LAUSR

Abstract The mixing of two or more components belongs to the category of the most common unit operations, both in technology and in nature. One particular version is homogenization (blending), the effectivity of which is strongly related to the blending time. Among many differentiated individual solutions of mixing systems used in blenders, one should distinguish the class of agitators with diffusers. An analysis of the character of the velocity field during a blending chamber operation leads to the conclusion that it would be of avail to outfit a straight diffuser with different setups of elbows. In consequence, the vertical direction of the inflowing fluid stream would be changed into the horizontal direction of the outflowing stream, which should intensify the blending process. The concept has been verified experimentally, making use of the tracer methodology. The obtained results confirmed the theoretical conclusion that the blending time for the swirling-diffuser was shorter than for the classical straight one.