Method and apparatus for mixing fluids

Abstract

The invention relates in general to methods of controlled mixing one fluid with another. In particular it relates to a distributed direct fluid contactor including arrays of streamlined perforated tubes distributed across a flow to efficiently contact and mix one or more fluids flowing through one or more tubes with a second fluid flowing across those tubes. These distributed contactors thereby mix the fluids in a fairly uniform fashion causing a prescribed uniformity or variation in the ratio of the first to second fluid across the space. This thereby to generally creates and controls the physical and / or chemical changes in those fluids, including evaporation, condensation, forming powders and conducting chemical reactions including combustion.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates in general to apparatus and methods for controlling the delivery of a fluid, and to mixing of two or more fluids, and in particular, to methods and apparatus wherein the mixing of two or more fluids create and / or control physical and / or chemical changes in those fluids. 2. Description of the Related Art Many physical and chemical processes require the delivery of a first fluid, and of mixing of two or more fluids together. The effectiveness of the mixing in such processes is dependent upon many physical phenomena. Mixing may depend upon the surface area of a liquid or the interfacial area between the fluids (e.g., a liquid, a vapor, and / or a gas) that are to be mixed. For heat exchange between two fluids in direct contact, the process depends in part on the interfacial area between the two fluids and thus on the specific interfacial area (surface area per mass). In another example, chemical reactions bet...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or increases one advantage or group of advantages as taught or suggested herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Problems solved by technology

Such discontinuities may adversely effect the desired physical or chemical processes.

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