MXPA00002056A - Mixing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mixing a first material and a second material is described in which the first material comprises a mixture of two or more dissimilar components which it is desired to separate. The method and apparatus involve forming an intimate mixture of the two materials prior to separating the two dissimilar components of the first material. The apparatus involves the use of a hydrocyclone for aerating or gasifying a feed stream, such as waste water containing oleophilic residue or food residue, to entrain the particles of residue within the air or gas bubbles prior to separating the oil or food residues from the carrier material, typically water. Instead of using the hydrocyclone as a separator, it is used as a mixer which provides surprising results and facilitates separation of the aerated components.

Description

MIXING APPARATUS The present invention relates in general to chemical processing of materials in the industry and particularly to individual steps comprised in the complete processes used in the chemical processing industry, particularly in the industries comprised in the separation of different materials from others. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in the chemical processing of two or more different materials, where the different materials are to be separated from each other either in one step or in different steps. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a mixing step as a pre-treatment or to improvements in the mixing step of a complete process for separating two or more different materials from each other, particularly two or more substantially invisible fluids or fluids that can be separated based on one or more properties or characteristics possessed by the individual fluids, such as their respective densities. The present invention finds particular application in methods and apparatus that use hydrocyclones, to mix two fluids REF .: 32926 jointly as a pre-treatment step; as one of the steps in the entire process for separating two different materials such as oil or oil and water type material from each other and optionally separating solid particles suspended from the fluid in which the particles are suspended, typically water. However, the apparatus and method of the present invention can also be used as a mixer to incorporate a material into another material, where there will be substantially no separation of the two materials, such as, for example, where a gas is present. will be incorporated into a liquid either temporarily or permanently, such as, for example, a carbonated beverage. Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to the use of a hydrocyclone to mix air with waste water containing petroleum-derived contaminants such as oils and lubricants or wastes from the food processing industry, such as dairy products, by forming an emulsion or a similar mixture as a result of mixing the air and water under shear conditions; it should be noted that the present invention is not limited in scope to the described embodiment, but rather the scope of the present invention is more extensive, to include other arrangements of the apparatus, other uses of the apparatus and methods, and the application of the apparatus and methods in industries other than the petroleum or oil industry or the food processing industry. Examples of the other industries in which the present invention finds a particular application, include in general the food industry, and the beverage industry in particular, including the fresh fruit juice industry and the dairy industry. Conventionally, hydrocyclones have been used in the chemical processing industry to separate two different materials, either two immiscible liquids or solids and liquids, particularly solids suspended in liquids, from each other. In the past, hydrocyclones have been used to separate the two components of the mixture being treated based on one of the properties or characteristics possessed by one or other of the components, so that each component can be discharged separately through the selected outputs of the hydrocyclone. Typically the two components have been separated based on their different specific weights or densities. The feed containing the components that are to be separated is introduced into the hydrocyclone or towards the upper part of the hydrocyclone and for the most part it spirals into the body of the hydrocyclone where it is discharged from an outlet located at the base of the hydrocyclone (sub -flow) while the lower density component moves in a centrally located vortex created internally within the body of the hydrocyclone and removed from the other inlet that is located in the upper part of the hydrocyclone by the pressure developed in the hydrocyclone. In this way, to date, hydrocyclones have always had two different outlets for different outflow currents and have been used to separate materials. The present inventor has surprisingly discovered that hydrocyclones can also be used to mix different materials together to achieve beneficial results, instead of just separating the materials. One of the beneficial results of using the hydrocyclone as a mixer is to help or facilitate the subsequent processing of the materials either by keeping the different materials as a mixture or by separating the different materials in the mixture from each other.

Additionally, it has surprisingly been discovered by the present inventor that in the complete process of separation of two or more different materials, if a hydrocyclone is used to mix the different materials together as a pre-treatment before the actual processing begins. separation, the materials are more easily separated in subsequent processing, or conversely, they can form a longer or better mixture, which can aid in the subsequent separation of materials that, if pre-treatment is not used. More particularly, it has been surprisingly discovered by the inventor that the introduction of air or a gas into the mixture before the mixture enters the hydrocyclone greatly aids in the subsequent separation of the two different materials from each other, that if no air or gas is used, although the two materials are more intimately mixed together before any process or separation steps begin. It is totally unexpected that by more intimately mixing the components of a mixture, the components can be more easily separated from each other.

