Method of mixing using vaned mixing device
AssigneeSite-b Company
InventorRonnald B. King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a mixing device and a method of mixing viscous fluids with a mixing device. The mixing device includes a shaft and a support mounted for rotation with the shaft. A plurality of vanes extend from the support and are mounted for rotation with the shaft, the vanes extending generally parallel to the shaft and positioned radially outward from the shaft. The vanes have a sloping inner edge which is positioned closer to the shaft at a first portion of the vane than a second portion of the vane. In use, the mixing device is located in a viscous fluid and the shaft is rotated, thereby effecting rotation of the vanes, causing fluid to move through the vanes and mix the fluid.
Claims19
A method of mixing fluid comprising:
- isolating a fluid to be mixed in a container;
- providing a mixing structure comprising a shaft extending along an axis, a support mounted to said shaft for rotation therewith, a number of vanes mounted for rotation with said support and extending outwardly from said support, said vanes having an inner edge and an outer edge, said vanes having a first end and a second end, a first portion of each of said vanes at said first ends thereof positioned closer to said axis than a second portion of said vanes at said second ends thereof, said vanes spaced apart from one another and defining openings there between through which fluid may flow, said vanes at said first ends thereof positioned closer to one another than said vanes at said second ends thereof;
- positioning said structure in said container containing fluid to be mixed;
- and
- rotating said mixing structure within said fluid within said container, drawing said fluid into said mixing structure, expelling said fluid radially outward towards said inner edges of said vanes at said first portions thereof, shearing said fluid as it impacts said inner edges of said vanes and passes through said opening between said vanes, and trapping undispersed materials when such materials are present within said fluid at said second portions of said vanes within said mixing structure.
A method of mixing fluid comprising:
- isolating a fluid to be mixed in a container;
- positioning a mixing structure in said container containing fluid to be mixed;
- rotating said mixing structure in said container about an axis;
- drawing fluid into an interior area of said mixing structure;
- expelling fluid radially outwardly towards a first portion of vanes of said mixing structure, said first portion of said vanes positioned outwardly of said axis about which said mixing structure is rotated, said fluid being sheared as it impacts said first portion of said vanes and being radially expelled through openings between said vanes;
- and
- trapping undispersed materials when such materials are present in said fluid at a second portion of said vanes which are positioned closer to said axis that said first portion of said vanes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.