JP3629575B2 - Non-element mixing / reactor - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a non-element mixing / reactor, and more particularly to a mixer (mixer) or a reactor (reactor) having no components (elements) formed by a curved line, such as a static mixer. It can be applied to fields such as engineering, chemical engineering, biological / biological engineering, medical / medical engineering, and food engineering. In particular, the present invention relates to devices that are expected to be developed in the future, and that deal with problems in the nano / micromachine field, new material development field, biotechnology field, and medical field.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a static mixer is known as a mixing / reactor using chaotic convection (chaos mixing) (Non-Patent Document 1) instead of turbulent flow (Non-Patent Document 2). The static mixer is a static mixer having no moving part and no power part, and has a part (element) formed by a curve inside, and an example thereof is shown in FIG. The static mixer element disposed inside (inside) the cylindrical tube 30 includes a left twist blade 31 having a blade shape twisted leftward and a right twist blade 32 having a blade shape twisted rightward. The crossing angle between the end portion of the adjacent left twist blade 31 and the end portion of the right twist blade 32 is 90 °. Such a static mixer effectively mixes the fluid 33 by the action of division, conversion, and inversion. That is,
Dividing action: The fluid 33 is divided into two each time it passes through one element 31, 32.
[0003]
Conversion action: The fluid 33 is rearranged along the twisted surfaces in the elements 31 and 32 from the central portion of the tube 30 to the wall portion and from the wall portion of the tube 30 to the central portion.
[0004]
Reversal action: The fluid 33 changes its rotation direction for each element 31, 32, and is agitated by receiving a sudden reversal of inertial force.
[0005]
[Non-Patent Document 1]
Toshihisa Ueda “Hydrodynamics of reaction system” (November 18, 2002, Corona) pp. 156-176
[0006]
[Non-Patent Document 2]
J. et al. M.M. Otino "The Kinetics of mixing: stretching, chaos, and transport" (1989, Cambridge University Press) pp. 220-243
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Such a conventional static mixer is a high-efficiency mixing device applying chaos mixing technology, but has the following disadvantages because it has elements formed by curves inside. .
[0008]
・ Nano / micromachine field In the nano / micromachine field, we want to make the machine itself as small as possible. However, in a static mixer having elements, the size of the elements is limited, and a mixer having a size below a certain level cannot be obtained. Further, when the size is reduced, the pressure loss due to the element is also relatively increased.
[0009]
・ New Material Development Field In recent years, there are many non-Newtonian fluids used in new material development. In many cases, the non-Newtonian fluid contains a polymer substance or the like, and when the element is present, the polymer substance contained in the fluid may be destroyed by the element.
[0010]
-Biotechnological field The biotechnological field targets so-called biostreams containing microorganisms, but in bioreactors and the like, various substances must be dispersed in the biostream. At that time, in the conventional static mixer, a large shear is generated in the element, and a part of the microorganism may be killed, and the adhesion may contaminate the liquid.
[0011]
-Medical field What is important in the medical field is that hygiene management of the flow path is the most important problem when blood flows. If an element is contained, various objects adhere to the element, and if it is not cleaned sufficiently, it will cause sanitary problems. Moreover, the biological fluid contains various substances such as red blood cells, and there is a possibility that the internal structure of the liquid is destroyed by the element as in the field of new material development.
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and the object thereof is to realize chaotic convection by controlling the flow field without having an element inside, and to provide a highly viscous fluid, It is to provide a non-element mixing / reactor capable of promoting mixing / reaction in a non-Newtonian fluid containing a polymer substance or the like, a biological stream containing microorganisms, or a biological stream.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention that achieves the above object is a mixing / reactor in which a first fluid and a second fluid are mixed or mixed to react with each other, and is mixed with an introduction end for introducing the first fluid. A main flow pipe having the same cross-sectional shape at all positions in the axial direction and having a discharge end for discharging the fluid, and a plurality of branch pipes are provided at intervals from upstream to downstream through the side surface of the main flow pipe, A first fluid supply means for constantly supplying a first fluid is connected to the introduction end of the main flow pipe, and a second fluid is supplied to each introduction end of the branch pipe while the flow rate is periodically changed. The second fluid supply means to be injected is connected.