The method and apparatus of the present invention finds application in the chemical processing industries as diverse as the petroleum industry, such as in water separation type applications in the production in the oil fields, separation of water in the refinery process, separation of water from petrochemical waste and separation of water in ballasts, and in the food and beverage industries such as, for example, waste separation from water in the dairy industry or beverage production industry, or gas mixture such as carbon dioxide with beverages such as beer or soft drinks, or in any industry that requires mixing and / or separation of two different materials such as immiscible fluids, the separation of two or more fluids of different materials or gravities, separation of suspended solids or solids of liquids and aeration or gasification of fluids. The types of materials in the petroleum industry that can be treated by the apparatus and methods of the present invention include light hydrocarbons, heavy hydrocarbons, lubricants, fatty and fatty oils, miscellaneous and miscellaneous oily materials.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for mixing a first material and a second material using a mixing apparatus, wherein the first material comprises a mixture of two different materials, in order to facilitate the separation of the two different components between if, characterized in that the first material is introduced into the mixing apparatus through a first inlet, the second material is introduced through a second inlet, the mixing apparatus is operated in such a way that the second material is sucked up in the mixing apparatus together with the first material, so that the mixing of the first and second materials occurs under shear conditions to form an intimate mixture of the first and second materials, and the intimate mixture is discharged from the mixing apparatus, so which separation of the two similar components of the first material is facilitated by forming the intimate mixture of the first and second materials. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mixing apparatus for forming an intimate mixture of a first material and a second material wherein the first material comprises a mixture of two dissimilar components, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a first input means for admitting the first material to the mixing apparatus, a second input means for admitting the second material, a mixing chamber for forming an intimate mixture of the first and second materials under cutting conditions, and an outlet means for discharging the intimate mixture of the first and second materials, whereby the separation of the two different materials of the first material from one another is facilitated by the formation of the intimate mixture of the first and second materials. According to another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus can be used to form a more or less stable mixture of two different components, where the mixture separates into the two components over a prolonged period of time or remains as an intimate mixture for a substantial period of time. Typically, the first material is water or an aqueous solution or the like. Typically, the second material is a gas, such as air, nitrogen, oxygen, natural gas or the like. Typically, the first material is a mixture of waste water comprising water and oil or an oleophilic or oil type material as the two different components. Typically, the first material is a beverage such as a soft drink, beer or the like. More typically, aeration or aeration of the contaminated waste water facilitates the separation of the oil or oil-like component from the water by the oil that is entrained or otherwise associated with the air bubbles or gas bubbles formed from the mixing of the air or gas with the waste water under shearing conditions in the apparatus of the present invention. More typically, the beverage is gasified by the introduction of air or carbon dioxide to form an aerated or aerated beverage under pressure. Typically, the mixing apparatus is a hydrocyclone or a hydrocyclone type arrangement. More typically, the hydrocyclone is provided with an inlet. In an even more typical form, the entrance is the only entrance of the hydrocyclone. More typically, the two materials are pre-mixed before they are introduced to the hydrocyclone. Typically, the second inlet is located in a conduit leading to the hydrocyclone. More typically, the conduit is for transporting the waste water to the entrance of the hydrocyclone. More typically, the inlet is an air injection hole, venturi or similar hole located in the conduit, so that the air or gas is mixed with the waste water before it enters the hydrocyclone arrangement. More typically, a mixture of gas / air and water enters the hydrocyclone where it is further mixed under shear conditions to form an intimate mixture of entrained air or gas bubbles in the waste water. Typically, the amount of admitted air is controlled by a control means located in the conduit in the vicinity of the air inlet. Typically, the amount of air / gas admitted and mixed with the waste water is from about 1% to 50% by volume, more typically from about 10% to 35% by volume, and even more typically from 20% to 30% by volume, based on the total volume of the mixture. Typically, the outlet means discharges the intimate mixture of gas / air bubbles and waste water to a conduit, where it can be transported to an additional processing step or stage. In the intimate mix, oil contaminants are associated with gas or air bubbles for easier separation in an additional processing step. More typically, the amount of air or gas bubbles is greater than the amount of oil or oil-like material that is to be separated from the waste water. The hydrocyclone when used in the method and apparatus of the present invention does not stop itself, rather "extracts" air, typically on the suction side of a positive displacement pump, in the conduit leading to the hydrocyclone, dissolving the air and mixing it well with the waste water. The result is the formation of millions of tiny air bubbles that can drag oil droplets, suspended solid particles or the like, so that air bubbles can then put suspended solids or droplets to the surface where subsequent processing helps in the separation of these materials from each other. Without the hydrocyclone as a mixer in the pre-treatment step, there is an uneven distribution of air bubbles and large chunks of air leading to a less satisfactory separation of the two different components of the waste water.

