Abstract: Device for producing a pourable product with a guide vane therein and method for using the device. The device includes a rotor chamber in which a rotor is arranged with a vertical rotor axis. The rotor has, at least in its radially outer third, the shape of a conical shell. Guide vanes for circulating starting materials or the product are arranged statically on an inner wall of the rotor chamber above the plane of the upper edge of the rotor. The guide vanes have, in cross section to the rotor axis, essentially the shape of a segment of a circle or spiral. The inner ends of the guide vanes lie approximately in the middle part of the rotor radius. The conical shell may have at least partially sheet-like gas passages in the form of perforations or screens. The device is used for producing pourable products.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the mixing of material by means of the combination of sheer-dispersion and/or extensional-dispersion and distributive mixing actions, in which the mixing occurs in one or more stages within stress inducing flow channels between movable members whereby the material is essentially propelled through the flow channels of such stages by pumping actions provided by the relative movement between the members within the mixer itself.

Abstract: A vertical mixing device for fodder includes a mixing chamber comprising at least two adjacent vertical augers provided in longitudinal direction of the mixing chamber one behind the other at the bottom and between essentially upright walls. Both vertical augers can be driven with the same sense of rotation in order to convey the fodder upwardly. In the wedge areas between the rotational courses of both vertical augers distributor cones are situated at the walls. The surface of each distributor cone comprises guiding surfaces extending with differing steepness from a bottom sided base situated within one wedge area to a tip positioned at least close to the wall. Each distributor cone is inclined obliquely towards one of the vertical augers the sense of rotation of which is directed towards this distributor cone.

Abstract: A process for producing a liquid composition containing at least one active component and a diluent by mixing the active with diluent and/or liquid active to produce a liquid crystal mixture and incorporating diluent into it such that the mixture remains substantially homogeneous to produce a composition in which the concentration of active components is lower than the concentration of active components in the liquid crystal mixture. Novel apparatus for use in the process is also described.

Abstract: The device is used to mix and degas a flowable mass (5), in particular a filler-containing casting resin. It is provided with a cylindrically constructed, evacuatable container (1), the container axis (2) of which is oriented essentially vertically. Guided along the container axis (2), it also contains a shaft (12) that holds agitating elements (8, 21). The container (1) is divided into an upper storage container (4) for holding the mass (5) to be degassed, a lower buffer space (19) for holding the degassed mass (20), as well as a pass-through container (6) with a degassing system arranged between storage container (4) and buffer space (19), in which degassing system the mass (5) to be degassed is guided in the form of thin layers. The thin layer degassing system contains at least two conically constructed run-off surfaces (15, 16) offset axially relative to each other. The run-off surfaces are angled in opposing directions.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing dispersions of solids in a fatty phase has at least two parts (1, 4) which can be driven with the aid of at least one drive and caused to rotate relative to one another, form a processing gap (6, g1, g2, g1′, g2′) between one another and are mounted relative to one another by means of at least one rotary bearing (2 or 3). One part is in the form of processing container (1) having at least one feed orifice (9) and at least one outflow orifice (11). The other part (4) is arranged essentially concentrically with the first part (1) and with the axis of rotation (A). At least one of the two parts (1 or 4) is provided with shearing tools (7, 8) on the surfaces (12, 16) facing one another. The processing container (1) is essentially conical, the cone having its smaller end face on the side of the feed orifice (9).

Abstract: A rotor-stator assembly includes a rotor and a stator, each of which includes at least one surface having a plurality of grooves defining a plurality of ridges and valleys. The grooves are located so that material in the rotor grooves is caused to collide with material in the stator grooves or vice versa. Ideally, the grooves have a curved cross section so that material is caused to spin in the grooves. Material spinning in a stator groove is caused to collide with material spinning in a rotor groove and vice versa. The number of times that particles are caused to collide depends on the number and length of the grooves in relation to the depth of the grooves. Shear zones are located between the grooves on the stator and the grooves on the rotor.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing dispersions of solids in a fatty phase has at least two parts (1, 4) which can be driven with the aid of at least one drive and caused to rotate relative to one another, form a processing gap (6, g1, g2, g1′, g2′) between one another and are mounted relative to one another by means of at least one rotary bearing (2 or 3). One part is in the form of processing container (1) having at least one feed orifice (9) and at least one outflow orifice (11). The other part (4) is arranged essentially concentrically with the first part (1) and with the axis of rotation (A). At least one of the two parts (1 or 4) is provided with shearing tools (7, 8) on the surfaces (12, 16) facing one another. The processing container (1) is essentially conical, the cone having its smaller end face on the side of the feed orifice (9).

