# US 10,478,840 B2 · Apparatus and method for converting liquid stream into fine droplets

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- Number: US 10,478,840 B2
- Document ID: US10478840B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/914,909
- Filed: 2018-03-07
- Published: 2019-01-03
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-28
- Assignees: Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Applicants: Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Inventors: Shoeb Hussain Khan; Venkata Hari Prasad Gupta Bandaru; Jagdev Kumar Dixit; Gautam Thapa; Satheesh Vetterkunnel Kumaran; Debasis Bhattacharyya; Sankara Sri Venkata Ramakumar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478840B2

## CPC

- B05B 7/0491: {the liquid and the gas being mixed at least twice along the flow path of the liquid}
- B01F 23/21321: {High pressure atomization, i.e. the liquid is atomized and sprayed by a jet at high pressure}
- B01F 23/232: using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
- B01J 4/002: {Nozzle-type elements (nozzle-type reactors B01J19/26)}
- B01J 19/26: Nozzle-type reactors, i.e. the distribution of the initial reactants within the reactor is effected by their introduction or injection through nozzles
- B05B 7/04: with arrangements for mixing liquids or other fluent materials before discharge (mixing in general B01F, e.g. B01F25/00; mixing valves F16K11/00)
- B05B 7/0408: {with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids}
- B05B 7/045: {the gas and liquid flows being parallel just upstream the mixing chamber (B05B7/0458, B05B7/0466 take precedence)}
- B05B 7/0475: {with means for deflecting the peripheral gas flow towards the central liquid flow (B05B7/0458 takes precedence)}
- B05B 7/06: with {at least} one outlet orifice surrounding another approximately in the same plane
- B05B 7/10: producing a swirling discharge
- B01J 2204/002: the feeding side being of particular interest
- B01J 2208/00849: outside the bed, e.g. baffles
- B01J 2208/00902: Nozzle-type feeding elements
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

## Abstract

An apparatus and a method for mixing and atomizing a hydrocarbon stream is disclosed. The apparatus comprises of an inner conduit having a first inlet for receiving the hydrocarbon stream, and a second inlet for receiving a primary dispersion stream. The inner conduit produces a primary mixture comprising the hydrocarbon stream and the primary dispersion stream. The apparatus further includes an outer conduit having a third inlet for receiving a secondary dispersion stream. Further, said inner and outer conduits together define an annular passage. The distal end of the annular passage defines a second set of orifices for allowing the secondary dispersion stream flowing there-through to come in contact with the primary mixture and thereby dispensing the secondary mixture so obtained through an outlet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for mixing and atomizing a hydrocarbon stream using a dispersion stream, said apparatus comprising:
an inner conduit having a first inlet for receiving the hydrocarbon stream and a second inlet for receiving a primary dispersion stream, the inner conduit producing a primary mixture comprising the hydrocarbon stream and the primary dispersion stream;
said second inlet for receiving the primary dispersion stream including a first axial pipe and at least one further axial pipe connected in a direction of flow of the primary dispersion stream, the first axial pipe being adapted to receive the primary dispersion stream and the second axial pipe defining a first set of orifices for exit of the primary dispersion stream thereto, the first set of orifices being located at the same horizontal plane as that of the first inlet;
an outer conduit having a third inlet for receiving a secondary dispersion stream, said inner and outer conduits together defining an annular passage for downstream flow of the secondary dispersion stream;
a distal end of the annular passage defining a second set of orifices for allowing the secondary dispersion stream flowing there-through to come in contact with the primary mixture and to thereby form a secondary mixture; and
an outlet for dispensing the secondary mixture comprising the hydrocarbon stream, the primary dispersion stream and the secondary dispersion stream.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner conduit defines at least one contraction and expansion zone located within the inner conduit, said contraction and expansion zone located downstream of the first and the second inlets for contracting and expanding the primary mixture.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of orifices is arranged in form of a two-dimensional matrix.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of orifices direct the primary dispersion stream in a direction parallel to a direction of flow of the hydrocarbon stream from the first inlet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of orifices direct the primary dispersion stream in a direction so as to intersect the flow of the hydrocarbon stream in the inner conduit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second set of orifices direct the secondary dispersion stream so as to be tangential to an imaginary circle.

### Claim 7

A method for mixing and atomizing a hydrocarbon stream using a dispersion stream, said method comprising:
providing an apparatus comprising:
an inner conduit having a first inlet for receiving the hydrocarbon stream and a second inlet for receiving a primary dispersion stream, the inner conduit producing a primary mixture comprising the hydrocarbon stream and the primary dispersion stream;
said second inlet for receiving the primary dispersion stream including a first axial pipe and at least one further axial pipe connected in a direction of the flow of the primary dispersion stream, the first axial pipe being adapted to receive the primary dispersion stream and the second axial pipe defining a first set of orifices for exit of the primary dispersion stream thereto, the first set of orifices being located and directed towards the first inlet;
an outer conduit having a third inlet for receiving a secondary dispersion stream, said inner and outer conduits together defining an annular passage for downstream flow of the secondary dispersion stream;
a distal end of the annular passage defining a second set of orifices for allowing the secondary dispersion stream flowing there-through to come in contact with the primary mixture and to thereby form a secondary mixture;
an outlet for dispensing the secondary mixture comprising the hydrocarbon stream, the primary dispersion stream and the secondary dispersion stream;
introducing the hydrocarbon stream into the first inlet of the inner conduit;
introducing the primary dispersion stream into the second inlet of the inner conduit; and
introducing the secondary dispersion stream into the third inlet of the outer conduit.