EP0077652B1 - Foam generating apparatus - Google Patents

Foam generating apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0077652B1
EP0077652B1 EP82305475A EP82305475A EP0077652B1 EP 0077652 B1 EP0077652 B1 EP 0077652B1 EP 82305475 A EP82305475 A EP 82305475A EP 82305475 A EP82305475 A EP 82305475A EP 0077652 B1 EP0077652 B1 EP 0077652B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
casing
liquid
premixer
air
foamer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP82305475A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0077652A1 (en
Inventor
Joseph A. Pacifici
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Westpoint Pepperell Inc
Original Assignee
Westpoint Pepperell Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westpoint Pepperell Inc filed Critical Westpoint Pepperell Inc
Publication of EP0077652A1 publication Critical patent/EP0077652A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0077652B1 publication Critical patent/EP0077652B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06B—TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS
    • D06B19/00—Treatment of textile materials by liquids, gases or vapours, not provided for in groups D06B1/00 - D06B17/00
    • D06B19/0088—Treatment of textile materials by liquids, gases or vapours, not provided for in groups D06B1/00 - D06B17/00 using a short bath ratio liquor
    • D06B19/0094—Treatment of textile materials by liquids, gases or vapours, not provided for in groups D06B1/00 - D06B17/00 using a short bath ratio liquor as a foam
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
    • B01F23/20—Mixing gases with liquids
    • B01F23/23—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids
    • B01F23/235—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids for making foam
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/40—Static mixers
    • B01F25/42—Static mixers in which the mixing is affected by moving the components jointly in changing directions, e.g. in tubes provided with baffles or obstructions
    • B01F25/43—Mixing tubes, e.g. wherein the material is moved in a radial or partly reversed direction
    • B01F25/431—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor
    • B01F25/4314—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor with helical baffles
    • B01F25/43141—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor with helical baffles composed of consecutive sections of helical formed elements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/40—Static mixers
    • B01F25/45—Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads
    • B01F25/452—Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads characterised by elements provided with orifices or interstitial spaces
    • B01F25/4524—Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads characterised by elements provided with orifices or interstitial spaces the components being pressed through foam-like inserts or through a bed of loose bodies, e.g. balls
    • B01F25/45241—Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads characterised by elements provided with orifices or interstitial spaces the components being pressed through foam-like inserts or through a bed of loose bodies, e.g. balls through a bed of balls
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/80—Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/834—Mixing in several steps, e.g. successive steps

