Need efficient mixing at small scale?

Static mixers are well-known for large scale continuous processes.  What happens at small scale?
September 20, 2019 by
Need efficient mixing at small scale?
Manetco, Tanguy Van Regemorter

Within an industrial continuous process, an efficient chemical reaction or stable emulsification generally depends on performant mixing efficiency. For large scale processes, the use of static mixers is very common and largely used. As a quick reminder, it is an engineered device inserted inside a pipe which generates turbulent flow to mix the fluids without moving components. It will force the transition of your system from a laminar to a turbulent flow.
 
For small scale continuous process, this is another story. We received demands from research labs and development departments which are developing new continuous processes at lab or pilot-scale. They either try to replicate larger scale processes or, for high added-value compounds, to create continuous production with small internal volumes. The setup is generally built with 1/4'' outer diameter (6.35mm) and the researchers have problems to find adapted static mixers with such a small diameter and a design adapted to their process.        

We helped them to design static mixers, perfectly adapted to their application, which are integrated inside the tube as shown in the picture below. Depending on the final application, the design can be precisely adapted to the constraints required by the chemical reaction or the mixing process (rapid mixing, low shear, high speed...). We also proposed these static mixers with the possibility to tune the number of inlets and define the exact length, while both inlets and outlets are compatible with standard connectors like Swagelok. Our services offered them the opportunity to quickly evaluate these mixing devices and significantly enhance their process efficiency. The ease of manufacturing these devices, despite their complexity, allow engineers to quickly check the mixing efficiency and the pressure loss in the lab. If it does not fit, the design can simply be adapted and a new part can be produced for another experiment. It is worth noting that this type of static mixer can, of course, improve mixing efficiency for a continuous process but, it also appears to be very helpful as a simple pre-mixing device to prepare high-shear mixing.  
 
 

Small size static mixer

Odoo CMS - a big picture

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Need efficient mixing at small scale?
Manetco, Tanguy Van Regemorter September 20, 2019
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