The KHE series static mixing heat exchangers combine static mixers with tube bundle heat exchangers. They are suitable for mixing, heat transfer, mass transfer of viscous materials, and high-temperature sterilization in food engineering. The flow conversion effect of the static mixer reduces the boundary film resistance on the tube wall, significantly enhancing heat exchange efficiency. Moreover, due to their excellent residence time behavior, they can also be used as piston flow reactors.
High-viscosity fluids typically flow in a laminar state within pipelines. In a laminar state, there is little to no radial exchange/mixing between the fluid at the pipe wall and the bulk fluid flowing in the center of the pipe. When cooling or heating viscous materials in an empty pipe, this lack of exchange between the wall and bulk fluid materials greatly hinders the process of heat transfer between the fluid inside the pipe and the service fluid outside the pipe.
When KPH static mixing elements are inserted into pipes handling viscous materials, the flow conversion action of the static mixer ensures uniform fluid flow along the radius within the mixing unit, reducing boundary layer resistance at the pipe wall, thereby significantly enhancing heat exchange efficiency (4-10 times). The extent depends on the type of static mixing element inserted, pipe size, fluid viscosity, and other fluid properties and process conditions.