Definitions

  • wet processing in the textile industry is a major source of energy consumption.
  • wet processing techniques such as bleaching, dyeing, printing and finishing.
  • a technology which has developed as a result of energy conservation research in the textile field, involves the use of foams for wet processing.
  • foaming techniques By foaming techniques, the amount of liquid applied to the textiles is reduced substantially thereby greatly lowering the amount of energy required to dry the product. Not only is there a saving of energy, but foaming also permits increased productivity and a variety of other advantages.
  • foam having uniform properties such as density, viscosity, stability and bubble size. Such uniformity is particularly critical when dyeing with foam since variations in the foam's physical properties will produce an unacceptable result readily apparent to the observer.
  • One type of device for producing foam is a so-called "static foamer".
  • Such a device operates on the principle that when air and a liquid/soap solution are forced together through a porous medium, such as beads, screens or the like, a small bubble dispersion (i.e. foam) is produced.
  • Static foamers are well known.
  • US-A-2,090, 727 discloses an arrangement in which liquid and gas are delivered under pressure to a chamber containing a mass of balls of noncorrosive material, such as glass, which causes an intimate mixture of the liquid and gas to produce foam composed of small bubbles of gas.
  • the combination of air and liquid (water) to produce foam basically is a heterogeneous system.
  • the additon of a surfactant to the liquid serves only to stabilize the air phase in the liquid phase as a bubble but does nothing to ensure that the air/liquid ratio is constant throughout the foam dispersion. Therefore, uniformity of the foam requires proper flow dynamics as the air/ liquid mixture passes through the foamer.
  • the present invention constitutes a structural arrangement in which the air and liquid are introduced to an apparatus which controls the flow of the materials in such a manner that an extremely uniform foam is produced.
  • a foam generating apparatus comprises a premixer for producing a blend of air and liquid, the premixer including a first cylindrical casing having a plurality of convoluted elements arranged therein in end-to-end relationship and extending longitudinally of the casing; a static foamer including a second cylindrical casing within which is disposed a further plurality of convoluted elements arranged in end-to-end relationship and extending longitudinally of the casing, and a bed of spherical beads occupying the space between the elements and the casing; and means for joining the premixer to one end of the second casing for supplying the blend to the foamer for passage through the beads to develop a homogeneous dispersion of the air and liquid which is discharged from the opposite end of the second casing.
  • the premixer combines the air and liquid in a continuous, predictable manner.
  • the combined effects of the convoluted elements and the spherical beads are to divide and radially mix the developing foam flow to prevent air-liquid concentration gradients across the diameter of the foamer.
  • the result is a foam of excellent uniformity, even when the foam has a high air-to- liquid rate (frequently called a "blow-ratio").
  • a source of liquid under pressure is illustrated as a pump 10 which directs the liquid (a mixture of water and a surfactant) to a premixer 12.
  • Pressurized air is supplied by suitable connections to opposite sides of the path of liquid flow immediately upstream of the premixer.
  • the air/liquid blend passes through the premixer 12 and then is directed by conventional couplers in an in-line fashion to a static foamer 14.
  • foamer 14 Within foamer 14, the blend is further mixed to produce a foam discharge for supplying a suitable foam applicator (not shown).
  • the details of the premixer 12 can be appreciated with reference to Figure 2.
  • the premixer is a commercially available device known as a Kenics KMOD-60 sold by the Kenics Corporation, a division of Chemineer, Inc. of Dayton, Ohio. It comprises a cylindrical casing 16 suitably threaded at its ends so as to permit its connection to the liquid/air supply. Within casing 16, a plurality of convoluted elements 18 are provided. Each of these elements comprises a rectangular piece of metal to which a 180° twist has been imparted. The elements are arranged end-to-end to extend in line along the longitudinal axis of casing 16. Adjacent ends of the elements are oriented at 90° with respect to one another, as can be appreciated from Figure 2.
  • a premixer of the type just described mixes the air and liquid in a continuous predictable manner.
  • the elements 18 create uniform flow dynamics which help prevent surging or pulsating of the feed components which, in other types of premixers, produces variations in the uniforimity of the air/liquid blend, particularly as they occur along the direction of flow of the blend from the premixer.
  • An additional characteristic of the present premixer 12 is that it is essentially a free-flow system having no nozzle effect, baffle plate or the like such as are found in other types of premixers. Accordingly, air/liquid flows can occur over a large range with minimal back pressure.
  • the static foamer 14 is similar in construction to the premixer 12.
  • the casing 20 of the foamer is of larger diameter than casing 16.
  • the casing 20 is provided with flanges 22 at its ends which cooperate in conventional fashion with flanges 24 provided on the adaptors 26 and 28 at opposite ends of casing 20.
  • the most significant difference between premixer 12 and the foamer 14 is that the latter further includes a porous bed comprising spherical beads 30 occupying the spacing between the convoluted elements 32 and casing 20.
  • these beads Preferably, these beads have a diameter of approximately 1.4 mm.
  • screens 34 are provided between the flanges at opposite ends of the casing 20.
  • the beads 30 provide the porosity for generating foam from the air/liquid blend supplied to the foamer in a direction along the foamer's longitudinal axis.
  • the convoluted mixing elements 32 produce a rotational circulation of the developing foam around the elements' hydraulic centres, thus causing radial mixing. This type of mixing is essential to preventing air/liquid gradients between the materials close to the centre of casing 20 and that adjacent the casing's interior wall.
  • the elements 32 split the flow according to the number of elements present in the foamer. In a typical foamer 14, four mixing elements are utilized. This produces 16 flow splits inasmuch as the disclosed foamer operates in accordance with the formula that the number of splits equals 2", where n is the number of elements employed.
  • a foam is produced having uniform, predictable and reproducible density, viscosity, stability and bubble size properties.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Nozzles (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
EP82305475A 1981-10-15 1982-10-14 Foam generating apparatus Expired EP0077652B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US31177281A 1981-10-15 1981-10-15
US311772 1981-10-15

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0077652A1 EP0077652A1 (en) 1983-04-27
EP0077652B1 true EP0077652B1 (en) 1985-04-17

