US1473734A

US1473734A - Centrifugal emulsifies

Info

Publication number: US1473734A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1923-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1940-11-13

Description

Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,734 c. F. PAUL, ,1R Y

CENTRIFUGAL EMULS IFIER Filed June l5; 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EL'gUZ Iig. 5

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33,13% www Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES l 1,473,734 PATENT oFFicE.

CHRISTIAN F. PAUL, JR., F AUSTIN, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR T0 ERNEST NALLE, XV. I. ALLEN, AND EI) ROSENGREN, TRUSTEES, ALL. 0F AUSTIN, TEXAS.

CENTRIFUGAL EJIULSIFIER.

Application filed June 15, 1921.

To aZZ whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN F. PAUL, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Emulsiers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices for mixing or emulsifying two or more liquids, miscible or immiscible, and simultaneously bringing them into intimate association for any purpose, as for example to facilitate A quick and complete chemical reaction between a liquid to be treated and a reagent. The production of such an intimate mixture is advantageous in numerous arts, as for instance in the treatment of crude petroleum or other oil with sulfuric acid, and the present embodiment of my invention is designed primarily for that purpose, as described in `my copending application Serial No. 477,856; but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use in the field indicated. The invention operates on the centrifugal principle, that is, the liquids to be mixed or emulsiied are driven through the mixing or emulsifying devices by centrifugal force, 30 forA which purpose the said devices are rotated at a high rate of speed, preferably by means of a steam turb-ine, direct-connected. The mixing or emulsifying devices are in the form of iiat disks arranged co-axially one above the other, and providing between the disks of each pair one or more radial channels of tortuous or saw-tooth form, so that in traveling radially outward through such channels the liquids are subject to numerous rapid and sudden changes orP direction, thus producing a violent churning effect b-y which the liquids are brought into almost molecular association with each other.

Issuing at high velocity from the emulsifying channels, the spray strikes the Iwalls of the enclosing chamber or casing and is guided downwardly into a collecting trough or receptacle, from which the liquid mixture or emulsion is delivered by Va suitable spout or discharge pipe. Preferably the centrifugal mixing or emulsifying devices, forming what may be conveniently termed a mixing andemulsifying head, are driven by direct connection with a single-stage steam turbine.

One form of the invention, embodying the c the upper end of the carrier 10.

Serial No. 477,857.

features outlined above, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side View, partly in vertical section.

F ig. 2 is a detail plan View of one of the mixing or emulsifying disks.

Fig 3 is a detail side view of a pair or disks, showing the discharge orifices of those of the emulsifying or mixing channels in that pair.

The revolving head, through which the liquids to be mixed are caused to travel by centrifugal force, comprises a hollow spindle or carrier 10, provided with a radial ange 11 on which rests an abutment-plate 12 of circular form. Mounted co-axially on the carrier above the plate 12 is a plurality of pairs (in the present instance two pairs) of mixing or emulsifying

disks

13, 14, 15, 16, which are bound firmly together upon the plate 12 by means of the nut 17 threaded on lt is advantageous to have the disks lit the carrier snugly, but a driving iit is not necessary or desirable.

@ne of the mixing disks, as 15, is shown in V plan in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that the disk is provided with four radial grooves or recesses at right angles to each other, into which are fitted four inserts 18, the upper surfaces of which are sharply corrugated or saw-toothed, as indicated in Fig. 1. All four disks are exactly like that shown in Fig. 2, and the inserts 18 are of such thickness that when the flat surfaces of the disks vare in contact (the disks 14: and 16 being inverted over

disks

13 and 15 as in Figs. 1 and 3) thecorrugat-ed surfaces of the inserts will be slightly spaced apart, thus providing in each pair of disks four tortuous, Zig-zag or saw-tooth, passages or channels extending radially outward from the carrier 10. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the sides of each insert 18 are parallel to each other and hence the emulsifying passages formed thereby do not ilare or widen outwardly. The carrier 10 is provided with a plurality of vertical outlet slots, 19, say two for each vertical tier of passages, or eight slots in all.

l/Vhen the carrier-and-disk assemblyV or head is revolved at the desired high speed, liquids delivered into the hollow carrier pass throughthe outlet or delivery slots 19 into the saw-tooth passages, in a plurality of.

streams.` As the liquids travel outwardly under the influence ofv centrifugal force, they are subjected to numerous changes ol: direction, suddenly and rapidly recurring. The liquids are thus subjected to a violent churning action, which results in the most intimate possible mixing or emulsii'ication. Inasmuch as there is substantially no outward flare or widening of the emusliztying passages, the tendency of the comniingled liquids to break up or be atoinized into a spray is minimized and there is no decrease in the velocity of outward flow.

The stationary outer casing, which encloses the emulsitying or mixing head, is in the present form composed of three sepan rable sections, seated one on top of the other, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The lower section is in the form of a circular trough having a vertical outer wall, and an inner wall which is inclined upwardly bringing its edge close to the beveled underside of the abutment plate 12. The center section, 21, is in the lforin ot a circular collar having an inner iiange extending upwardly and horizontally over the upper- 'most mixing disk, 16, as illustrated in Fig.

V1. The upper section, 22, is in the lform oit .a flat receptacle or pan, having at its center Y a discharge tube 23 extending downwardly rier will at all times completely cover the outlet slots 19.

