Some turbulent mixing is observed even in an empty pipe. By installation of a static mixer, however, the distance required to achieve a good homogeneity is reduced by a factor 10 and more. A static mixer has one or several mixing elements generating eddies in the flow. Any kind of inhomogeneity will be dissipated by strong cross currents within the mixing elements and downstream.

Visual observation of the turbulent mixing in a Sulzer SMV mixer with 3 mixing elements.