Family

ID=23208395

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP82305475A Expired EP0077652B1 (en) 1981-10-15 1982-10-14 Foam generating apparatus

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0077652B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS58501710A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BR (1) BR8207931A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE3263150D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DK (1) DK276283A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IN (1) IN156672B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
WO (1) WO1983001395A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59230627A (ja) * 1983-06-15 1984-12-25 Taisei Corp 流体等の混合方法
IE59155B1 (en) * 1986-08-26 1994-01-12 Pandion Haliaetus Limited Car wash apparatus
US4840493A (en) * 1987-11-18 1989-06-20 Horner Terry A Motionless mixers and baffles
US4850705A (en) * 1987-11-18 1989-07-25 Horner Terry A Motionless mixers and baffles
JPH0660068B2 (ja) * 1988-06-10 1994-08-10 株式会社日静プラン 起泡コンクリート用起泡形成装置
GB2247411A (en) * 1990-06-26 1992-03-04 Ics Texicon Ltd Producing foam
AU2512092A (en) * 1991-09-05 1993-04-05 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Continuous generation and application of foam to moving porous substrate
US5480589A (en) * 1994-09-27 1996-01-02 Nordson Corporation Method and apparatus for producing closed cell foam
GB9620152D0 (en) * 1996-09-27 1996-11-13 Platt Kevin G Improvements in or relating to the manufacture and use of aerated concrete
US7766537B2 (en) * 2005-02-18 2010-08-03 Henry Gembala Lightweight foamed concrete mixer
CA2822833C (en) * 2010-12-23 2018-10-02 Evonik Corporation Apparatus and methods for preparing an emulsion
CN103501885B (zh) * 2011-03-04 2017-06-23 卡尔·波德马耶尔斯基 液体泡沫制造方法和设备
DE102011108810A1 (de) * 2011-07-29 2013-01-31 Volker Barth Vorrichtung zum Schäumen einer Flüssigkeit
US11643946B2 (en) 2013-10-02 2023-05-09 Aerocore Technologies Llc Cleaning method for jet engine
CA2963071C (en) 2013-10-02 2022-09-27 Aerocore Technologies Llc Cleaning method for jet engine
DE102014223550B4 (de) 2014-11-18 2016-09-15 Franke Kaffeemaschinen Ag Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Erzeugen von Milchschaum
CN105854701A (zh) * 2016-05-18 2016-08-17 黑龙江沃德能源工程技术有限公司 井下可变截面旋转泡沫发生装置及井下泡沫发生方法

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE690048C (de) * 1934-12-08 1940-04-13 Concordia Elek Zitaets Akt Ges Schaumveredler, insbesondere fuer Feuerloescher
US3388868A (en) * 1965-10-29 1968-06-18 Nalco Chemical Co Foam producing nozzle
US3643927A (en) * 1970-10-15 1972-02-22 Phillips Petroleum Co Stationary mixture and method for mixing material
US3683446A (en) * 1970-11-13 1972-08-15 Peter Hans Tell Nozzle for alternative blowing or suction
US3711067A (en) * 1971-01-08 1973-01-16 Midland Ross Corp Extruding and mixing equipment
US4068830A (en) * 1974-01-04 1978-01-17 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Mixing method and system
US4038037A (en) * 1974-09-10 1977-07-26 Wilmsen Hans Apparatus for the manufacture of homogeneous, fine-pored synthetic resin foams
ES448040A1 (es) * 1975-05-24 1977-07-01 Hoechst Ag Dispositivo para la aplicacion uniforme de banos liquidos detratamiento en forma de espuma sobre estructuras textiles planas.
US4133773A (en) * 1977-07-28 1979-01-09 The Dow Chemical Company Apparatus for making foamed cleaning solutions and method of operation
US4207202A (en) * 1978-06-05 1980-06-10 Cole Howard W Jr Apparatus for making small bubble foam

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1983001395A1 (en) 1983-04-28
EP0077652A1 (en) 1983-04-27
DK276283D0 (da) 1983-06-15
IN156672B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1985-10-12
DE3263150D1 (en) 1985-05-23
DK276283A (da) 1983-06-15
JPS58501710A (ja) 1983-10-13
BR8207931A (pt) 1983-09-20

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