AU2011235896B2 - Directed multiport eductor and method of use - Google Patents

Description

DIRECTED MULTIPORT EDUCTOR AND METHOD OF USE

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fluidic jetting device; specifically, to a multiport nozzle directing a motive flow into the throat of a venturi- diffuser permitting homogeneous mixing, shearing or wetting of a bulk fluidic material with the motive flow to an outlet of the diffuser.

Eductor arrangements have long been used to provide pumping, mixing, blending, hydrating and shearing in a wide variety of industries, including chemical, petrochemical, pulp and paper, food, water and waste water treatment facilities. These types of eductors can be used for lifting, pumping, mixing or agitating liquids or other flowable materials such as powders or slurries. Eductors use a venturi design which permits small eductors to move large volumes of fluids or fluidic materials. Because the motive flow provides the kinetic energy necessary to entrain and move another fluid after thoroughly mixing the two, the mixture and discharge of the combined material is accomplished with lowered motive energy usage than if the volume was pumped with a conventional centrifugal pump.

The low pressure section or mixing chamber of the eductor pulls the flowable bulk material into the venturi neck of the eductor and out the diffuser or belled end of the eductor. Most prior art eductor bodies provided a single nozzle extending into the neck of the venturi, thereby hindering mixing in the vacuum or mixing chamber of the eductor body. The present invention separates the multiple directed nozzle ports from the venturi neck thereby opening the mixing chamber to the rapid and unimpeded bulk material flow which is thereafter carried into the neck of the venturi. Eductor systems have long been recognized to provide lower capital costs because of their simplicity of design and limited size, require less energy to drive the pump providing motive force, provide less heating of the transported material, provide less settling because of the volume of circulation or movement provided, and provide better control when the bulk material and inlet side are properly sealed to outside air. These advantages are improved with this new directed multiport nozzle design when combined with the characteristics of the venturi-diffuser of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A present embodiment of the invention disclosed herein provides an eductor having a cylindrical body having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a perpendicular extension having a bore therethrough forming a low pressure vestibular mixing chamber portion of the eductor; a multiport nozzle inserted in a first end of the cylindrical body terminating on an inlet side of the vestibular portion of the mixing chamber; a venturi-diffuser inserted in a second end of the cylindrical body having an inlet lip adjacent an output side of the vestibular mixing chamber; and, said multiport nozzle providing a plurality of ports directing a hydraulic flow from an inlet of the cylindrical body toward an inlet lip of the diffuser having a venturi throat narrowing to provide turbulent flow, enlarging at an outlet of the diffuser.

This form of eductor features a multiport nozzle which provides three or more directed ports. Another embodiment of the invention provides a multiport nozzle having at least five directed ports. The multiport nozzle provides an angled ejection converging on a point within the venturi-diffuser. The cylindrical body also features a flange on the inlet side and the outlet side and a flange on the perpendicular section to provide an absolute seal from exterior air pressure on the eductor body when assembled. The shape of the venturi-diffuser permits about 70% recovery of the inlet pressure on the outlet of the eductor body. Both the nozzle body and the venturi-diffuser are fabricated from polyoxymethylene, also known as acetal plastic.

This application also discloses a method of fluidic mixing providing the steps of supplying a fluidic bulk material to an inlet of an eductor on a perpendicular portion of the eductor body which is typically operates at a vacuum; and, supplying a fluidic motive flow through an inlet of the eductor to a multiported nozzle directing the hydraulic flow across a vestibular section of the eductor and into a centralized portion of a throat of a venturi-diffuser for movement down the venturi-diffuser to homogeneously mix the fluidic bulk material with the hydraulic flow. This method of fluidic mixing permits a variety of fluidic bulk materials with varying physical characteristics to be mixed by supplying a first fluidic bulk material to an inlet of an eductor; and, supplying a fluidic motive flow through an inlet of the eductor to a multiported nozzle directing the hydraulic flow across a vestibular section of the eductor and into a centralized portion of a throat of a venturi-diffuser for movement down the venturi-diffuser to homogeneously mix the fluidic bulk material with the hydraulic flow until the first fluidic bulk material has been completely mixed; then adding a second fluidic bulk material to an inlet of an eductor; and, varying a rate of passage of the fluidic bulk material to the vestibular section of the eductor for mixing. These methods can also be accomplished by utilizing the additional step of varying the fluidic motive flow to the multiported nozzle to correspond to the physical characteristics of the second fluidic bulk material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective three-dimensional drawing of the eductor body embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the eductor of the present application showing the spaced relationship between the nozzle body inserted into the eductor from the venturi-diffuser body inserted the opposing end of the eductor body.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the mulitport directed nozzle of the present application of the cross-sectional body of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2B is a outlet face view of the nozzle of Fig. 2A.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the eductor body assembly showing the relative spaced relationship of the multiport directed nozzle body and the venturi- diffuser of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a side plan view of the eductor body assembly showing the relative spaced relationship of the multiport directed nozzle body and the venturi- diffuser of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a smaller nozzle embodiment of the present invention providing three outlet ports.

