Arrangement for combining dissimilar streams

• Main Authors: GROPP, RONALD F, COSTELLO, PETER K, KEENE, RUSSELL E, PARENT, LAURENT R, SOLOMON, MARGARET E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.10.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BLASTING; DRYING; DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HEATING; LAUNDERING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS BY LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; WEAPONS

An arrangement and method for effectively mixing two (or more) streams of dissimilar materials is disclosed. The streams may comprises two air streams of different temperatures or humidities, two streams of different gaseous materials, or even two streams of different liquids. The arrangement comprises a baffle structure within the enclosure through which is passing a first stream of material. A second stream is then injected into the enclosure at a location downstream from the baffle. In practicing the method of the present invention, the passage of the first stream of material across the baffle results in creating a low pressure region between the baffle and the input port of the second stream. The second stream then has a natural tendency to enter this low pressure area, thus increasing he mixing efficiency with the first stream of material. The baffle may comprise a tapered geometry, and multiple sets of baffles and associated input ports may be used to combine multiple streams of materials.