Experimental Design Overview of the InLine Mixers studied at Post Mixing

Description of the equipment tested

An Internet search yielded four different commercially available Process Intensifiers. There may be some slight differences between the designs studied here and what is actually commercially available. We did not consult the vendors directly, but based the designs on information available at their respective Internet sites or brochures (see References).

We limited our comparison to studying Process Intensifiers in horizontal Schedule 40 10-inch (254 mm) pipes (T = 10 inches) with a flow of Q = 1100 GPM (250 m3/hr) and running at motor speed (N = 1750 RPM). This flow rate is right in the middle of the applicable flow range for Schedule 40 10" pipes (v = 1.37 m/s)(Fisher Control Valve Handbook 1977). Some tests were done at Q = 650 GPM (148 m3/hr), which represents the average flow rate when using 8-inch (43 mm) pipe (v = 1.26 m/s). Process Intensifiers with 10-inch pipes could easily be flanged to 8-inch pipe in order to decrease the linear velocity inside the Process Intensifier (v = 0.81 m/s for 650 GPM).

Design	LTR	HGR	LTA	HGA	Case R	Case A
Impellers	Dual Radial RP4 4-bladed paddles	Dual Radial RP4 4-bladed paddles	Dual Axial 3-bladed PBT 30 deg	Dual Axial 3-bladed PBT 30 deg	Single Radial RP4 4-bladed paddles	Single Axial 3-bladed PBT 30 deg
D	5” (127 mm)	5” (127 mm)	3.5” (88.9 mm)	5” (127 mm)	5” (127 mm)	5” (127 mm)
h/D or w/D	0.20	0.30	0.25	0.25	0.20	0.25
OB	3” (76 mm)	3” (76 mm)	2.5” (63.5 mm)	3” (76 mm)	4.2” (107 mm)	4.2” (107 mm)
S	4” (102 mm)	4” (102 mm)	5” (127 mm)	4” (102 mm)	-	-
Picture
Other Features	Long Z-plate L = 19.7” (500 mm), DO = 5 1/8” (130 mm)	Short Z-plate L = 7.9” (200 mm), DO = 5 1/8” (130 mm) and flow straightener.	Both impellers are down pumping. Crucifix baffle (Horseshoe and straight baffle crossing on bottom of pipe.	Upper impeller is down pumping, lower impeller is up pumping. Segmented horseshoe baffle, and a criss-cross flow straightener.	T = 12.5” (317.5 mm) 4 full height standard baffles w_B/T=0.1 Z/T=1	T = 12.5” (317.5 mm) 4 full height standard baffles w_B/T=0.1 Z/T=1
Fluids	Water	Water	Water	Water Xanthan Gum	Water	Water
CFD Model
Table 0: Overview description of equipment tested. Dimensions are in inches (mm). D: impeller diameter, h: blade height, w: blade width, OB: off-bottom distance, S: impeller spacing, L: length of Z-plate, DO: Orifice diameter, Z: liquid level, T: tank or pipe diameter. The general flow pattern in all figures is from right to left. CFD Model: The tan objects are stationary surfaces. The red object is the top of the T-pipe section. The shaft is blue and the impellers are green. The rotating reference frame tightly surrounds each impeller individually. The pipe and T are not shown.