Fig. 7 is an outlet face view of the smaller nozzle embodiment of the nozzle of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a larger embodiment of the directed nozzle of the present invention providing six outlet ports.

Fig. 9 is an outlet face view of the larger embodiment of the nozzle of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a larger embodiment of the venturi- diffuser.

Fig. 11 is an inlet face view of the venturi-diffuser of the Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of smaller embodiment of the venturi- diffuser.

Fig. 13 is an inlet face view of the venturi-diffuser of Fig. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a directed multiport jetting eductor device 10 as more specifically shown in Fig. 1A and IB, for mixing, blending, hydrating or shearing a fluidic or flowable material such as a powder or slurry in a high velocity motive flow 22 which imparts extreme shearing forces on any material being drawn from a source 32 through a perpendicular extension 12 to the eductor 10 into a vestibular portion 16 of the device 10 thereby eliminating fisheyes, microgels and clumps normally found in many mixing devices. Fig. 1A is a top view and Fig. IB is a cross-sectional side view. The slurry output from this mixing/shearing process is then carried through a venturi-diffuser body 18 to the outlet 40 completing the process. The eductor body 10 of the present embodiment is fabricated from 304 stainless steel and provides a flange 23, 33, and 43 on each end of the eductor body 10. Other compatible materials could be used to fabricate the eductor body without departing from the invention disclosed herein. Stainless steel was chosen as an economical corrosion resistant material, but other nickel alloys for more corrosive environments could readily be substituted. Both the multiport nozzle 14 and the venturi- diffuser body 18 provide a flange permitting each to be securely fastened between the body flanges 23 and 43 and the piping from the pump for the motive flow and the outlet pipe (both of which are partially shown in this view.] A flange 33 on extension 12 permits the sealed hermetic connection of a flowable bulk material source that can be drawn into the vestibular portion 16 of the eductor body 10 for mixing. The flanges on each opening of the eductor body 10 used in conjunction with the sealing flanges on the nozzle and diffuser bodies which are crimped between the input and outlet lines of the body permit the highly efficient mixing of motive force fluid with the bulk material without adjustment for outside air allowing proper measuring of flow rates and output to maximize the efficiency of the process. Since there is no leakage in the system, the volume of motive flow and the mass of the bulk flowable material being mixed, sheared or wetted, can be carefully controlled in a dynamic manner through either manual or electronic adjustment of pump speed or pressure and by opening and closing the valve (not shown] on the flowable bulk material delivery input extension. These control mechanisms can be automated with standard programmable logic devices (PLDs] or by standardized digitial technology now found in this art field.

The motive flow 22 is provided by a fluid pump (not shown, but well known to those having ordinary skill in this art] which may be water or air or other liquid which is pumped into the inlet of the eductor body 10 and through a multiport nozzle 14 made from polyoxymethylene (commonly referred to as POM and also known as polyacetal or polyformaldehyde or acetal plastic]. POM is an engineering machinable thermoplastic used in precision parts that require high stiffness, low friction and excellent dimensional stability. It is commonly known under DuPont's trade name Delrin. The venturi-diffuser body is also made of POM which resists wear from the slurry mixtures pushed through the diffuser throat. Again, alternative materials for these elements can be readily substituted without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. As may be readily seen in Fig. 2A the nozzle provides outlet ports directed at an acute angle a to the perpendicular face 17 of the nozzle body 14. In the cross-sectional view of Fig. 2A port 17' is formed with the angle a specifically to converge with the other ports output at a point in the throat of the venturi-diffuser 18 as shown in Fig. IB. As can also be seen, body 14 provides a flange 15 larger than the inner diameter of the eductor body 10 which is compressed between the flange 23 and the connecting flange of the inlet piping 20 to seal the joint. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2B, three ports (17', 17" and 17'"] are provided in face 17, each directed at an angle to converge at a point 18' inside the throat of the venturi-diffuser 18. shown in Fig. IB. The venturi-diffuser body 18 is shown in cross-section in Fig. 3A. Made from POM, this body 18 provides a lip 18'", throat 18" and widened diffuser end 21 for directing the turbulent motive flow 22 as shown in Fig. IB to the outlet 40 of Fig. IB. The outlet from plurality of jetting nozzles (irrespective of the number of ports provided in the nozzle body such as shown in Fig. 2B] converge at a point 18' central in the throat 18" of the venturi-diffuser 18. Fig. 3B is an inlet face view of the venturi-diffuser of Fig. 3A. Body 18 provides a throat 18" and lip 18'" into which the motive flow and bulk material mixture is directed.