[0014]
In this case, it is desirable that the second fluid supply means intermittently feeds the second fluid into a rectangular wave shape.
[0015]
Further, another branch pipe may be provided on a side surface substantially opposed to at least one of the branch pipes with the central axis of the main stream pipe interposed therebetween.
[0016]
Or you may make it provide another branch pipe in a substantially symmetrical position with respect to the plane containing the central axis of a main flow pipe with respect to at least one of the branch pipes.
[0017]
Another non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention is a mixing / reactor in which a first fluid and a second fluid are mixed or mixed to react with each other, and a fluid mixed with an introduction end for introducing the first fluid. A main flow pipe having a discharge end for discharging the main flow pipe, wherein at least one branch pipe is connected to a side surface of the main flow pipe, and the branch pipe is disposed movably back and forth in the branch pipe. And a driving means for periodically driving the tributary pipe is attached to the tributary pipe. The introduction end of the main stream pipe has a first A first fluid supply means for supplying fluid constantly is connected, and a second fluid supply means for supplying a second fluid is connected to the introduction end of the branch pipe. .
[0018]
In the present invention, laminar low-shear mixing can be realized by performing chaotic mixing by stretching and folding a mixed substance in a fluid without using an element. As a result, the size of the mixing / reactor can be reduced without any restrictions on the size of the element, and the internal structure of liquids such as polymer substances and microorganisms contained in the fluid will not be destroyed or destroyed, and cleaning is easy. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mixing / reactor suitable for mixing / reaction in high-viscosity flow, non-Newtonian flow, bio-flow, and biological flow.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The basic principle of the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention is based on chaotic convection (chaotic mixing) as in the case of a static mixer. In the static mixer, chaotic convection is realized by an internal element, but in the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention, the flow rate of the other fluid to be mixed is periodically changed. The chaos convection is realized by injecting while changing the flow rate or by changing the injection position periodically.
[0020]
Here, chaotic convection (chaotic mixing) is a phenomenon in which the fluid element exponentially deforms and expands into the fluid field, and when there are two fluid masses, The fluid mass approaches on the molecular order and mixing is promoted, and the fluid approaches as the molecular diffusion regions of the reactants overlap to promote chemical reaction. Such mixing is called chaotic mixing.
[0021]
Now, the basic form of the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention will be described. Consider the mixing of two fluids (liquids) A and B, as schematically shown in FIG. The fluid A is steadily flown in the circular pipe (main flow pipe) 1 as a main flow. The liquid B to be mixed with the fluid A is injected from the side surface of the circular tube 1 while periodically changing the flow rate. By periodically injecting the liquid B into the circular tube 1, as shown in the figure, the liquid B is stretched and folded in the liquid A in the circular tube 1, and the fluid A further flows into the circular tube 1. Is affected by the velocity distribution (parabolic distribution with zero velocity on the wall surface and maximum velocity in the central portion), which further promotes stretching and folding, and chaotic mixing of fluid A and fluid B. Realized.
[0022]
Actually, except for special cases, a plurality of basic units as shown in FIG. 1 (about 5 to 20 units) are used to connect them in tandem, and fluid A is steadily flown through each unit. By periodically injecting the liquid B from each of the tributary pipes provided in the pipe, the stretching and folding of both the liquids A and B are further promoted to realize chaotic mixing of the fluid A and the fluid B.
[0023]
Hereinafter, the units constituting the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention will be described.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the unit 11 of the first form has one main flow pipe 1 and one branch pipe 2 attached to the side surface. As parameters at this time, the length L in the flow direction of the main flow tube 1, the attachment distance L ₁ from the inlet of the branch tube 2, the tilt angle φ _{1 of} the branch tube 2 toward the central axis of the main flow tube 1, The shift amount λ from the central axis of the main flow pipe 1 at the position where the branch pipe 2 is attached. For example, as shown in the front view in FIG. 2 (b) and the perspective view in FIG. 2 (b) ', the same figure is shown in FIG. 2 (c) and FIG. Λ is about ½ of the radius of the main flow tube 1, and λ is ½ of the radius of the main flow tube 1 as shown in FIGS. 2 (d) and 2 (d) ′. There are bigger ones. In particular, when λ is other than zero, the liquid can be stretched and folded three-dimensionally, and chaotic mixing can be further promoted.