The liquid mixture or emulsion discharged froin the saw-tooth passages or channels is thrown outwardly at high velocity, but the streams discharged are rela- Y tively thin, and hence their momentum is too `small to cause much rebound irom the surface or the enclosing casing. Accord 'ingly the liquid runs down the walls of the trough 20, and down through openings 25 intothe lower "circular trough 26 which is removably mounted on the collar 27 extend ing upwardly from the casing 28. The

`trough 26 yis provided with a 4discharge spout 26 from which the collected liquid miXtureor emulsion is delivered to another trough, pipe, or launder, not shown, to

carry the liquid away `for utilization, storu age, or such further treatment as may be desirable.

The tubular carrier 10, on which the mixing and

emulsii'ying disks

13, 14, 15, 16 are mounted, has a tapered socket in its lower endto fit tightly (but removably) on the tapered upper end of la vertical shaft 29 which is rotated at a high rate of speed by a steam turbine housed in the casing 28. The turbine rotor 30 is mounted directly on the shaft by means oi a hub 31 fitting a taper on the shaft, upon which taper the hub is forced by a nut 32. At its lower end the shaft rests on a ball set in a cup or retainer 34 adapted to slide i'reelybut without appreciable side shake in the neck extending upwardly from 4the bottom of the casing 3G which is removably mounted on the underside oit the housing 2d. The

the lower end oi which rests on a plug 38 in the louer end of said neck.

cui is vieldino'l suueorted lo a s rin l .l ,o l l l y screw This plug can be screwed in oi' out to regulate the tension ot the spring, and can be locked in adjusted position by a 3am-n`u`t 39. The steam inlet and outlet to and from the housing 28, andthe nozzle for directing the steamV upon the blades of 'the turbine rotor are not shown,`as these parts may be of any suitable construction and are well iniderstood.

The casing B6 is designed to be filled witn high dash-point lubricating oil, insuring adequate lubrication of the lower portion of the shaft, where it is most needed.

Below the bottom or housing QSthe shaft runs in a long bearing d0, mounted in a tubular neck dl supported between the bottom oi the housing and the upper edge of the casing .36. Above the rotor 30 the shaft has a bearing d2 seated in flanged ring 43 i to said passages at their inner ends, and

means for rotating said head.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, ahollow carrier adaptedy to rotate on a vertical axis and hav? ing a plurality of delivery openings in its wall, a panl of disks mounted on said carrier to rotate therewith and providing between them a plurality of outwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages coni1ni1nieating at their inner ends with the openings in said carrier, means for delivering liquids into said carrier, and means for rotating the carrier.

3. In ,an apparatus for the purpose de! scribed, in combination, a plurality of pairs of disks arranged co-axially and adaptedto ior the purpose de-v ioo y Lio rotate 'on a vertical axis, each pair of disks providing between them a plurality of outwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages, means for delivering liquids to the inner ends of such passages, and means for rotating the disks.

4. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a horizontal disk having a plurality of outwardly extending corrugated or saw-toothed surfaces On its upper side, a similar disk inverted upon the other, the corrugated or saw-toothed surfaces of the two providing a plurality of outwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages, means for rotating the disks on a vertical axis, and means for delivering liquids to the inner ends of the said tortuous passages.

`5. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a hollow carrier adapted to rotate on a vertical axis and having a plurality of openings in its wall, a plurality of pairs of disks mounted on said carrier co-axially therewith and with each other, the disks of-each pair providing between them a plurality of outwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages communicating at their inner ends with the open* ings in the wall of the carrier, removable means for holding the disks on the carrier, and means for rotating the carrier and the disks.

6. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a disk arranged horizontally to rot-ate on a vertical axis and having in its upper surface a plurality of radial recesses, inserts iitted in said recesses and having their upper surfaces corrugated or saw-toothed in form, a similar disk inverted upon the other and having inserts of like form co-operating with the inserts of the lower disk to forma plurality of corrugated or saw-toothI passages, means for delivering liquids to said passages at their inner ends, and means for rota-ting the disks on a ver tical axis.

7. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a rotating head having a pluralit of outwardly extending tortuous non-wi ening assages through which liquids to be mixed) or emulsied can be driven by centrifugal force, means for delivering liquids to said passages at their inner ends, means for rotating said head, a stascribed, in combination, a hollow carrier having a plurality of openings in its wall and provided with an outwardly extending flange, a collar threaded on the carrier at the upper end thereof above the said iange, a plurality of pairs of disks mounted upon said carrier between the flange thereof and the said threaded collar, said disks providing a plurality of outwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages communicating at their inner ends with the said openings in the carrier, means for rotating the carrier on a vertical axis, a stationary housing enclosing the disks and carrier to receive and collect liquids discharged from said passages, and means for delivering liquids to be mixed or emulsified into said carrier.

9. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a mixing or emulsi fying head adapted to rotate on a vertical axis and comprising a hollow carrier provided with openings in its wall, and a plurality of pairs of disks mounted upon said carrier, the disks of each pair providing between them a plurality of outwardly extending emulsifying passages communicating at their' inner ends with said openings in the carrier, a vertical shaft upon which said carrier is mounted for rotation thereby, a stationary trough encircling the carrier below said disks and having a discharge spout, a stationary housing enclosingv the head and mounted on said trough, to receive liquids discharged from the head and deliver such liquid-s to the trough, and means carried by said housing for delivering liquids into said carrier.

`In testimony whereof I hereto ax my signature.

CHRISTIAN F. PAUL, JR.