What is installed in a vessel to change the direction of flow or promote the mixing of a fluid?

What is installed in a vessel to change the direction of flow or promote the mixing of a fluid?

• A. Baffle
• B. Diffuser
• C. Screen
• D. Venturi

Answer: (A)

In a vessel, directing the flow and breaking up a single swirling pattern is key to effective mixing, heat transfer, and residence time. A baffle achieves this by acting as a plate inside the tank that forces the liquid to change direction as it flows around the impeller, creating secondary circulation and preventing a strong, single vortex. This redirected flow ensures more of the liquid participates in mixing, leading to a more uniform mixture.

The other options serve different purposes: a diffuser slows and distributes flow, not primarily to redirect for mixing; a screen acts as a filter to remove solids; a venturi constricts flow to raise velocity or measure flow, which isn’t about promoting mixing through flow direction in the vessel. So the device that changes the direction of flow to promote mixing is the baffle.