WO2023086042A1

WO2023086042A1 - Thermal management system of static mixer produced by conventional or additive manufacturing

Info

Publication number: WO2023086042A1
Application number: PCT/TR2021/051387
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mert Ali ÖZEL; Volkan Mesut KÜÇÜKAKARSU
Original assignee: Bursa Uludağ Üni̇versi̇tesi̇
Priority date: 2021-11-15
Filing date: 2021-12-09
Publication date: 2023-05-19
Also published as: TR2021017773A2

Abstract

A thermal control system (100) used in both conventional production (140) and additive production static mixers (150) for active thermal management, characterized in that it comprises at least one thermal heater (110) located in the mixer outer body (142) in the conventional production static mixer (140), in the additive mixing chamber (153) in the additive production static mixer (150) to provide control of the temperature distribution of the conventional production static mixer (140) and the additive production static mixer (150) and thermistor (130) to measure the temperature for the feedback control of the thermal heaters (110).

Description

THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF STATIC MIXER PRODUCED BY CONVENTIONAL OR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Technical Field

The invention relates to a thermal control system that allows controllable temperature distribution of the static mixer, where two or more fluids are mixed, positioned at different points on the geometry.

In particular, the invention relates to a thermal control system developed for obtaining the product at optimum efficiency by controlling the temperature of the fluid regionally by means of heaters at different points in the structure of the static mixer produced by conventional or additive manufacturing during the mixing of two or more liquid or gas fluids such as adhesive and curing, resin and curing, A and B components of silicon with a static mixer.

The Known State of the Art

The static mixer is a tube-like device used to mix liquids, such as two liquids. Two gases or gas are dispersed into a liquid (a liquid that cannot form a solution) and mixed into a liquid in the static mixer. The fluids mixed in a static mixer are two liquids or a gas and a liquid most of the time. The device itself consists of only a few parts, including a slot tube which can be cylindrical or square, and compartments made of plastic or metal alloys. A type of mixer, called a helical static mixer, has helically shaped chambers cut into portions where a light rotational modification permits liquid mixing. This is called the flow section and enables layering to increase the liquid mixture by folding. A helix static mixer is used for mixing and applying adhesive materials in various areas and disciplines. This mixer works well with viscous liquids that react and react as another viscous liquid or a solid product. An example of this type of product is synthetic resins, which can be dispersed and dispersed in certain places where they will harden in a polymerized state. There are also knife-designed static mixers especially used for low and medium viscosity applications in addition to these types. The compartments of the mixer also increase the amount of stirring by converting. Another type of static mixer is the wafer style, where lightly viscous chemicals are mixed into water currents at high speed.

Static mixers or mixers are only related to the control of the mixing ratios of the fluids and the mixing speeds, and there are no regionally sensitive thermal management systems in current applications. The maximum efficiency is not achieved in mixtures where the temperature is important due to the current applications, regional temperature and heat control.

Many studies have been carried out and new structures have been developed today with the aim of increasing the efficiency of static mixers. One of these studies is the invention that is the subject of the utility model application numbered CN208824296 (U) and titled “A static mixer and device for mixing a large number of liquids”. The invention discloses a static mixer and a device for mixing various liquids. The device is structurally composed of a supply pipe, a connecting pipe, a sealing pipe, a flange plate, a tank body, a fixing valve block, a discharge pipe, a sealing pipe, a heater, a fixing screw and an adjustment knob, the fixed valve block is embedded in the tank body; the discharge pipe and the sealing pipe have an integrated structure. The heating rod generates heat to heat the inside of the tank body when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature is relatively low and the equipment can be heated automatically by improving the structure of the equipment. It is difficult to obtain the mixture at the desired performance since regional temperature control is not performed in the mentioned static mixer. Another study is the invention according to the patent application numbered EP3299151 (A1 ) and titled “Three-dimensional printer head for discharging multiple molding melt solutions and three-dimensional printer comprising same”. A 3D printhead for spraying multiple molding melts by taking a molding filament and molding pellets is provided according to one aspect of the present invention. The 3D printhead comprises a filament feeder that feeds the molding filament; a pellet supply unit that feeds the molding pellets; a nozzle tube in which a penetration portion is provided in a longitudinal direction; a rotary screw arranged in the penetration portion of the nozzle tube; and a heating section that melts the molding pellets and the molding filament by heating the nozzle tube to form a multiple molding melt. The said invention relates to the printing head used in additive manufacturing. It does not allow the mixture of two or more fluids. It does not comprise any elements that provide regionally positioned temperature control.

