摘要 |
An axial flow mixer impeller which is high in efficiency in terms of flow is made more effective, when used in a sparging system for dispersion and for mass transfer of a liquid phase or a gaseous phase into a liquid which is being mixed or agitated, by forming a shear field which breaks the phase being dispersed into fine bubbles which are dispersed by the impeller. This is accomplished without a major effect on the high flow efficiency of the axial flow impeller. To this end a structure which forms a Venturi is located on the side or sides of the blade where the phase (bubbles of fluid of different density or viscosity which are to be mixed or dispersed by the impeller) occurs, in the high velocity region near the tip of the blade. This Venturi creates a high shear field which breaks up the bubbles and disperses them as fine bubbles as they leave the impeller. The structure may be provided by a pair of proplets in the vicinity of the tip end of the blade which form a wedge shaped flow path therebetween. The structure may also be provided by an overlying blade or blade segment which has a blade angle different from the angle of the main blade so as also to provide a wedge shaped flow path which creates the shear field which shears the phase being dispersed into fine bubbles. These fine bubbles facilitate mass transfer, for example for aeration, when the gas contains oxygen.
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