[0025]
In addition, since the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention injects another fluid to be mixed from the tributary in the middle of the flow path, a reverse flow may occur when the flow velocity from the upstream is slow. Therefore, a run-up unit 10 composed of a circular pipe 3 as shown in FIG. 3 is used in a section where the reverse flow occurs.
[0026]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a non-element mixing / reactor 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention in which such a run-up unit 10 and a plurality of (six) units 11 are connected in series. The liquid tank 31 is connected to the upstream of the main flow pipe of the main body of such a non-element mixing / reactor 100 via a connection pipe 32, and the branch pipe 2 of each unit 11 is connected to, for example, an artificial pipe via a branch pipe 33. It is connected to the discharge side of a pump 34 that can intermittently feed liquid in a rectangular wave shape like a cardiopulmonary pump. A liquid tank 35 is connected to the suction side of the pump 34 via a connecting pipe 36. Further, downstream of the main flow pipe of the non-element mixing / reactor 100, the liquid tank 38 is connected via a connection pipe 37.
[0027]
In such a configuration, the liquid A is placed in the liquid tank 31 and the liquid B is placed in the liquid tank 35, and the liquid A is pulled from the liquid tank 31 by gravity, and the main pipe 1 of the plurality of units 11 and the circular pipe 3 of the running unit 10. The liquid B is intermittently injected into the main flow pipes 1 from the liquid tanks 35 through the branch pipes 2 of the respective units 11 in the form of rectangular waves. With such an arrangement, the stretching and folding of both liquids A and B performed in one unit 11 as shown in FIG. 1 are promoted by the number of stages, and fluid A and fluid B are chaos-mixed uniformly. Will be mixed and reacted.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 4, the unit composed of the main flow pipe 1 and the branch pipe 2 connected in tandem is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2, and other types of units are possible. FIG. 5 shows the unit 12 in the second form, and FIG. 6 shows the unit 13 in the third form.
[0029]
The unit 12 in the second form in FIG. 5 is one in which two branch pipes 2 and 2 are attached to the side surfaces facing each other across the central axis of one main flow pipe 1. The parameters at this time are the length L in the flow direction of the main flow pipe 1, the mounting distances L ₁ and L ₂ from the inlets of the respective branch pipes 2, and the collapse of each branch pipe 2 toward the central axis of the main flow pipe 1 Angles φ ₁ and φ ₂ , tilt angles θ ₁ and θ ₂ in the cross section of the main flow tube 1 of each branch tube 2, and a shift amount λ of the branch tube 2 from the central axis of the main flow tube 1. For example, as shown in the front view of FIG. 5 (b), λ is substantially zero, and as shown in FIG. 5 (c), λ is about half the radius of the main flow tube 1. As shown in FIG. 5D, there are some cases where λ is larger than ½ of the radius of the main flow tube 1. In particular, when λ is other than zero, the liquid can be stretched and folded three-dimensionally, and chaotic mixing can be further promoted.
[0030]
The unit 13 of the third form in FIG. 6 is one in which two branch pipes 2 and 2 are attached at symmetrical positions with respect to a plane including the central axis of one main flow pipe 1. The parameters at this time are the length L in the flow direction of the main flow pipe 1, the mounting distances L ₁ and L ₂ from the inlets of the respective branch pipes 2, and the collapse of each branch pipe 2 toward the central axis of the main flow pipe 1 Angles φ ₁ and φ ₂ , tilt angles θ ₁ and θ ₂ in the cross section of the main flow tube 1 of each branch tube 2, and a shift λ of the branch tube 2 from the central axis of the main flow tube 1. In this case, the liquid can be stretched and folded three-dimensionally, and chaotic mixing can be further promoted.
[0031]
By connecting such units 12 or 13 in a plurality of columns in the same manner as the unit 11 in FIG. 4 to form a similar non-element mixing / reactor, the stretching and folding of both liquids A and B can be performed by the number of stages. The fluid A and the fluid B are chaos mixed and uniformly mixed and reacted.
