Apparatus for mixing water and emulsion polymer

Claim 1

An apparatus for mixing water and a water-soluble emulsion polymer by providing the optimum amount of mixing energy required for the polymer, which comprises: (a) a pump means having an inlet adapted to receive and combine the water and the emulsion polymer to form a combined stream of water and emulsion polymer, said pump means being operable to mix the combined stream; (b) a static mixing means having an inlet adapted to receive and combine the water and the emulsion polymer to form the combined stream, said static mixing means being capable of mixing the combined stream; (c) a mixing chamber means for producing a homogeneous mixture of the water and emulsion polymer; (d) a first circulation means connecting the pump means to the mixing chamber means for circulating the combined stream from the pump means to the mixing chamber means; (e) a second circulation means connecting the pump means to the static mixing means and connecting the static mixing means to the mixing chamber means for circulating the combined stream from the pump means to the static mixing means and then to the mixing chamber means; (f) a third circulation means connecting the static mixing means to the mixing chamber means for circulating the combined stream from the static mixing means to the mixing chamber means; and (g) a flow control means connected to the first circulation means, the second circulation means and the third circulation means for controlling the flow of the combined stream to selectively circulate the combined stream alternatively through the first circulation means, the second circulation means or the third circulation means, whereby providing sufficient mixing to effectively dissolve the emulsion polymer in the water without causing the polymer molecules to shear into smaller polymer molecules.

Claim 2

An apparatus for mixing water and a water-soluble emulsion polymer by providing the optimum amount of mixing energy required for the polymer, which comprises: (a) a pump means having an inlet adapted to receive and combine the water and the emulsion polymer to form a combined stream of water and emulsion polymer, said pump means being operable to mix the combined stream; (b) a static mixing means having an inlet adapted to receive and combine the water and the emulsion polymer to form the combined stream, said static mixing means being capable of mixing the combined stream; (c) a mixing chamber means for producing a homogeneous mixture of the water and emulsion polymer; (d) a first circulation means connecting the pump means to the mixing chamber means for circulating the combined stream from the pump means to the mixing chamber means; (e) a second circulation means connecting the pump means to the static mixing means and connecting the static mixing means to the mixing chamber means for circulating the combined stream from the pump means to the static mixing means and then to the mixing chamber means; (f) a third circulation means connecting the static mixing means to the mixing chamber means for circulating the combined stream from the static mixing means to the mixing chamber means; and (g) a flow control means connected to the first circulation means, the second circulation means and the third circulation means for controlling the flow of the combined stream to selectively circulate the combined stream alternatively through the first circulation means, the second circulation means or the third circulation means, whereby providing sufficient mixing to effectively dissolve the emulsion polymer in the water without causing the polymer molecules to shear into smaller polymer molecules.

Claim 6

An apparatus for mixing water and a water-soluble emulsion polymer having water-polymer gel particles suspended in oil with the aid of surface active dispersants, the mixing being sufficient to displace the surface active dispersants from the water-polymer gel surface to allow the water to contact the polymer and to dissolve the polymer in the water upon initial dilution of the polymer with water, without causing the polymer molecules to shear into smaller polymer molecules, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first pump means having an inlet and an outlet for pumping water, said first pump means being operable to mix the water and emulsion polymer when the emulsion polymer is supplied to the first pump means; (b) a chemical metering second pump means for pumping emulsion polymer; (c) a polymer delivery conduit connected to the chemical metering second pump means; (d) a first polymer supply conduit connecting the polymer delivery conduit to the inlet of the first pump means; (e) a static mixing means having an inlet and an outlet for mixing the water and emulsion polymer when water and emulsion polymer are supplied to the static mixing means; (f) a second polymer supply conduit connecting the polymer delivery conduit to the inlet of the static mixing means; (g) a polymer flow control means connected to the first polymer supply conduit and the second polymer supply conduit for regulating the passage of the emulsion polymer either to the first pump means or alternatively to the static mixing means; (h) a mixing chamber means for producing a homogeneous mixture of the water and the emulsion polymer; (i) a first flow conduit connecting the outlet of the first pump means to the mixing chamber means; (j) a second flow conduit connecting the outlet of the first pump means to the inlet of the static mixing means; (k) a third flow conduit connecting the outlet of the static mixing means to the first flow conduit; and (l) a flow control means connected to the first flow conduit and the second flow conduit for regulating the passage of the water and the emulsion polymer from the outlet of the first pumps means to the inlet of the static mixing means and to the mixing chamber means.

Claim 7

An apparatus for mixing water and a water-soluble emulsion polymer having water-polymer gel particles suspended in oil with the aid of surface active dispersants, the mixing being sufficient to displace the surface active dispersants from the water-polymer gel surface to allow the water to contact the polymer and to dissolve the polymer in the water upon initial dilution of the polymer with water, without causing the polymer molecules to shear into smaller polymer molecules, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first pump means having an inlet and an outlet for pumping water, said first pump means being operable to mix the water and emulsion polymer when the emulsion polymer is supplied to the first pump means; (b) a chemical metering second pump means for pumping emulsion polymer; (c) a polymer delivery conduit connected to the chemical metering second pump means; (d) a first polymer supply conduit connecting the polymer delivery conduit to the inlet of the first pump means; (e) a static mixing means having an inlet and an outlet for mixing the water and emulsion polymer when water and emulsion polymer are supplied to the static mixing means; (f) a second polymer supply conduit connecting the polymer delivery conduit to the inlet of the static mixing means; (g) a polymer flow control means connected to the first polymer supply conduit and the second polymer supply conduit for regulating the passage of the emulsion polymer either to the first pump means or alternatively to the static mixing means; (h) a mixing chamber means for producing a homogeneous mixture of the water and the emulsion polymer; (i) a first flow conduit connecting the outlet of the first pump means to the mixing chamber means; (j) a second flow conduit connecting the outlet of the first pump means to the inlet of the static mixing means; (k) a third flow conduit connecting the outlet of the static mixing means to the first flow conduit; and (l) a flow control means connected to the first flow conduit and the second flow conduit for regulating the passage of the water and the emulsion polymer from the outlet of the first pumps means to the inlet of the static mixing means and to the mixing chamber means.