Another study is the invention according to the patent application numbered US2018141256 (A1 ) and titled “Extruder with static mixer injector”. The invention relates to an apparatus for liquid injection into an extruder. The said apparatus is provided including a static mixer section coupled with the static mixer outlet and having a pipe assembly to the extruder barrel, the pipe assembly outlet and the barrel injection opening having diameters smaller than the maximum inner diameter of the static mixer housing. The invention greatly simplifies the liquid injection apparatus used with extruders, while ensuring more efficient absorption of thermal energy with minimal environmental contamination and the ability to inject multiple flows into the extruder. The desired efficiency cannot be achieved since temperature control cannot be performed in the mentioned invention.

Another study is the invention according to the patent application numbered CN106827277 (A) and titled “Static mixer and inflation mold preparation method of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) thermal shrinkage film”. The invention provides a static mixer comprising a cylinder, a heating element, a torsion element and a fixing element. The invention also provides a method for preparing a PVC thermal shrink film using the preceding structure. The advanced stirring process supports the mixing and homogenization of the melt by using the special structure of the static mixer, thereby preventing shear damage of the metal powder according to the static mixer disclosed by the invention. However, regionally sensitive temperature control cannot be performed in the said invention.

Another study is the invention according to the patent application numbered JPH10309451 (A) and titled “Static mixer for heat exchanger”. The invention has been developed to provide a high heat efficiency static mixer for the heat exchanger to prevent the adhesion of fluid to the heat exchanger surface for heating or cooling of the fluid to be thickened after the temperature fluctuation. A first pipe is disposed of within a second pipe, and the outer peripheral face of the first pipe is helically surrounded by a plurality of elements fixed to the outer peripheral face and positioned in a space between the outer peripheral face. The inner side of the first pipe and the outer side of the second pipe are formed for circulating flow paths and heat exchange for the first and second heating media, respectively. This is done on the outer layer side and the inner layer side of a liquid to be treated, which flows between the outer circumferential face of the first tube and the inner circumferential face of the second tube, when shaken and mixed by the elements. The invention is a static mixer designed for heat exchangers and cannot perform regional precision temperature control.

The existence of the need for a thermal control system, which can perform regional precision heat control, and the inadequacy of the existing solutions made it necessary to make an improvement in the relevant technical field, as a result.

Brief Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to a thermal control system that provides controllable temperature distribution of the static mixer positioned at different points on the geometry of the static mixer, where two or more fluids are mixed, which meets the aforementioned needs and eliminates all the disadvantages and provides some advantages.

The object of the invention developed based on the state of the art is to provide location-based control of the temperature distribution of the static mixer by means of controllable heat sources located at the points determined in the structure of the static mixer in the thermal direction control system.

The object of the invention is to ensure that optimum products are obtained by performing precise temperature control in the relevant part of the mixture thanks to the temperature control in the thermal control system.

Another object of the invention is to ensure that the product is obtained at optimum efficiency by controlling the curing continuously, thanks to the application of different temperatures according to the location of the mixture in the thermal control system.

Another object of the invention is to provide thermal control of static mixer fluids as well as effective mixing thanks to the thermal control system and to control curing and similar chemical properties during mixing.

The structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention will be understood more clearly by means of the figures and the detailed description with reference to these figures given below and therefore, the evaluation should be made by taking these figures and the detailed description into consideration.

Brief Description of the Figures The invention should be evaluated together with the figures explained below in order to better understand the embodiment of the invention and its advantages together with the attachments thereof.

Figure 1 is the schematic overview of the cross-section of the thermal control system in the conventional production static mixer,

Figure 2 is the schematic overview of the thermal control system in the conventional production static mixer,

Figure 3 is the general view of the section of the thermal control system during the mixing of the product in the additive production static mixer,

Figure 4 is the schematic overview of the cross-section of the mixer body and the thermal control system during the mixing of the product in the additive production static mixer.

List of the Reference Numbers

100. Thermal control system

110. Thermal heater

120. Thermal heater slot

130. Thermistor

140. Conventional production static mixer

141 . Mixing chamber

142. Mixer outer body

143. First fluid inlet

144. Second fluid inlet 145. Mixed fluid outlet nozzle

150. Additive production static mixer

151 . Additive first fluid inlet

152. Second fluid inlet

153. Additive mixing chamber

154. Additive mixer outer body

155. Additive mixed fluid outlet nozzle

Detailed Description of the Invention

The conventional production static mixer (140) in which two or more fluids are mixed and the thermal control system (100), which provides the controllable temperature distribution of the additive production static mixer (150) positioned at different points on the geometry, are explained only as an example for a better understanding of the subject and in a way that does not create any limiting effect in this detailed description of the invention.

