Continuous mixing, viscous

On the map of mechanical states in region I, elastic and anelastic (shaded areas) deformations take place. In the region II, the inhomogeneous plastic deformation with the formation of shear bands takes place. The horizontal broken line corresponds to the theoretical yield stress of LRC. In the region III, the homogeneous diffusional-viscous flow takes place and, in the region IV, the mixed viscous flow is realized. Curves 1,2, 3 show the temperature dependence of the stress at different constant strain rates. The continuations of these curves in regions IV and II correspond to the mixed nonuniform plastic deformation. 

Schrenk, W. J., K. J. Cleereman and T. Alfrey. 1963. Continuous Mixing of Very Viscous Fluids in an Annular Channel. SPE Trans., July, 192-200. 

Static mixing of immiscible Hquids can provide exceUent enhancement of the interphase area for increasing mass-transfer rate. The drop size distribution is relatively narrow compared to agitated tanks. Three forces are known to influence the formation of drops in a static mixer shear stress, surface tension, and viscous stress in the dispersed phase. Dimensional analysis shows that the drop size of the dispersed phase is controUed by the Weber number. The average drop size, in a Kenics mixer is a function of Weber number We = df /a, and the ratio of dispersed to continuous-phase viscosities (Eig. 32). 

Ko//M //s. When dispersion is requited ia exceedingly viscous materials, the large surface area and small mixing volume of roU mills allow maximum shear to be maintained as the thin layer of material passiag through the nip is continuously cooled. The roUs rotate at different speeds and temperatures to generate the shear force with preferential adhesion to the warmer roU. 

The component with the lower viscosity tends to encapsulate the more viscous (or more elastic) component (207) during mixing, because this reduces the rate of energy dissipation. Thus the viscosities may be used to offset the effect of the proportions of the components to control which phase is continuous (2,209). Frequently, there is an intermediate situation where a cocontinuous or interpenetrating network of phases can be generated by careflil control of composition, microrheology, and processing conditions. Rubbery thermoplastic blends have been produced by this route (212). 

The 3M Company manufactures a continuous polycrystalline alurnina—sihca—boria fiber (Nextel) by a sol process (17). Aluminum acetate is dissolved in water and mixed with an aqueous dispersion of colloidal sihca and dimethylform amide. This mixture is concentrated in a Rotavapor flask and centrifuged. The viscous mixture is then extmded through spinnerettes at 100 kPa (1 atm) the filaments are collected on a conveyor and heat-treated at 870°C to convert them to metallic oxides. Further heating at 1000°C produces the 10-p.m diameter aluminum borosihcate fibers, which are suitable for fabrication into textiles for use at temperatures up to 1427°C. 

To reduce labor and other expenses, most sintered nickel plaques are produced by a wet-slurry method. A nickel slurry is prepared by mixing a low density nickel powder with a viscous aqueous solution such as carboxymethylceUulose [9004-42-6] (CMC). Pure nickel gau2e, a nickel-plated gau2e, or a nickel-plated perforated steel strip is continuously carried through a container filled with the nickel paste and sintering is done in a hori2ontal furnace. The time of the sinter in the furnace is ca 10—20 min. 

A continuous lipidic cubic phase is obtained by mixing a long-chain lipid such as monoolein with a small amount of water. The result is a highly viscous state where the lipids are packed in curved continuous bilayers extending in three dimensions and which are interpenetrated by communicating aqueous channels. Crystallization of incorporated proteins starts inside the lipid phase and growth is achieved by lateral diffusion of the protein molecules to the nucleation sites. This system has recently been used to obtain three-dimensional crystals 20 x 20 x 8 pm in size of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin, which diffracted to 2 A resolution using a microfocus beam at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. 

O.OB mol (19 g) of 4-chlorobenzhydryl chloride and 0.16 mol (16g) of methylpiperazine were mixed in about 20 cc of dry benzene. The flask containing the reaction mixture was covered by a watch glass and set in a steam bath, and heating was continued for 6 hours. The contents of the flask were partitioned between ether and water and the ethereal layer was washed with water until the washings were neutral. The ethereal layer was extracted successively with 30-and 10-cc portionsof 3 N hydrochloric acid. On evaporation of the ether layer there remained a residue of 2.5 g. The aqueous extracts were united and basified with concentrated alkali. The oily base was taken into ether and dried over potassium carbonate. On evaporation of the ether, N-methvl-N -(4-chlorobenzhvdryl) piperazine was recovered in the form of a viscous oil in 75% yield. The N-methvl-N -(4-chlorobenzhvdryl) piperazine was dissolved in absolute alcohol and ethanolic hydrogen chloride added in excess. The dihydrochloride crystallized... 

Mixing Models. The assumption of perfect or micro-mixing is frequently made for continuous stirred tank reactors and the ensuing reactor model used for design and optimization studies. For well-agitated reactors with moderate reaction rates and for reaction media which are not too viscous, this model is often justified. Micro-mixed reactors are characterized by uniform concentrations throughout the reactor and an exponential residence time distribution function. 

Union Carbide (34) and in particular Dow adopted the continuous mass polymerization process. Credit goes to Dow (35) for improving the old BASF process in such a way that good quality impact-resistant polystyrenes became accessible. The result was that impact-resistant polystyrene outstripped unmodified crystal polystyrene. Today, some 60% of polystyrene is of the impact-resistant type. The technical improvement involved numerous details it was necessary to learn how to handle highly viscous polymer melts, how to construct reactors for optimum removal of the reaction heat, how to remove residual monomer and solvents, and how to convey and meter melts and mix them with auxiliaries (antioxidants, antistatics, mold-release agents and colorants). All this was necessary to obtain not only an efficiently operating process but also uniform quality products differentiated to meet the requirements of various fields of application. In the meantime this process has attained technical maturity over the years it has been modified a number of times (Shell in 1966 (36), BASF in 1968 (37), Granada Plastics in 1970 (38) and Monsanto in 1975 (39)) but the basic concept has been retained. 

Fig.1 Formation of reverse micelles in a self-assembled mixed surfactant system. The addition of water tends to link these droplets to form a highly viscous bi-continuous microemulsion with aqueous and isooctane nanochannels separated by the surfactants...

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