Helical elements
The static mixer uses a small part of the pump energy that is readily available in your process line. Mixing is accomplished in three ways:
Flow Division
Each time a product stream passes over an element, it is split in half, separated, creating layers.
The number of separations, N,= 2n (n= number of elements). This means that with 20 elements in line more than 1 million layers are created.
Flow Conversion
The product is pushed over the elements, spiral walls, causing the liquid in the center to move radial to the outer diameter and the product on the outside to move vice versa. This leads to a difference in speed between the product molecules causing shearing of the product.
Flow Inversion
The product direction of rotation changes in each element, receiving rapid inversion of inertial force, which agitates the product.
For products with Reynolds <2000 the main mixing mechanism is flow division.
For products with Reynolds >2000 the main mixing mechanism is the combination of flow conversion and inversion.
X-shaped elements
These X-shaped elements are especially designed for mixing and/or dispersing all kinds of (high) viscous media. In almost all cases it concerns a laminar flow.The media is continuously split, stretched, transported from the inside to the outside of the pipe diameter and vice versa. Each mixing element is placed, in line, under a 90 degree angle in relation to the previous mixing element. Due to the strong cross stream velocity gradients, the additive is sheared, as it passes through the mixing element. This results in continuously fi ner striations till it is ‘homogeneous’ mixed
V-shaped elements
The V-shaped elements are especially designed for dispersing low viscous media such as gas and ideal for applications that require a homogeneous mixing and blending action in the turbulent flow regime.
The mixing elements consist of intersecting corrugated plates and channels that encourage rapid mixing in combination with plug fl ow progression. The elements are welded together, 90° turned to create an element string.
Thanks to these multi-layered ‘V’ shaped metallic (corrugated) plates, small sized bubbles are formed. Creating a very large contact area between the media that have to be mixed (fl uid or gas). The bubbles are of a consistent size and evenly spread over the entire pipe diameter and the mixing length.
The number of elements depends on various factors and consist mostly between 2 and 6 elements. Sometimes with a spacer in between them. Any number of additives can be mixed at the same time within the mixing zone.