GB2124095A - Device for mixing flowing liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a casing (4) having an inlet (41) and an outlet (42); an impeller mounted in the casing (4) and including, a plurality of curved blades (33), a circular plate (32) coupled with the curved blades at one side thereof, and a hollow cylinder (311) being in line with the inlet (41) and having a flared end (31) coupled with the curved blades (33) at the other side thereof and drive means (2) having a drive shaft (21) for rotating the impeller (3) about an axis parallel to the flow of the admitted liquids. To increase the agitating effect, the circular plate (32) and the flared end (31) may include a plurality of radially split lateral portions which are bent alternately inward and outward or, alternatively, a plurality of perforations in the curved blades (33). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for mixing flowing liquids This invention relates to a mixing device particularly to a device used for mixing flowing liquids such as fuel oil and water which must be mixed and sent to a burner for combustion.

In fuel oil combustion to save the fuel comsumption the fuel oil is usually thoroughly mixed with some water and then sent to the burnner for combustion. Conventionally, the mixing of fuel oil and water is usually doned in a barrel with an agitator. As fuel oil and water easily separate due to their different densities there is leter developed a device which accomplishes a mixing action therein and then allow the mixed liquids to directly flow into the burnner. The device includes a box like casing which is provided with a plurality of upright poles for creating a turbulance in the flow line of liquids which pass the casing together as shown in Figure 1.

Althrough this provides an improvement to the former method efficient mixing still can not be achieved as the liquids enter at natural flow and therefore combustion is still unable to complete.

According to the invention, a device for mixing liquids that pass therethrough comprises: a casing having an inlet means for admitting liquids therein and an outlet means for leading the mixed liquids away therefrom; impeller means mounted in the casing and inciuding, a plurality of curved blades, a circular plate coupled with the curved blades at one sides thereof, and a hollow cylinder being in line with the inlet means and having a flared end coupled with the curved blades at another sidesthereof; drive means having a drive shaft fixed to the circular plate for rotating the impeller means about an axis parallel to the flow of admitted liquids and producing a suction within the casing; and means for increasing agitation effect cooperative with the impeller means.

In an aspect of the invention, the circular plate and flared end are constructed such that they include a plurality of radially splitted lateral portions which are bent alternately inward and outward so as to increase the agitating effect. Advantageously, the splitted lateral portions are arranged in such a manner that the lateral portions which are bent outward have greater inclining angle than the lateral portions which are bent inward.

In another aspect of the invention, a plurality of perforations are provided in the curved blades to increase the agitating effect.

In further aspect of the invention the circular plate is provided with a plurality of projection disposed annularly at the inside surface of the disc.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for effectively mixing fuel oil and water and then directly sent out the mixture to the burnner by a centrifugal force, thereby enabling the fuel oil and water mixture to be completely combusted as well as saving the fuel consumption.

This and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent in the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure l is a perspective view of a conventional mixing device; Figure 2 is a sectional view of a mixing device constructed according to the invention; Figure 3 is an exploded view of an impeller used in this invention; Figure 4 is an exploded view of another impeller used in this invention.

In the illustration of an embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a mixing device 1 includes a casing 4 having a substantially circular cross section for housing an impeller 3. The casing 4 is provided with an inlet 41 which is connected to a tee joint 43 that couples two conduits (not shown) conveying two liquids which are to be mixed, such as fuel oil and water that will be specifically concerned in this invention. An outlet 42 is tangentially disposed at the side wall of the casing 4.

As embodied herein, there is further provided a power input unit which may comprises, as in the case of conventional agitators, a motor, a shaft driven through a flexible or rigid coupling by the motor and sealing means or stuffing box to prevent leakage between shaft and casing. With respect to Figure 2 the power input unit 2 is provided at the rear side of the casing 4 and the shaft 21 is extending into the casing 4through an opening thereof, at which a sealing means 44 is provided between the shaft 21 and the casing wall.

Referring to Figure 3, the impeller 3 comprises a plurality of curved blades 33 welded to a rear circular plate 32 which is mounted on the shaft 21. At the front side of the blades 33 is a hollow cylinder 311 which is in line with the inlet 41 of the casing 4 and has a flared end 31 to which another sides of the curved blades 33 are weldedlyjointed. The lateral portions of the rear plate 32 and flared end 31 are radially splitted into a pluraity of parts 322,321 and 312,313 respectively. The splitted parts 312 and 322 which are bent outward have greater bending angles than the splitted parts 313 and 323 which are bent inward. There are further provided a plurality of projections 324 annularly disposed at the inside surface of the plate 32.

It will be noted that the hollow cylinder 311 and the circular rear plate 32 are substantially coaxial and can be rotated about the axis of the shaft 21. When the shaft 21 is driven by the motor it rotates the impeller 3 at a substantially high speed, and subsequently a suction is produced at the hollow cylinder 311. Due to this suction the fuel oil and water will be drawn into the channels formed between the curved blades 33, the rear plate 32 and the flared annular end 31 of the hollow cylinder 311. The suctioned fuel oil and water is agitated by the curved blades 33 and then forced to the volute space 34 between the periphery of the impeller 3 and the inside wall of the casing 4.A further mixing action is contributed to the liquids by means of splitted lateral parts 322,321, 312,313 and projection 324 so as to increase the agitating effet at the volute space 34 from which the well mixed fuel oil and water is tangentially directed to and discharged from the outlet 42 of the casing 4.

Figure 3 illustrates another embodiments in which the impeller 3 is constructed in such a manner that the rear plate 32 and the flared annular end 31 do not possess splitted lateral parts as described herein be fore, but have a plurality of perforations 333 in the curved blade 33 to give a mixing action during rotation of the curved blades 33. This impeller 3 will act in the same manner on the fuel oil and water as in the above described embodiment and discharges them in a well mixed condition.

It is appreciated that with the devices as illustrated hereinbefore, if 10-13% by weight of water are mixed with the fuel oil the fuel comsumption can be reduced to 10-15%. The preferred dimension of the circular plate and the flared annular end are about 65mm in diameter when the speed of the impeller is arranged at 6400rpm.

There is shown from a test that the fuel oil water emulsion resulted after mixing by the device in this invention contains 60% of water droplet of 1.29 > diameter when the ratio of oil and water is 10:1.

With the invention thus expiained, it is apparent that obvious modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.

Claims (6)

1. A device for mixing liquids that pass therethrough comprising: a casig having an inlet means for admitting liquids therein and an outlet means for leading the mixed liquids away therefrom; impeller means mounted in said casing and including, a plurality of curved blades, a circular plate coupled with said curved blades at one sides thereof, and a hollow cylinder being in line with said inlet means and having a flared end coupled with said curved blades at another sides thereof; drive means having a drive shaft fixed to said circular plate for rotating said impeller means about an axis parallel to the flow of admitted liquids and producing a suction within said casing; and means for increasing the agitating effect cooperative with said impeller.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said agitating effect increasing means are a plurality of radially splitted protions which are provided at the lateral portions of said plate and said flared end and bent alternately inward and outward.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said lateral portions which are bent outward have greater inclining angle than said lateral portions which are bent inward.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said agitating effect increasing means are perforations provided in said curved blades.

5. A device as claimed in Claims 1,2,3 or 4, said circular plate further includes a plurality of projections disposed annularly at the inside surface of said disc.

6. A device substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.