Abstract: An extruder having at least one conical stator and at least one rotatable conical rotor. The rotor is mounted from its widest point with first and second bearings in such a way that the first bearing receives the forces acting in one axial direction of the rotor and the second bearing receives the forces acting in an opposite axial direction of the rotor. A method for using the extruder involves feeding a material to the extruder between the rotor and stator and rotating the rotor to cause the extruder to extrude the material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously reducing the viscosity of molten moldable polymeric material uses shear vibration under extensional flow to cause disentanglement. One or more station treatment cavities are defined by a gap composed of two closely separated surfaces in relative motion with each other at given speed and/or submitted to relative oscillations, with given frequency and amplitude to produce a shear deformation on the molten moldable material and a controlled variation of the gap dimension. The surface have a contour profile of ribs and/or bumps and/or grooves over which the molten moldable material can flow and/or can be dragged and/or is being pushed through and/or pumped through. The treatment cavities have an inlet through which the molten moldable material can pass into, and an outlet through which it can exit each treatment cavity.

Abstract: An extruder including: (a) at least two concentric stators including (i) an inner stator having at least an outer surface that is at least mostly conical and (ii) an outer stator having at least an inner surface that is at least mostly conical; (b) at least one rotatable rotor that is at least mostly conical; and (c) a supply conduit for supplying material into a space between the stators. The at least one rotatable rotor being disposed in the space between the inner stator and the outer stator. The at least one rotor includes a plurality of ducts that define passages through which material can flow from the space to an interior of the rotor. Each of the plurality of ducts defines an opening or groove that opens into the space. The supply conduit has a conduit end defining an orifice.

Abstract: A guide vane is provided in a pin fluffer to assist in pulp mat retention during fluffing by providing a cyclic lift component to the mat as it passes over the vane thereby also further increasing retention time obtained in the fluffer.

Abstract: Method and device (FIG. 1) for conditioning of hydrocarbon fluids before their fractioning by means of mechanical vibrations comprise the supply of fluid into the space (1) of the rotating working wheel (2), discharge of fluid into the circular chamber (4), formed by the working wheel and the stator (7) through a series of outlet openings (8), and outflow of fluid. During this, preferred empirical relationships are observed:R=1.1614 K (mm),.DELTA.R=1.1614 B (mm)andn=3.8396 K.sup.-1.5 *10.sup.6 (r.p.m.),whereR is the radius of the peripheral cylindrical surface of the working wheel,.DELTA.R is the radial size of the circular chamber,n is the frequency of the working wheel rotation,K is the number of the outlet openings of the working wheel,B is the integer in the range of 1 through K/5.

Abstract: A rotor-stator assembly having a stator and a rotor for mixing and emulsifying materials in which the rotor includes wedge-shaped rotor blades and the stator includes generally V-shaped openings which together impart additional and increased high speed shearing forces and/or pressures on the mixture thereby resulting in a finer reduction of agglomerates and mixture uniformity. The rotor blades preferably comprise a wedge-shaped leading edge and desirably the blades have a V-shaped cross-section. The stator preferably includes a first plurality of elongated, spaced-apart slots, and a second plurality of spaced-apart slots. The slots are disposed so as to define a generally V-shaped configuration around the circumference of the stator.

Abstract: Rotary filtration devices and processes are disclosed. The devices have at least one inner member and at least one outer member, one or both of which rotate so that they rotate with respect to one another and which define a fluid filtration gap therebetween. There are one or more filters facing the fluid filtration gap and which are located either on the inner member or on the outer member or on both. During the filtration process, permeate passes from the feed fluid in the fluid filtration gap through the one or more filters. The inner member has an internal pathway for the flow of feed fluid. Fluid from the body of fluid to be filtered flows from the body of feed fluid to be filtered through the internal pathway, reverses direction, and then flows through the fluid filtration gap back to the body of feed fluid.

