Addis ababa science and technology

university
Department of chemical Engineering
program :Masters (2024/25)
Class assignment -Process intensification
Assignment and presentation on:
Principles and Design of Static Mixers Focus: Working
principles, design considerations, and types of static
mixers. Applications in Various Industries Focus: Use of
static mixers in industries such as chemical processing,
water treatment, and food production.

Submitted by : Submitted to: DR.Aman

Name : Temesgen Belayhun
AASTU Roll:GSR0164/17 Semister: 1
Submision date :
Outline
Introduction
Working principle
Types of static mixer
Operational
principle(mechanism) Design of
different static mixers
Applicationof static mixer
Shote notice/Summary why use static mixer
Case study example industry
Introduction – What are the Static Mixers
Motionless (or static) mixers: passive process
intensification tools.
In contrast to the mechanical stirrers they are
 motionless: do not move
themselves,
 but using the pressure,
potential and kinetic energy of the
streaming phases
 they cause turbulence,
 relative displacements,
 multiple division,
rearrangment and
 (re)combination of different
phase elements in another
arrangement.
 they disperse one of the phases into another
phase as droplets, particles, bubbles
 they distribute the dispersed phase
evenly,
 and make the phase elements
contacting.
Static mixers are applied in tubes, or in other
devices (vessels, columns, containers etc.)
The phenomenon itself is known for ages
from the nature – e.g. stones in a creek.
The first technical applications are not very
old, realized about 40 years ago (1960’s)
There are a great variety of methods, designs
and technical realization.
 Different types of motionless mixers
Examples: Kenics, Sulzer, Ross etc.
a Kenics mixer element
- a twisted strips
 twisted by 180 degree along its lenght,
 clockwise and counter-clockwise elements
arranged alternatively,
 the inlet edge of an element is perpendicular
to the outlet edge of the previous one
(shear in the tube cross-section)
 different l/d ratios - cause diferent
turbulence and pressure drop
 Mixing mechanism of Kenics mixers
division rearrangement &
 multiple divisions recombination
and recombination
 change of the
direction of rotation
 causing shear in hte
tube cross section
 strong radial
mixing
no (or modest) mixing Radial mixing:
cross-sectional displacements
longitudinally (certain and rotation (secondary flow)
caused by
velocity differences)
www.chemineer.com/
 Mixing mechanism of Kenics mixers
division rearrangement &
recombination
 multiple divisions
and recombination
Simplified
scheme in 2D:

it takes place in 3D !
Sulzer (Koch) Mixers - different purposes
Corrugated plates with changing orientations
or crossing lamellas

Sulzer
SMV Sulzer SMX for
Mixer food industry

Sulzer SMX Mixer (SMXL –

smaller inclination and higher
distance between the plates)
Counter-current
phase contacting www.sulzerchemtech.com/
 Ross LPD Mixer
Crossing half ellipses, slanted with different
angles, different cross-sectional oriantation

LPD = low
pressure drop

www.mixers.com/staticmixers.asp
ERESTAT Tube-Mixer

Erestat Verfahrenstechnik, Germany

STATIFLO Mixer

Statiflo International Ltd - www.statiflo.com

KOMAX Mixer
KOMAX Systems, Inc.- www.komax.com/
Westfall Static Mixer
Shaped orifice
(alone or in a series)

Fluid components
are injected just at
the orifice
(perpendicularly) http://www.westfallmfg.com

Components are rapidly mixed by a

combination of alternate vortex creating
and intense shear zone turbulence.
FixMix Mixers
Twisted strips, similar to the Kenics mixer,
but they are conical ones with inclination

conicity

Different constructions of
inclination FixMix tube mixers
Hungarian Patent No. 179 046 (1982)
 Advantages of FixMix® Mixers
No dead zones at the corners
Jet effect through the gap between the
edge and the wall  secondary circulation
mixer
 cleans the wall
No local superheating at the wall
(important for heat sensitive materials)
Mixing accross the gap – betwen the two sides
Pressure & velocity differences between the
two sides
Pressure & velocity variation along the mixer
Kenics and FixMix Mixers
Construction variables:
Angle of rotation in one element
(180o, 90o)
 Length to diameter ratio (l/d)

