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Efficient and Rapid Mixing of Highly Viscous Fluids

Efficient and Rapid Mixing of Highly Viscous Fluids
Field
Manufacturing
Patent
IP00544

Key Problem and Market Opportunity

  • Conventionally, viscous fluids are mixed with mechanical methods like impellers and the mixing may be enhanced by piezoelectric disk or viscous fingering effect
  • The energy consumption and the mixing time needed increase sharply with the viscosity of the fluids
  • Heat transfer during such mechanical mixing is generally poor and it may cause damage to the ingredients, such as enzymes, being mixed
  • There is a constant demand of mixing equipment by the food and beverage, the pharmaceutical and the cosmetic industry

Key Advantages of the Technology

Technology Section Slider 1
Technology Section Slider 2
Technology Section Slider 3
  • A novel method to mix two or more viscous fluids using a very simple setup at industry scale by inducing them to fold using electric field
  • With the voltage applied, the co-flow viscous fluids start to fold as shown in Figure 1(b)
  • The applied electric field exerts electric stress on the surface of viscous fluids, changing the geometry and the dynamics of the viscous fluids
  Conventional Mechanical Mixer This Invention
Method By mechanical stirring of the two viscous fluids using impellers By folding two or more jets of the viscous fluids using electric field
Energy consumption ✗ High ✓ Low
Equipment Maintenance ✗ High ✓ Low
Heat Generation ✗ High
  • Poor heat transfer of highly viscous fluid and so result in uneven temperature at different locations. This also lead to uneven mixing

✓ Low

  • No stirring, no friction
Ability to preserve the ingredients being mixed  ✗ Low ✓ High
Mixing Speed ✗ Slow ✓ Fast

Potential Product and Services

  • The high-performance mixing equipment may be employed by the food industry to improve quality, texture and taste
  • Other potential mixing applications include chemical process, pharmaceutical, beverage, cosmetics and personal care, etc

Development Status and IP Strength

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