Principles of Operation of Static Mixers

For m o re tha n 40 ye a rs , sta tic mixe rs (a ls o kno wn as mot ion les s

m ixe rs ) ha ve be e n s ucces s fully us e d a s inline mixe rs fo r the
m ix in g/d is pe rs ing , re a cti on a nd he a ting/c ool ing of high a nd l ow
v is c os ity liq uids , s lurrie s , ga s es a nd the multi -phas e conta c ting
of gas e s , s olids a nd li quids . Moti onle s s mixe rs a re ca pa ble of
m ix in g ma te ria ls with e qua l or ve ry diff e re nt vis cos itie s and
v o lum e tric fl ow ra tes . The s ta tic mixe r des ign bes t suite d for a
s pe c ifi c a pplica ti on is ba se d on the proce ss unit ope ra ti on be ing
pra c tic e d.
As shown in Figure #1, s ta tic mixe rs a re use d in cont inuous
p roc e ss e s whe re the y hom oge nize fl u ids wit h no moving pa rts .
Pum ps o r bl owe rs a re us e d to de live r the compone nts to be
m ixe d a t the des i re d volume tric fl ow ra te s and to a ls o s upply
the pre s s ure e ne rgy re qui re d fo r mixing. Ty pica l s izes of s ta tic
m ixe rs ra nge from ve ry s ma l l la bora to ry s ize units tha t fi t int o
3 /16 dia me te r tubin g, p roce s s piping tha t ra nges from 1/ 4 Sc h.
40 to ove r 12 0- diame te r a nd squa re / re cta ngula r ducting suc h
a s 4 6-fe e t by 13- fe e t fo r po we r pla nt fl ue ga s tre a tme nt.

Fi g u re # 1 : I n c o n t i n u o u s p ro c e s s e s , i n l i n e s t a t i c m i xe r s
homogeneous mix in a short length with no moving parts.

c re a t e

As s hown in Figu re #2, a s ta tic mixe r cons is ts of ind ividua l

m ix in g e le me nts sta cke d in se rie s . Ea ch mixing e le me nt is
o rie nte d 90o re la tive to the a dja ce nt mixing e le me nt to cre a te
hom oge ne ous mixin g in both the hor izonta l and ve rt ic a l
di re c ti ons . The s ta tic mix ing e le me nts divide and re combi ne the
fe e d ma te ria ls s o tha t the s tre a m exit ing the sta tic mixe r is
hom oge ne ous with re ga rd to conce nt ra tion, te mpe ra ture a nd
v e loc ity which a re e qua lize d throughou t the e nti re pipe cross s e c tion.

Fi g u re # 2 : H o m o g e n e i t y a c h i e v e d w i t h G X s t a t i c m i x i n g e l e m e n t s .

The numbe r of mixing e le me nts re qui re d for a s pe c ifi c

a pplic a ti on is a functi on of the cus tome rs proce s s and sys te m
re q uire me nts wi th cons ide ra ti on for the de gre e of mix i ng

re q uire d, pre s s ure drop limita ti ons a nd fl ui d pro pe rtie s such a s

fl ow ra te , vis cos ity , de ns ity, etc.
As with mos t p roce s s e quipme nt, the re a re s ome time s dra m a tic
di ff e re nce s in pe rfo rma nce be twe e n va ri ous de s igns . This
s ta te m e nt a ls o ho lds true f or sta tic mixe rs . Fo r example , Figu re
# 3 sho ws the homoge ne i ty achie ve d with the M e dium
Pe rf orm a nce Type HT he lica l sta tic mixe r whic h is not icea ble
infe rio r to the High Pe rf orma nce GX s ta tic mixe r ( Figure # 2) .
Alth ough the HT s ta tic mixe r pe rfo rma nce ( Figu re # 3) is
dra m a tica lly lowe r tha n the GX sta tic mixe r ( Figu re # 2) , the HT
s ta tic mixe r is sti ll us e d ex te ns ive ly be ca us e of its lo we r
p res s ure dro p a nd ope n non- foul ing des ign.