Abstract: A continuous mixer for liquids comprises a casing having a conical interior surface and a discharge outlet at the apex of the cone formed by the conical interior surface, a rotor that rotates at its center on the axis of the cone and has a conical exterior surface whose vertical angle is approximately equal to the vertical angle of the conical interior surface, a pressure-transport device that has one or more feed lines which communicate with a gap between the interior surface of the casing and the exterior surface of the rotor a position removed from the discharge outlet and that delivers one or more liquid inputs under pressure through the feed lines, and a gap-adjustment device capable of axially adjusting the rotor within the casing to adjust the gap. The internal pressure and temperature or the mixer can be controlled or adjusted while the rotor is rotating by changing the gap width along the axial direction.

Abstract: A rotor shaft extends axially through an interior cylinder defined by a housing. The shaft is mounted for rotation at one end. A flow of medium consistency stock is introduced axially to the cylinder, while a chemical inlet supplies bleaching chemicals axially to a rotor mounted on the shaft. The head of the rotor has turbine passages which accelerate the impinging bleaching chemicals along radial lines to be thus distributed across the whole aperture of the cylinder. Tapered vanes extend from the rotor adjacent to the rotor head and create circulating vortices which mix the bleach chemicals with the pulp. As the tapered vanes extend radially toward the cylindrical walls of the cylindrical housing, the vortices extend to the housing walls. The finely mixed bleaching chemicals and pulp are then forced through a foraminous cylinder which separates the interior of the cylindrical housing from an outlet volute by vanes which extend to near engagement with the foraminous cylinder.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing dispersions of solids in a fatty phase has at least two parts (1, 4) which can be driven with the aid of at least one drive and caused to rotate relative to one another, form a processing gap (6, g1, g2, g1', g2') between one another and are mounted relative to one another by means of at least one rotary bearing (2 or 3). One part is in the form of processing container (1) having at least one feed orifice (9) and at least one outflow orifice (11). The other part (4) is arranged essentially concentrically with the first part (1) and with the axis of rotation (A). At least one of the two parts (1 or 4) is provided with shearing tools (7, 8) on the surfaces (12, 16) facing one another. The processing container (1) is essentially conical, the cone having its smaller end face on the side of the feed orifice (9).

Abstract: A mixer, having a unique rotor, is particularly suitable for mixing paper pulp having a consistency of about 6-15% (medium consistency) with a bleaching gas having an ozone content of at least one percent, and typically at least six percent. The rotor comprises a disc shaped base, a hub at the center of the base for connecting it to a drive mechanism for driving the rotor at an angular velocity of 1000-6000 rpm, and one or more rings concentric with the base and extending outwardly from the base at least about three inches (and of the same for different heights). A number of blades may extend radially through the center of the base along the contour of the rings, extending outwardly from the base, rings, and hub. Degassing holes may be formed in the hub and connected up to a suitable degassing structure in the mixer. The rings may have a cross-sectional shape corresponding to that of a truncated right circular cone frustum, or may have a rectangular cross-section.

Abstract: An agitator apparatus for agitating pellets of raw material of synthetic resins includes an agitation vessel for receiving pellets and coloring agents and removably housed in a supporting frame. An agitator is mounted elevatably on the supporting frame for entering into and withdrawing from the vessel. The agitator has a plurality of agitating legs and agitating blades which are mounted to respective lower ends of the agitating legs. The agitation vessel is provided in the center bottom thereof with an upright guiding pillar to which a stationary blade is fixed and is provided in the inner peripheral wall thereof with a plurality of mixing blades for agitating the pellets together with coloring agents in the agitation vessel to accomplish uniform coloring of the pellets.

