Mixing apparatus and methods of fabricating same

• Main Authors: HOWK, RICHARD A, WEETMAN, RONALD J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 05.10.1988
• Edition: 4
• Subjects: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING

A mixer which provides axial flow in a non-uniform flow field, such as may be established by gas which is sparged into a medium being mixed in a tank, and provides large axial flow volume without flooding and withstands variable loads on the blades thereof, thereby providing for reliable operation. The mixer impeller is made up of paddle shaped blades, which near their tips (e.g., at 90% of the radius of the impeller from its axis of rotation) are of a width at least 40% of the impeller's diameter. The blades also having camber and twist. They are formed by establishing bending moments which form the blades into sections which are curved and flat, with the flat sections being at least in the center area of the base of the blades. The hub for attaching the blades to the shaft of the mixer has radially extending arms with flat surfaces. The base of the blades are spaced from the shaft to define areas therebetween. These areas are reduced in size, thereby limiting the passage of sparging gas between the blades and the shaft and the strength of the coupling between the blades and the shaft are enhanced by backing plates of width greater than the width of the arms. These backing plates are fastened between the arms and the flat sections of the blades. Bolts extending through aligned holes in the arms, backing plates and blades provide strong and secure attachment of the impeller blades to the shaft so that the impeller will operate reliably in the environment which provides variable loads on the blade.