. 8 a side view and in FIG. 9 a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal axis 80 of the static mixer 10, respectively, is depicted. In the following, FIGS. 8 and 9 are described together.

[0057] The static mixer 10 as a whole comprises an inlet section 112 on its first end 110 and an outlet section 122 on its second end 120 positioned opposite to the first end 110 along the longitudinal axis 80. In between, the mixing element 12 is arranged within the mixer housing 14, see especially FIG. 9. The inlet section 112 of the static mixer 10 is surrounded by connecting parts 114 for connecting and/or fastening for instance of cartridges containing the at least two components to be mixed by the static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure. Additionally, the inlet section 112 of the static mixer 10 comprises inlet openings 116 in fluid communication with the mixing element 12 of the static mixer 10, especially with the first and second inlet 22, 24 of the first mixing body 20 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). Hence the components to be mixed, for instance provided by the aforementioned cartridge, enter the static mixer 10 via the inlet openings 116 of inlet section 112 and are subsequently mixed together in and by the mixing element 12 of the static mixer 10 according to the present disclosure. After passing the mixing element 12, the mixed components are discharged at the outlet section 122 of the static mixer 10, in particular via an outlet opening 124. Providing the mixed components with both a high level of mixing of the components and a high positional accuracy, respectively, can thereby be provided especially easily.