The thermal control system (100) shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3 comprises at least one thermal heater (110) located in the mixer outer body (142) in the conventional production static mixer (140), in the additive mixing chamber (153) in the additive production static mixer (150) to provide control of the temperature distribution of the conventional production static mixer (140) and the additive production static mixer (150); at least one thermal heater slot (120) located in the mixer outer body (142) in the conventional production static mixer (140), in the additive production static mixer (150) in the additive mixing chamber (153) to position said thermal heaters (110) for feedback control and temperature measuring thermistor (130). The conventional production static mixer (140) shown in Figure 2 comprises the mixing chamber (141 ) designed in different geometries for efficient mixing of two or more fluids; the mixing outer body (142) manufactured with conventional materials to ensure the distribution of the temperature controlled by the thermal heaters (110) on the surface; the first fluid inlet (143) positioned at the top of the mixer outer body (142) to allow the introduction of different fluids into the mixing chamber (141 ); the second fluid inlet (144) positioned at the top of the mixer outer body (142) to allow the introduction of different fluids into the mixing chamber (141 ), the second fluid inlet (144) positioned next to the first fluid inlet (143), the second fluid inlet (144) positioned at the top of the mixer outer body (142) to allow the introduction of different fluids into the mixing chamber (141 ); the number of different fluids into the mixing chamber (141 ), the number of different fluid outlets, the number of fluid outlets, and mixed fluid outlet nozzles (145) that can be exchanged.

The additive production static mixer (150) shown in Figure 4 comprises the first fluid inlet (151 ) with interchangeable additions at the top of the additive mixer outer body (154) for allowing the introduction of different fluids into the additive mixing chamber (153); the second fluid inlet (152) with interchangeable additions at the top of the additive mixer outer body (154) for allowing the introduction of different fluids into the additive mixing chamber (153); the second fluid inlet (152) with interchangeable additions at the side of the additive first fluid inlet (151 ); the additive mixing chamber (153) designed in different geometries for efficient mixing of two or more fluids; the conventionally manufactured additive mixer outer body (154) with high thermal conductivity material for allowing the temperature controlled by the thermal heaters (110) to be distributed on the surface; the lower part of the additive mixer outer body (154) with interchangeable additions at the bottom of the additive mixing chamber (153) for allowing the introduction of different fluids into the additive mixing chamber (153); and the displaced outlet diameter in which the additive mixed fluid outlet nozzle (155) is interchangeable. The thermal control system (100) of the invention is related to the thermal management of the conventionally production static mixer (140) or additive production static mixer (150). The first fluid inlet (143) and the second fluid inlet (144), the number of which can be increased according to the number of fluids, allow the mixture of different liquid or gas fluids entering the second fluid inlet (144) in the mixing chamber (141 ) in the ratio effectively defined, allowing the mixed fluid outlet nozzle (145) for conventional production. The number of thermal heater (101 ), which are the basis of the invention, placed in the increasing heater slots (102), allow the internal and external structure of the conventional production static mixer (140) to be heated at the appropriate temperature according to the location of the mixed or mixed fluid by controlling the thermal temperature distribution using the thermistor (130). The number of the additive production static mixer (150) can be transferred out of the additive mixing chamber (153) by means of the additive first fluid inlet (151 ) and the second fluid inlet (152) thanks to the said thermal control system (100). The internal and external temperature and heat dissipation of the static mixer can be controlled using the thermistor (130) by means of the number of increasable thermal heater (110) placed in the thermal heater slot (120) during this mixing. The Said thermal control system (100) allows for active thermal management using both conventional production (140) and additive production static mixer (150).

Claims

1. A thermal control system (100) used in both conventional production (140) and additive production static mixers (150) for active thermal management, characterized by comprising the following;

- at least one thermal heater (110) located in the mixer outer body (142) in the conventional production static mixer (140), in the additive mixing chamber (153) in the additive production static mixer (150) to provide control of the temperature distribution of the conventional production static mixer (140) and the additive production static mixer (150) and to heat it at the appropriate temperature according to the location of the fluid;

- thermistor (130) used for feedback control of thermal heaters (110) and measuring temperature.

2. The thermal control system (100) according to claim 1 , characterized by comprising; at least one thermal heater slot (120) located in the mixer outer body (142) in the conventional production static mixer (140), the additive production static mixer (150), and the additive mixing chamber (153) for positioning the thermal heaters (110).

3. The thermal control system (100) according to claim 1 , characterized by comprising; a mixer outer body (142) produced with conventional manufacturing with high thermal conductivity material to ensure the distribution of the temperature controlled by thermal heaters (110) on the surface, or additive mixer outer body (154) produced with conventional manufacturing with high thermal conductivity material to ensure the distribution of the temperature controlled by thermal heaters (110) on the surface.