[0032]
Note that the above units 11, 12, and 13 are not independent of each other, and a plurality of types of units can be arbitrarily combined in accordance with the application.
[0033]
Here, as specific parameter examples of the non-element mixing / reactor 100 as shown in FIG. 4, six units 11 as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2B ′ are used, and the inner diameter of the main flow tube 1 is used. Is 10 mm, the interval between the branch pipes 2 is 50 mm, and the fluid A is an aqueous solution of 99 wt% glycerin + 1 wt% water in order to match the specific gravity of the marker, and a marker dye is regularly added to the fluid A. Injection was performed at a time average flow rate of 0.0028 cm ³ / s so that the fluid behavior was visible from the side. The fluid A was allowed to flow at a constant flow rate of 0.13 cm ³ / s through the circular pipe 3 of the run-up unit 10 and the main flow pipe 1 of the six units 11. Further, glycerin was injected from the branch pipe 2 of each unit 11 as a fluid B per line at a flow rate of 0.31 cm ³ / s for 2 seconds and in a cycle of 40 seconds. When the flow rates of the main flow and the tributary are added and time averaged, the time average flow rate is 0.23 cm ³ / s downstream from all the tributaries. The tube Reynolds number in this case is 7.3 × 10 ^−5, which is sufficiently smaller than 1 and does not cause turbulence.
[0034]
As a result, when the first injection time from the branch pipe 2 was set to t = 0 s, and t = 100 s, remarkable stretching occurred in the vicinity of the upstream side branch, and large folding occurred in the vicinity of the most downstream side branch. Over time, the folds were repeated each time they passed through the tributary, resulting in the formation of a fine fold that overlapped several times. As a result of the repetition, when t = 100 s, in the portion downstream of all the tributaries, the marker remarkably spreads in the direction perpendicular to the flow. The non-element mixing / reactor 100 of the length can be diffused throughout the tube, and the mixture was made uniform. And it has been found that the promotion of diffusion obtained by the complicated repetition of stretching and folding of the device 100 is due to the chaotic behavior of the flow.
[0035]
By the way, as described above, except for special cases, a plurality of units 11, 12, and 13 as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5, and FIG. Although the reactor 100 is configured, when the unit 14 as shown in FIG. 7 is used, the non-element mixer / reactor of the present invention can be configured without necessarily connecting a plurality of units in tandem. .
[0036]
7 has a branch pipe 4 attached to one side of the main flow pipe 1 as shown in a side view in FIG. 7 (a) and a front view in FIG. 7 (b). A branch pipe 2 ′ is arranged in the pipe 4 so as to be movable back and forth, and its tip (in the figure, it is narrowed down to be the tip of the branch pipe 2 ′) moves in the diametrical direction inside the main flow pipe 1. It has become. By moving the branch pipe 2 'back and forth in an appropriate cycle and waveform, the liquid A flowing in the main flow pipe 1 and the liquid B injected from the branch pipe 2' can be stretched and folded. Thus, chaotic mixing becomes possible. In the case of this unit 14, it is not always necessary to connect a plurality of units in tandem. As shown in FIG. 7C, chaotic mixing can be achieved by simply connecting the straight circular pipe 5 downstream of one unit 14. It becomes possible. The parameters in this embodiment include the length L in the flow direction of the main flow tube 1, the attachment distance L ₁ from the inlet of the branch flow tube 2 ′, and the direction of the main flow tube 1 in the central axis of the main flow tube 2 ′. a tilt angle φ _1.
[0037]
In the case of the non-element mixing / reactor 100 using the unit 14 of the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the tip of the branch pipe 2 'is placed in an appropriate period in the main flow pipe 1, A periodic drive device 6 for moving in a waveform is attached to the branch pipe 2 ', and a mechanism for simply sending the liquids A and B to the upstream of the unit 14 and the supply port of the branch pipe 2' in a steady manner. What is necessary is just to provide. Of course, a pump capable of intermittently feeding the liquid B may be attached to the supply port of the branch pipe 2 ′, as in the case of FIG.
[0038]
The units 11, 12, 13 and the unit 14 may be mixed and arbitrarily combined.
