Patent Application
20200332998
The present disclosure relates to a fluid-gas mixer, and more particularly to a fluid-gas mixer having an aerated injector with a large diameter.
A variety of devices and process are known for mixing a gas such as air and a fluid such as water, oil, paint and various chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides etc. Factors such as fluid viscosity and density may make mixing difficult. Thorough mixing when very small quantities of fluid are required also poses problems. Legacy devices such as pressure atomizing nozzles have difficulty in achieving results required.
The conventional methods and systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for fluid-gas mixers having improved performance. There also remains a need in the art for such systems and components that are economically viable. The present disclosure may provide a solution for at least one of these remaining challenges.
A fluid-gas mixer includes a housing, defining a primary axis, for mixing fluid and gas, a mixer nozzle circumscribing the primary axis, wherein an annular gap between an outer surface of the mixer nozzle and an inner surface of the housing defines at least one outer gas path, an inner gas passage defining an inner gas path for mixing with the outer gas path, a gas conduit connected to the housing for admitting a gas to the inner gas path and to the outer gas path, and a fluid conduit connected to the mixer nozzle.
The fluid conduit can be fluidly connected to an annular channel within the mixer nozzle, the annular channel including an outlet from the mixer nozzle parallel to the primary axis disposed between the inner gas path and the outer gas path.
The outer gas path area can decrease in a downstream direction. The inner gas passage can include swirling gas passages directed towards the annular gap between the interior surface of the housing and the outer surface of the mixer nozzle.
The housing includes an inlet section, a mixing section, and an outlet section. A step can form a transition from the mixing section to the outlet section. The step being downstream of a gas inlet.
Three discrete struts can be attached to a surface of the mixer as supports within the housing. At least one of the struts can include the fluid conduit passing there through. The outer gas passage can be located between each of the discrete struts.
The mixer nozzle can be u-shaped, with an apex of the mixer nozzle directed towards an outlet of the housing. The mixer nozzle can include a cone with a rounded end facing downstream for eliminating recirculation zones. The housing can include a smooth widening section adjacent to the cone.
A separate fluid-gas mixer nozzle is also considered. The nozzle including a body circumscribing a primary axis, an inlet into an annular passage within the body for receiving fluid, and at least one passage through the body directed diagonally with respect to the primary axis for passing fluid through the body and an exit area which can control the pressure in the body and the velocity of the flow leaving the mixer. The annular passage can include an outlet adjacent to an outlet of the at least one passage. The body can include a cone directed away from the at least one passage. The body can include at least one supporting member with a fluid conduit therein configured for passing fluid to the inlet of the annular passage.
These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.
So that those skilled in the art to which the subject invention appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject invention without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:
Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject invention. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a fluid-gas mixer in accordance with the invention is shown in
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The mixer nozzle 112, divides the gas flow through either the outer gas path 126 or the inner passage 136. The mixer nozzle divides the gas flow into two streams both between 40% and 60% of the total flow but preferably close to 50% each. The inner stream, through the at least one gas passage 136 is preferably given a tangential or swirling flow component of angular momentum, this swirling creates an axial velocity disparity. The narrowing cross section of the outer gas path 126 forces the flow to intersect with the flow of the inner stream. The flow of fluid from the fluid outlet 135 forms an annular film of the fluid and outputs the fluid centrally between the two gas streams. This arrangement improves the mixing of the fluid and gas. The fluid outlet 135 is located between the inner and outer gas paths, and includes a larger diameter than the inner gas exit and at a smaller diameter than the outer gas exit. The outlet 110 provides further control of the operating pressure within the device and exit momentum of the flow.
The systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for a fluid mixing system with superior properties including increased reliability and reduced size, weight, complexity, and cost. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject disclosure.
