Fluid mixing apparatus and method

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and vibrator means to apply vibrational energy to fluid flowing through said housing.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, and substantially open chamber means in said housing for permitting generally unimpeded turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, said housing having a net axial fluid flow direction therethrough, and said mixing means including means for transferring fluid from one radial location relative to such axis prior to entering said mixing means to another radial location relative to such axis upon leaving said mixing means.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams at least at two substantially right angles, said mixing means including plural flow chambers and fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages for each flow chamber, said right angle direction changes occurring at the junctures of said flow chambers with said fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and wherein each mixing means includes plural flow chambers through which such streams flow and each flow chamber includes means for twisting the stream flowing therethrough to impart rotational inertia to such stream.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and wherein each mixing means includes plural flow chambers through which such streams flow and each flow chamber includes means for rotating the stream flowing therethrough relative to its flow axis.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and wherein each mixing means includes plural flow chambers through which such streams flow and each flow chamber comprises a channel having at least one bend therein.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, said mixing means including at least one disc and at least one plate cooperative to form plural flow chambers for flow of such streams therethrough, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means.

A method of mixing a fluid-like material, comprising delivering such material to a housing for flowing therethrough, dividing such flowing material into plural streams, at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams normally without substantial immediate reverse directional flow thereof, and permitting such streams to mix in a substantially completely open chamber in a generally unimpeded turbulent manner, thereby to form a well-mixed fluid-like material output.

A combustion engine system for producing a mechanical output in response to a combustion process, comprising:

• combustion engine means for producing such mechanical output in response to combustion of a fluid-like material therein, fuel supply means for supplying combustible fuel, supplemental fluid supply means for supplying a supplemental fluid, mixing apparatus means for mixing such fuel and supplemental fluid, including a housing, input chamber means in said housing for receiving such fuel and supplemental fluid which form a combined fluid-like material, a plurality of mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of such material flowing therethrough, each including dividing means for dividing such combined material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of each of such streams, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and delivery means for delivering such mixed combined material to said combustion engine means for combustion thereat.

A method of mixing a fluid-like material, comprising delivering such material to a housing for flowing therethrough, dividing such flowing material into plural streams, at least twice changing the flow direction of each of such streams, bending each of such plural streams, twisting each of said flow streams about its flow axis, and permitting such streams to mix in a generally turbulent manner, thereby to form a well-mixed fluid-like material output.

A method of mixing a fluid-like material, comprising delivering such material to a housing for flowing therethrough, dividing such flowing material into plural streams, at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, said dividing and at least twice changing steps including the flowing of fluid through a mixing element, effecting in such mixing element a counter-rotation shear of fluids passing therethrough, and imparting rotational momentum to each of said flow streams and permitting such streams to mix in a generally turbulent manner, thereby to form a well-mixed fluid-like material output.

A method of mixing a fluid-like material, comprising delivering such material to a housing for flowing therethrough, dividing such flowing material into plural streams, at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, permitting such streams to mix in a generally turbulent manner, thereby to form a well-mixed fluid-like material output, and vibrating such material as it flows through such housing.

A method of mixing a fluid-like material, comprising delivering such material to a housing for flowing therethrough, dividing such flowing material into plural streams, at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, permitting such streams to mix in a generally turbulent manner, thereby to form a well-mixed fluid-like material output, and radially displacing respective flow streams from the location at which they are formed to the location at which they are permitting to mix in such generally turbulent manner.

A method of mixing a fluid-like material, comprising delivering such material to a housing for flowing therethrough in a net axial direction, dividing such flowing material into plural streams, at least twice changing the flow direction of each of such streams, permitting such streams to mix in a generally turbulent manner, thereby to form a well-mixed fluid-like material output, and angularly displacing respective flow streams from the location relative to the net axial direction at which they are formed to the location at which they are permitted to mix in such generally turbulent manner.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams at least at two substantially right angles, said mixing means including plural flow chambers and fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages for each flow chamber, said right angle direction changes occurring at the junctures of said flow chambers with said fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and wherein each flow chamber includes means for twisting the stream flowing therethrough to impart rotational inertia to such stream.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams at least at two substantially right angles, said mixing means including plural flow chambers and fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages for each flow chamber, said right angle direction changes occurring at the junctures of said flow chambers with said fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and wherein each flow chamber includes means for rotating the stream flowing therethrough relative to its flow axis.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams at least at two substantially right angles, said mixing means including plural flow chambers and fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages for each flow chamber, said right angle direction changes occurring at the junctures of said flow chambers with said fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and wherein each flow chamber comprises a channel having at least one bend therein.

A mixing apparatus, comprising a housing, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of a fluid-like material flowing therethrough, said mixing means including dividing means for dividing such fluid-like material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams at least at two substantially right angles, said mixing means including plural flow chambers and fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages for each flow chamber, said right angle direction changes occurring at the junctures of said flow chambers with said fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and wherein each channel includes means for changing the cross-sectional profile of the stream flowing therethrough.

A combustion engine system for producing a mechanical output in response to a combustion process, comprising:

• combustion engine means for producing such mechanical output in response to combustion of a fluid-like material therein, fuel supply means for supplying combustible fuel, supplemental fluid supply means for supplying a supplemental fluid, mixing apparatus means for mixing such fuel and supplemental fluid, including a housing, input chamber means in said housing for receiving such fuel and supplemental fluid which form a combined fluid-like material, at least one mixing means in said housing for effecting a mixing of such material flowing therethrough, including dividing means for dividing such combined material into plural streams, and direction changing means for at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, and chamber means in said housing for permitting generally turbulent mixing of such streams after exiting of the same from said mixing means, and delivery means for delivering such mixed combined material to said combustion engine means for combustion thereat, and further comprising means for applying mechanical force to vibrate said mixing means and thereby to vibrate the fluid flowing through the same.

A method of mixing a fluid-like material, comprising delivering such material to a housing for flowing therethrough, dividing such flowing material into plural streams, at least twice changing the flow direction of such streams, imparting rotational momentum to each of said flow streams and permitting such streams to mix in a generally turbulent manner, said step of imparting including imparting to adjacent flow streams turbulently mixing in said housing a counter-rotating rotational momentum, thereby to form a well-mixed fluid-like material output.