Abstract: A guide vane is provided in a pin fluffer to assist in pulp mat retention during fluffing by providing a cyclic lift component to the mat as it passes over the vane thereby also further increasing retention time obtained in the fluffer.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a rotor sleeve which reduces the fine scale mixing of liquid components. The rotor sleeve in the annular mixing zone minimizes liquid-liquid shear, but does not adversely affect the pumping action of the rotor. The separator comprises a housing having a generally cylindrical inner surface defining an interior chamber. A hollow rotor is disposed within the chamber for rotation therein, the rotor having upper and lower openings and a generally cylindrical rotor wall with an inner and outer surface. The outer surface of the rotor wall is spaced apart from the inner surface of the housing and thereby defines the annular mixing zone. The rotor sleeve comprises a cylinder only slightly larger than the rotor. The sleeve is fixed relative to the housing, thereby preventing liquid within the annular mixing zone from contacting the rotating outer surface of the rotor. The reduction in mixing action dramatically increases the separation efficiency for shear-sensitive liquid mixtures.

Abstract: The present invention provides in a bulk polymerization reactor chain suitable for polymerizing a syrup of one or more monomers having dissolved therein one or more rubbers the improvement comprising a uniform shear field device. During polymerization at least a portion of the syrup polymerized to from 4 to 95% conversion passes through the uniform shear field device to produce at least a portion of a syrup having a rubber particle size more closely controlled than currently possible using a conventional reactor chain without a uniform shear field device.

Abstract: Spiral vortex device for the determined production of spiral flows in a liquid, especially in water provided with a rotation-symmetrical external container, a rotation-symmetrical internal container having two open ends, a drive shaft and a deflection piece, whereby by the driveshaft a relative rotation between the external container and the internal container is executable in such a manner that between the external and internal container an ascending, spiral flow is produced which through interaction with the deflection piece is reversed in its direction and then descends spirally inside of the internal container turning in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing or otherwise processing fluids, which apparatus comprises, within a housing, a rotating perforated drum positioned tangentially relative to an inner non-rotating stationary body that is located within the rotating perforated drum. The outer surface of the rotating perforated drum is also positioned tangentially relative to the inner surface of the housing or other outer non-rotating stationary body. In operation, zones are formed which promote mixing of the fluid being processed and generate new fluid surfaces, thereby facilitating mixing, degassing and/or reaction.

Abstract: Medium consistency (e.g. about 5-18%) paper pulp is mixed with a treatment fluid by fluidizing them while subjecting them to a constantly changing shear field in radial and axial planes. This is accomplished by providing a mixer rotor having a constantly varying cross-section along a dimension of elongation. The rotor may comprise a body having an external surface simulating alternately oriented cone frustums along its axis of rotation, with vanes connected to the external surface and including portions following the surface contour. A disk may or may not be provided at the end of the body connected to a shaft. A first interior housing portion has a configuration mimicking that of the rotor, while a second housing portion defines a fluidization zone with the disk.

Abstract: Polymer activation apparatus for activating a batch of dry polymer in dilution water includes a tank which contains the dilution water in a mixing vessel and a mixing assembly within the mixing vessel. The dilution water is circulated at a high rate through the mixing assembly to create a high shear flow condition within the mixing assembly. The polymer is introduced into the mixing assembly to disperse the polymer in the dilution water and form a slurry in the vessel without causing agglomeration of the dry polymer. After dispersion and before hydration of the polymer, the rate of circulation through the mixing assembly is reduced to create a low shear flow condition. The low shear condition is maintained as the viscosity of the solution increases.

Abstract: Medium consistency (e.g. about 5-18%) paper pulp is mixed with a treatment fluid by fluidizing them while subjecting them to a constantly changing shear field in radial and axial planes. This is accomplished by providing a mixer rotor having a constantly varying cross-section along a dimension of elongation. The rotor may comprise a body having an external surface simulating alternately oriented cone frustums along its axis of rotation, with vanes connected to the external surface and including portions following the surface contour. A disk may or may not be provided at the end of the body connected to a shaft. A first interior housing portion has a configuration mimicking that of the rotor, while a second housing portion defines a fluidization zone with the disk.

Abstract: An improved mixing apparatus for mixing a liquid and a particulate solid material within a container such that the pigments and/or other solid particulate materials, which are initially precipitated out and usually accumulated at the bottom of the container, are rapidly and thoroughly mixed and dispersed throughout the liquid in a uniform manner such that substantially all of the particulate material is dispersed within the liquid. In one embodiment, a flow pattern in the form of an inverted vortex rising from the bottom center of the container is created by a rotating frusto-conically shaped impeller to pull the particulate material away from the bottom of the container. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a cover mechanism, which is made to function integrally with the mixing apparatus, and which covers the container during the mixing operation to prevent the escape of fumes or spray.