 Change of the gradient of rotation angle aolng

the length (inclination increases
gradually)
 Number of leaves (multiple wings)
FixMix Mixers
Construction variables:
 Distance and rotation angle between
the successive elements , etc.
Tight arrangement

(a)
lempty lmixer
(a)
(b
)
lempty lmixer

(c)

Distant arrangement with straight (b) and inclined (c)

mixers
FixMix Mixers
Construction variables:
 Conicity – reduction of d along its
length
 Skeweness – inclined axis along
r1 its
length r2

dout
din

r1 - r2

Conicity c=(din-dout /d)

Skeweness s=(r1-r2 /
r1 )
FixMix Mixers
Construction variables:
 The number of the mixer elements in
longitudinal direction i.e. the length of
the static mixer section

SysMix Mixer
 The number of the
mixer elements in the
tube or vessel cross-
section
Grids and package made from
FixMix® elements
 Applications - Phase Systems
Almost any kind of phase or phase
systems - that can flow through the tube

Gas - homogenous phase

Gas - containing dispersed solids or
liquids Liquids - homogeneous phase
Liquids - containing solids, liquid or gas
Particulate solids
heterodisperse & multicomponent
Paste-like or plastic materials, slurries
 Applications – Unit Operations
Mixing, blending, homogenization
Dispersion (emulsions, suspensions,
foams) Heat transfer improvement
Mass transfer improvement
Heat & mass transfer (simultaneously)
Chemical reactors (improvement)
Micro-mechanical operations (attrition,
rounding of particles, particle
coating)
Bulk solids handling & processes
 Applications – Examples
Mixing: viscous and non-viscous liquids,
dense plastic melts, food pastes, bulk solids
Extraction (Sulzer mixers – packed columns)
Heating, cooling, condensation, evaporation
Dust separation from gases
Drying of grains, post-harvest technologies
Dissolution and cooking of pectin and
sugar Refining of chocolate mass
(conching)
Heat- and mineral recovery from thermal water
Tube-sterilizer for foods - no local overheating
Controlled precipitation, spherical crystals
 Applications – Direct heat transfer
Production of pressurized hot water by
direct steam heating
Cold water in Hot water out

No pulsation
or noise !

Steam in
 Applications – Direct heat transfer

Static mixers

Disassembled direct steam heater

Applications – Water purification by ozone
Excellent mass transfer between the gas and liquid
phases
 Applications – Bulk solids mixing
Segregation-free batch mixer
 rotation in alternating
direction
 static mixers
inside

 alternating flow direction – changes

the relative positions of the components
 Applications – Bulk solids mixing
Segregation-free batch mixer – the principle
rotation and
flow in
alternating
direction

Quartz sand - NaCl

Wheat flower - NaCl

Quartz sand -
polypropylene
spheres

kinetics of the non-equilibrium system

Summary note about static mixer and
benefit of process intensification novel
equipment development for mixing
process
When the mixing component stream flow
over an element, it is divided in half,
separated, creating layers. The number of
separation depends on number of
elements. More number of elements
creates more numbers of layers. Products
with Reynolds number more than 4000
(turbulent flow), the main mixing
mechanism is the combination of inversion
and conversion. Products with Reynolds
number less than 2100 (laminar flow), the
main mixing mechanism is flow division.

The sizing of Static Mixer depends upon the

volumetric flow rate. The selection of
number of elements and type of elements
depend on the properties of fluid i.e.
viscosity and shear sensitivity.
 Short note summery static mixer in
industries

Application of Static Mixers :in

industries

Blending of different fluids.

Dilution of liquids.

Dispersion of liquids.

Heat Transfer.

Mixing in diluted polymers in
waste water.

PH control.

Creating or maintaining
suspension.

Gas dispersing in liquids.

Gas absorption in liquids.
Advantages of Static Mixers:

Low investment cost.

Low maintenance cost, no
moving parts.

Low energy consumption.