[0039]
In order to effectively use the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention, it is obvious that control of tributary flow (branch flow rate, tributary operation time, tributary operation interval) is extremely important.
[0040]
As mentioned above, although the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention has been described based on the principle and examples, the present invention is not limited to these examples, and various modifications are possible. In addition, although the main flow pipe, the branch flow pipe, etc. shall be comprised by a circular pipe, of course, you may comprise these pipes by pipes, such as a rectangle other than circular in cross section. Further, the fluids injected into the branch pipes of each unit do not need to have the same flow rate and the same phase. Further, the flow rate of the fluid injected into the branch pipe may be changed not only periodically in a rectangular wave shape but also periodically in another wave shape such as a sine wave shape.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention allows chaos mixing to be performed by stretching and folding the mixed material in a highly viscous fluid without using an element, thereby reducing laminar flow. Shear mixing can be achieved. As a result, the size of the mixing / reactor can be reduced without any restrictions on the size of the element, and the internal structure of liquids such as polymer substances and microorganisms contained in the fluid will not be destroyed or destroyed, and cleaning is easy. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mixing / reactor suitable for mixing / reaction in high-viscosity flow, non-Newtonian flow, bio-flow, and biological flow.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a basic form of a non-element mixing / reactor according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a unit of the first embodiment constituting the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a running unit used in the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention.
4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a non-element mixing / reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention configured by combining the unit of the first form of FIG. 2 and the run-up unit of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a unit of a second form constituting the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a unit of a third embodiment constituting the non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a unit of a fourth embodiment constituting a non-element mixing / reactor of the present invention and a non-element mixing / reactor using the unit.
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of a conventional static mixer.
[Explanation of symbols]
A ... Fluid (liquid) A
B ... Fluid (liquid) B
1 ... Round pipe (mainstream pipe)
2 ... branch pipe 2 '... branch pipe 3 ... circular pipe 4 ... branch pipe 5 ... straight circular pipe 6 ... periodic drive device 10 ... run-up unit 11 ... first form unit 12 ... second form unit 13 ... Unit 14 of the third form ... Unit 20 of the fourth form ... Cylindrical tube 21 ... Left twist blade 22 ... Right twist blade 23 ... Fluid 31 ... Liquid tank 32 ... Connection tube 33 ... Branch tube 34 ... Pump 35 ... Liquid tank 36 ... Connecting pipe 37 ... Connecting pipe 38 ... Liquid tank 100 ... Non-element mixing / reactor

Claims (5)

In the mixing / reactor for mixing or reacting the first fluid and the second fluid, the cross-sectional shape having the introduction end for introducing the first fluid and the discharge end for discharging the mixed fluid is all axial. And a plurality of branch pipes are provided at intervals from upstream to downstream through a side surface of the main flow pipe, and the first fluid is steadily supplied to the introduction end of the main flow pipe. The first fluid supply means for supplying is connected, and the second fluid supply means for injecting the second fluid while periodically changing the flow rate is connected to each introduction end of the branch pipe. Non-element mixing / reactor. The non-element mixing / reactor according to claim 1, wherein the second fluid supply means intermittently feeds the second fluid in a rectangular wave shape. 3. The non-element mixing / reaction according to claim 1, wherein another branch pipe is provided on a side surface substantially opposed to at least one of the branch pipes with a central axis of the main pipe interposed therebetween. vessel. 3. The non-element mixing according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the branch pipes is provided with another branch pipe at a substantially symmetrical position with respect to a plane including a central axis of the main flow pipe. -Reactor. A mixing / reactor that mixes or reacts a first fluid and a second fluid, and includes a mainstream pipe having an introduction end for introducing the first fluid and a discharge end for discharging the mixed fluid, At least one branch pipe is attached to the side surface of the main flow pipe, and the branch pipe is movably arranged in the branch pipe so that the tip of the branch pipe moves inside the main flow pipe. A driving means configured to periodically drive the branch pipe is attached to the branch pipe, and a first fluid supply means for constantly supplying a first fluid to the introduction end of the main pipe is provided. A non-element mixing / reactor characterized in that a second fluid supply means for supplying a second fluid is connected to the introduction end of the branch pipe.

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