The present invention will now be illustrated by an example that is non-limiting. This example will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a schematic flow diagram showing an arrangement of the mixing apparatus of the present invention as part of a larger, complete installation. In Figure 1, a form of the installation in which the apparatus of the present invention can be used to facilitate the separation of two components of a mixture is schematically shown. The described embodiment will be illustrated with reference to the separation of oil, and possibly suspended solids, from water in the petroleum industry such as, for example, air separation from waste water or run-off water collected in a pit, tank, container or similar. In this example, the oil possibly suspended solids need to be separated from before the water can be recycled for reuse or placement through the normal rainwater drainage system for return to the natural waterways. Water contaminated with petroleum products, such as oil, lubricants and the like, and possibly including suspended solids and solids, is pumped from a holding and / or collection vessel 4 by a suitable pump 6 through a conduit 8. It should be note that the collection container 4 can take any form or arrangement. A valve 10 is located in the conduit 8 to control the volume of the area admitted to the conduit 8 by a suction unit 20 which is located in the intermediate conduit 8 to the valve 10 and the pump 6. A suction unit 20 comprises a reservoir of gas 22 or the like such as an air suction tube or the like to maintain a supply of gas or air to the conduit 8 for mixing with the waste water therein and a restriction means 23 in the form of a valve for controlling the amount of gas admitted to the duct 8. The suction unit 20 is in effect an air injection or venturi hole for admitting air to the duct 8 to mix with the waste water being pumped through it. A restriction means 23 can take any suitable form and aids in the regulation of the amount of gas / air that is admitted to the conduit 8 according to the requirements to facilitate the final separation of the oil and water into two separate, separate components. Typically, gas is air. However, depending on the applications, the gas may be oxygen, nitrogen, natural gas or any other gas or combination of two or more gases. It should be noted that the control valve 10 can be located either upstream or downstream of the pump 6. The suction unit 20 can be a normal, natural suction unit operated at atmospheric pressure, or it can be a suction unit forced operation at an increased pressure. Typically, the suction unit 20 admits about 25% by volume of air to about 75% by volume of waste water in the conduit 8. A conduit 24 extends from the pump 6 to a mixing apparatus 30 in the form of a hydrocyclone 30, particularly a coalescence hydrocyclone. A suitable fitting is provided in the conduit 24 in the form of an inlet orifice 26 which allows the introduction of chemical additives, such as for example flocculants or the like to assist in the subsequent separation of the waste water, particularly for the entrainment of the waste. drops of oil in the air bubbles. A calibrator or sensor 28 or the like is provided in the intermediate conduit 24 between the inlet port 26 and the hydrocyclone 30 to provide information to aid in the regulation of the operation of the installation, particularly the flow rate through the various conduits. , and the amount of air / gas that is introduced through the second entry which is the means of restriction 23 of the aspiration unit 20. The hydrocyclone 30 is provided with an inlet 32 in fluid communication with the body 34 of the hydrocyclone 30 to admit the mixture of gas or air and the waste water to the hydrocyclone. The outlet 36 is provided at or towards one end of the hydrocyclone. The second normal output of conventional hydrocyclones is either not used when being blocked with a suitable action medium or is not provided since the hydrocyclone of the present invention is being used as a mixing apparatus and not as a separation apparatus that is the conventional use of this apparatus and thus does not require separate outputs for the two separate components produced by the hydrocyclone. Nevertheless, in