Similarly, Fig. 4A and 4B disclose two alternative jetting nozzles providing four outlet ports and six outlet ports respectively. Typically, the smaller inner diameter eductor body will be limited by the number of outlet ports so Figs. 4A and 4B can be a four inch ID design and Figs. 5A and 5B can be a six inch ID design. In Fig. 4A, flange 15 is intended to seat against the flange 23 on the eductor body 10 of Fig. IB. This jetting nozzle is inserted in the inlet ID of the body 10 and is provided with beveled edge 13 around the nozzle face 170. The peripheral ports 171, 171' and 171" are each angled at an angle a around a central port 172 which is not angled but follows the central axis of the nozzle body. The angle is chosen to permit the outlets to converge at a point inside the throat of the venturi- diffuser. Similarly, a larger diameter jetting nozzle is shown in Fig. 5A and 5B. This nozzle body provides a flange 105 and leading beveled edge 110 and is ported with six ports 181-186 on face 180. As might be understood, the angle of the peripheral ports 181-185 are made at an angle β converging on a point inside the throat of the venturi-diffuser body. Like the central port of Fig. 4A, the central port is not angled but is concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the nozzle body.

Finally, the larger bodied venturi-diffuser 200 is used in large ID eductor body providing an enlarged throat 206 inside a leading edge lip 202. The venturi throat 214 then flares into diffuser portion 210 returning the flow to about 70% of the inlet pressure. Again, this venturi-diffuser body 200 provides a flange 212 that is intended to secure the body 200 inside the eductor body and hermetically seal the venturi-diffuser outlet path to the outlet side of the eductor. The focal point of the jetted nozzle flows is directed to a point 204 just inside the leading edge lip 202 of the nozzle in a manner similar to that found and described in the smaller diameter venturi-diffuser body of Figs. 3A and 3B.

This invention has been shown and described with respect to several preferred embodiments, but will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains that various changes in the form and detail from the specific embodiments shown can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

Claims (10)

1. An eductor comprising:

a cylindrical body having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a

perpendicular extension having a bore therethrough forming a low pressure vestibular mixing chamber portion of the eductor;

a multiport nozzle inserted in a first end of the cylindrical body

terminating on an inlet side of the vestibular portion of the mixing chamber;

a venturi-diffuser inserted in a second end of the cylindrical body having an inlet lip adjacent an output side of the vestibular mixing chamber; and,

said multiport nozzle providing a plurality of ports directing a hydraulic flow from an inlet of the cylindrical body toward an inlet lip of the diffuser having a venturi throat narrowing to provide turbulent flow, enlarging at an outlet of the diffuser.

2. The eductor of claim 1 wherein the multiport nozzle provides three or more directed ports.

3. The eductor of claim 1 wherein the multiport nozzle provides at least five directed ports.

4. The eductor of claim 1 wherein the multiport nozzle provides an angled ejection converging on a point within the venturi-diffuser.

5. The eductor of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical body provides a flange on the inlet side and the outlet side and a flange on the perpendicular section to provide an absolute seal from exterior air pressure on the eductor body when assembled.

6. The eductor of claim 1 wherein the diffuser provides about 70%

recovery of the inlet pressure.

7. The eductor of claim 1 wherein the diffuser is fabricated from

polyoxymethylene.

8. A method of fluidic mixing comprising:

supplying a fluidic bulk material to an inlet of an eductor; and,

supplying a fluidic motive flow through an inlet of the eductor to a

multiported nozzle directing the hydraulic flow across a vestibular section of the eductor and into a centralized portion of a throat of a venturi-diffuser for movement down the venturi diffuser to homogeneously mix the fluidic bulk material with the hydraulic flow.

9. A method of fluidic mixing of a variety of fluidic bulk materials with varying physical characteristics comprising:

supplying a first fluidic bulk material to an inlet of an eductor; and, supplying a fluidic motive flow through an inlet of the eductor to a multiported nozzle directing the hydraulic flow across a vestibular section of the eductor and into a centralized portion of a throat of a venturi-diffuser for movement down the venturi-diffuser to homogeneously mix the fluidic bulk material with the hydraulic flow until the first fluidic bulk material has been completely mixed;

adding a second fluidic bulk material to an inlet of an eductor; and, varying a rate of passage of the fluidic bulk material to the vestibular section of the eductor for mixing.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising the additional step of varying the fluidic motive flow to the multiported nozzle to correspond to the physical characteristics of the second fluidic bulk material.