Quick and intense reaction between the
mixed liquids and Gases.

High level of mixing efficiency.

Low volume/hold up of the processed
products.

Easy and simple installation, start-up and
operation.

No Tanks and Agitators are required
because of inline production process.
Parts of Static Mixers:

Pipes

Flanges

Internal Static Elements

Side Nozzl
 Food & Pharmaceutical
The food & pharmaceutical industries strive to
provide the highest quality products and achieve
a high level of consistency. Static Mixers play
an important part in this process.
Due to their proven high level of performance
they are used in a wide variety of food
applications such as pasteurisation of raw cocoa
mass, blending fruit pieces into yoghurt, live
steam pasteurisation. Other typical applications
include production of coffee, beer, molasses and
chocolate.
In the pharmaceutical industry typical
applications would include cooling and/or
heating steps, drug trial productions and
producing pharmaceutical intermediate
products.
 Modern machinery in a pharmaceutical
production plant
Whilst the Food and Pharmaceutical
industries have clear differences in terms
of requirements the inline static mixers
Our Series 200 range for these industries
would be supplied with removable mixing
elements within metric or imperial tubing
with a high level of surface finish –.
Cleaning in Place (CIP) is made easy with
the crevice-free design which prevents
unwanted build up of bacteria within the
static mixer.
Inline Static Mixers it is important to
remember:

Overall length can be varied to suit space
limitations.

Element geometry can be designed for both
high and low head loss systems.

Large diameter – no theoretical upper
limits.

Elements for rectangular or other unusually
shaped ducts and open channels

Special designs for incorporating in bends,
offer space saving and minimal disturbance to
piping systems.

Guaranteed highly efficient mixing.

No moving parts provide a maintenance free
operation.

Reduction in operational energy costs, as no
direct power is required.

Ease of installation.

Minimal space requirements with no upstream
or downstream pipe lengths required.
Providing short control process times in
applications where quick process response
control is critical.

Short process chemical dosing control
loops provide optimum performance in
response to
 Application Examples and Case Studies

Viscosity & Temperature Control – Laminar

Flow Heat Exchange
Problem
Manufacturers of a world famous cosmetic
cream were faced with an unexpected
problem just days before a new facility was
due on full scale production. The filling
operation was unable to satisfactorily fill the
jars. Due to the higher than anticipated cream
viscosity, air spaces were forming in the
 bottom corners of the containers. Although
the correct weight of cream was being
dispensed, consumer trials indicated that
customers were unhappy with the appearance
of the product in the jar.

Solution
The manufacturer’s engineers quickly
determined that the high viscosity of the
cream was responsible for poor flow into the
jars. Heating the cream would reduce the
viscosity, but there was serious concern
because the cream was heat sensitive.
Conventional heating methods were ruled out
because of the high viscosity, laminar flow
condition and the certainty of developing hot
spots.
 The radial mixing action of the Motionless
Mixer is responsible for the elimination of
internal film boundaries which are the biggest
resistances to efficient heat transfer in laminar
flow. Intense mixing also prevents hot spots
occurring in the heat sensitive cream.

Result
The design of the Motionless Mixer / Heat
Exchanger was completed in hours and
approved shortly afterwards by the
customer’s engineers.
The equipment arrived at its overseas site two
days early. Installation was very
straightforward and immediately solved the
 problem – and well in time to meet the
scheduled date for full scale production.

The cream exited the Static mixer equipment

at a controlled elevated temperature and
reduced viscosity. Flow into the jars was
improved sufficiently to completely eliminate
the unsightly air spaces. The customer was
happy knowing that full production had not
been delayed and adverse user reaction had
been averted.

STATIFLO MOTIONLESS MIXER FEATURES OF

PRIMARY IMPORTANCE IN THIS CASE STUDY
No moving parts for maintenance free
operation
Sanitary design in polished stainless steel
Suitable for cleaning in place (CIP) systems
Extremely simple installation procedures
Prevents localised overheating and hotspots
Increases overall heat transfer coefficient by
up to 500% compared with empty pipe
Consistent and predictable performance