other applications, the second inlet is present in order to provide increased control over the operation of the hydrocyclone to intimately mix the oil and water under shearing or cutting conditions, such as by regulating the back pressure within the hydrocyclone. The arrangement of the sensor and valve 38 is provided from the conduit 40 extending from the outlet 36 of the hydrocyclone 30 back to the container 4 or more particularly, to a pipe erected in the container 4 leading to a separator. The pressure of the hydrocyclone 30 is sensed by the sensor and the valve 38 operated to maintain a slight back pressure in the hydrocyclone 30 to arrive at the mixing of the air and the waste water under shear conditions in the hydrocyclone 30. By maintaining the back pressure in hydrocyclone 30 above a predetermined value by control valve 38, waste water and air are forced to mix in hydrocyclone 30 to aid in oil and water separation in a more prompt manner. Alternatively, hydrocyclone 30 is provided with two outlets that are joined together prior to valve arrangement 38, so that all intimately mixed water / oil / gas mixture is passed for subsequent processing and separation. Additionally, the hydrocyclone can be provided with a solids collector located at or toward the base of the hydrocyclone near the sub-flow outlet to collect solids separated from the feed mixture. In this arrangement, the main discharge of the aerated intimate mixture of the hydrocyclone is through the overflow outlet located at or towards the top of the hydrocyclone. In this mode, the solids collector is periodically cleaned of collected solids. The air / air mixture in the hydrocyclone 30 is subjected to the shear and shear forces in the hydrocyclone, sufficient to form an emulsion or the like of the air which is the dispersed phase or the dispersed fluid, in the dispersion fluid or medium which is the water. As the air / water mixture is driven through the hydrocyclone at high speed, a shearing or cutting force is created, causing the gas to form a tinge of tiny bubbles. The oil particles and the suspended solids adhere themselves to the gas bubbles as the bubbles are propelled through the hydrocyclone and the conduits of the installation, so that when the mixture is released from the hydrocyclone or a retention vessel or they are returned to the original vessel via the outlet means and the associated conduit and allowed to stand for a period of time, the air bubbles rise to the surface where the oil droplets and the suspended solid particles are collected in a further foam or less dense or slime, of the container. Since the foam or slime contains the oil and / or contaminated solids, the removal of the foam slurry by any suitable means, such as for example by a skimmer arrangement, also removes the oil and solid contaminants from the water, effecting from this mode the separation of oil from water allowing water to be recycled or discarded to waste. It should be noted that a second chemical injection point is optionally provided in the conduit 40 to allow the injection of the old selected or desired chemicals into the intimate mixture of the water and the gas flowing from this conduit. An example of a chemical additive is a flocculant to aid in separation. Other chemical injection points are provided at several other locations in the flow path. The hydrocyclone mixing apparatus of the present invention finds particular application as an additional component in the complete installation for pre-treating contaminated waste water before it is subjected to a more conventional separation, using conventional separation techniques, equipment with methods using the innovative separation device, and methods of the present invention, which form the subject of co-pending applications. The mixing apparatus of the present invention does not take the place of the existing separation apparatus, but is used in combination with it and provides an unknown and new use of hydrocyclones that have not been used in the same way previously. The method and apparatus of the present invention finds application in a wide variety of industries, such as the petroleum industry, food processing industry, ground water correction and mediation, and the like.

The advantages of the method and apparatus of the present invention which comprises dissolving the air / gas in all the waste are as follows: Opportunity for contaminants, particularly food waste, to bind to the air / water interface of the intimate mixture, particularly in the first 100 milliseconds after bubble formation. - More waste particles have the opportunity to act as a core for the formation of bubbles. The total number of air bubbles generated is high, which allows increased performance of the waste material and treatment of waste material that has increased amounts of waste waste. Good mixing of air with waste. - The mixing of the air in the water must be ensured; and Causes collisions between particles. The device is effective in the production of millions of tiny air bubbles.

Low levels or no fluocolant is required in some applications, which translates to a lower operating cost and a stronger process because there is a minor parameter that can get worse and disrupt the process. The shearing of the solid particles and the subsequent decrease in their natural tendency to form fluocose masses are reduced since the shear is minimized by "suction" of air in the apparatus and the use of the hydrocyclone as a mixer.

The arrangement described has been advanced by the explanation and many modifications can be made without departing from the title of the scope of the invention including each new features and new combination of features described herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications different from those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all variations and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the present invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention. Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property:

Claims (22)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method for mixing a first material and a second material using a mixing apparatus, wherein the first material comprises a mixture of two different components in order to facilitate the separation of the two different components from each other, characterized in that the first material is introduced into the mixing apparatus through a first inlet, the second material is introduced through a second inlet, the mixing apparatus is operated in such a way that the second material is sucked into the mixing apparatus together with the first material, so that the mixing of the first and second material occurs under shear conditions to form an intimate mixture of the first and second materials, and the intimate mixture is discharged from the mixing apparatus, thereby facilitating the separation of the two different components of the first material, by forming the intimate mixture of the first and second materials.
2. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first material is waste water, an aqueous solution or aqueous waste containing a contaminating material.
3. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second material is a gas, air, nitrogen, oxygen, natural gas or the like.
4. 4. A method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the first material is a waste water mixture comprising as one component water and as the other component an oil or oleophilic material or oil type.
5. 5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first material is a beverage, such as a soft drink, beer, fruit juice or other beverage.
6. 6. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the mixture of gas with water or waste water causes the aeration or gasification of contaminated waste water, which facilitates the separation of oil or oil-like component of water by oil which is entrained or otherwise associated with air bubbles or gas bubbles formed from the intimate mixture of air or gas with waste water under shear conditions.
7. 7. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the intimate mixture of the two materials is discharged from the hydrocyclone through an outlet or through two exits, with the proviso that if there are two exits both exits are joined together to form one individual flow of the intimate mixture of the two materials.
8. 8. A method according to any of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the air or gas is mixed with the waste water before the introduction of the waste water to the hydrocyclone or the air or gas and the waste water are introduced to the waste water. Hydrocyclone through different entrances or through different parts of the entrance.
9. 9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that when the gas / air mixture and the waste water enters the hydrocyclone in a premixed condition, it is further mixed under shear conditions to form an intimate mixture of entrained air or air bubbles. gas in the waste water in the hydrocyclone.
10. 10. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the amount of air admitted to the apparatus is controlled by means of a control located in a conduit forming the entrance of the air or gas.
11. 11. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the amount of air / gas admitted and mixed with the waste water is from 1% to 50% by volume, preferably from 10% to 35% by volume, so more preferably from 20% to 30% by volume, based on the total volume of the mixture.
12. 12. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the intimate mixture of gas / air bubbles and waste water is discharged from the mixing apparatus to an additional processing step or step that allows separation of the two components.
13. 13. A mixing apparatus for forming an intimate mixture of a first material and a second material, wherein the first material comprises a mixture of two different materials, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a first input means for admitting the first material to the mixing apparatus , a second input means for admitting the second material, a mixing chamber for forming an intimate mixture of the first and second materials under shear conditions, and an outlet means for discharging the intimate mixture of the first and second materials, thereby separation of the two different components of the first material from each other is facilitated by the formation of the intimate mixture of the first and second materials.
14. 14. A mixing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the mixing apparatus is a hydrocyclone or a hydrocyclone type arrangement.
15. 15. A mixing apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the hydrocyclone is provided with a single inlet.
16. 16. A mixing apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the second inlet is located in a conduit leading to the hydrocyclone.
17. 17. A mixing apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the conduit having the second inlet is for transporting waste water to the first inlet of the hydrocyclone.
18. 18. A mixing apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that the second inlet is an air injection orifice, venturi or the like located in the conduit leading to the first inlet so that the air or gas is mixed with waste water before this mixture enters the hydrocyclone array.
19. 19. A mixing apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that the outlet means discharges the intimate mixture of gas / air bubbles and the waste water to a step of further processing or stage for separation.
20. 20. A mixing apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 19, characterized in that there is an individual output or two outputs, with the proviso that if there are two outputs the two outputs are joined together to form an individual stream of materials intimately to me. Zinc
21. 21. A method for mixing a first material and a second material substantially as described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
22. 22. An apparatus for forming an intimate mixture of a first material and a second material substantially as described hereinabove with reference to the accompanying drawings. MIXING APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method and apparatus for mixing a first material and a second material is described in which the first material comprises a mixture of two or more different components that it is desired to separate. The method and apparatus comprises forming an intimate mixture of the two materials before separation of the two different components of the first material. The apparatus comprises the use of a hydrocyclone to aerate or gasify a feed stream, such as waste water containing the olefile residue or food waste, to entrain the waste particles within the air or gas bubbles before separating the waste. oil or food waste from the carrier material, typically water. Instead of using the hydrocyclone as a separator, it is used as a mixer which provides surprising results and facilitates the separation of the aerated components.