Abstract: A method for mixing and separating immiscible liquid salts and liquid metals in a centrifugal contractor. The method includes introducing the liquids into an annular mixing zone and intensely mixing the liquids using vertical vanes attached to a rotor cooperating with vertical baffles, a horizontal baffle, and bottom vanes attached to the contactor housing. The liquids enter the contactor in the range of 700-800 degrees Celsius. The liquids are separated in the rotor into a dense phase and a light phase which are discharged from the contactor.

Abstract: A high speed mixing apparatus is shown for slurry materials which includes a stationary housing and a cylindrical rotor mounted for rotation within the housing. The rotor has an outer surface which is embossed with a repeating pattern of pyramidal shapes, each pyramidal shape having four triangular faces which meet at an apex. Each face has a base edge which forms grooves in the rotor for directing the flow of slurry in directions 45 degrees relative to the rotor's axis of rotation.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating material mixtures such as fiber mixtures is disclosed, including conically shaped corresponding inner and outer members defining a gap between their treating surfaces and being relatively rotatable with respect to each other, with at least one of the inner and outer treating surfaces including longitudinally extending grooves, and cleaning wings for cleaning the grooves protecting into the grooves and being movable along the grooves in order to do so.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing powder and liquid together continuously comprises a housing (1) which has a conical surface (16), and a rotor (7) which is journalled for rotation in the housing and which has a conical surface (9). The housing has provided therein a liquid inlet (20) through which liquid is delivered to a gap between the conical housing and rotor surfaces, and a powder inlet (12) through which powder is delivered to the upper surface (8a) of the rotor. As the rotor rotates, a liquid film is formed on the conical housing surface while, at the same time, powder is thrown onto the liquid film with the aid of rotor-carried guide vanes (10). The mixture is worked and pressed out through an outlet (30) by wing-like elements (11) carried by the rotor.

Abstract: The mixer is of the kind composed of a container which is internally provided with one or more vertical screws welded to a shaft which rotates about end pins fixed to the container. The improvements consist in a scraping element which is fixed to one of the pins and extends longitudinally flanking the shaft. Each scraping element has a blade which is rigidly associated therewith and scrapes the surface of the shaft and blade which is spaced from the surface.

Abstract: A rotor and stator mixing system has mixing-chamber recesses in the outer periphery of the rotor and inner periphery of the stator which are generally similar, arrayed in peripheral and axial rows and are mutually axially offset. The guide radius R of the semicircular ends of each elongated recess is also the trough radius thereof and the trough depth is less than this guide radius. The length L of the mixing chambers is three to four times the guide radius, the web width between the recesses of each circumferential row is less than half the guide radius and the shear gap width W is so selected that the shear velocity which is realized is sufficient for effective mixing by a shear action.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for mixing chemicals into a fibre pulp, the pulp passes in a space between a fixed casing and a rotating device through three treatment sections. In the first treatment section a transport screw is arranged for transporting the pulp and impart to it a pressure up to the subsequent treatment section. In this treatment section both the casing and the rotating device are provided with guide elements which cause shearing between the fibre layers of the pulp by alternating velocity gradiants in the pulp and oscillating movement thereof. In the next treatment section the pulp is imparted a retarding velocity in a first part of the section and thereafter an accelerating velocity in a second part of the section during simultaneous oscillating movement and shearing between the fibre layers. This is accomplished by a configuration of both the fixed casing and the rotating device in the form of double-cones having their basis abutting each other.

Abstract: A fermenting device for culturing aerobic microorganisms equipped with a plurality of stirrer-agitators also includes a preferably conical baffle screen which is open at the top and the bottom and is spaced from the walls of the fermentor device, and is disposed between each agitator for guiding air dispersed by one agitator into the space under the next agitator for redispersion thereby. Suitably an annular guide member is disposed along the interior walls of the fermentor and under the baffle screen to improve the efficacy of the redispersion. The aerobic fermentation process involves the dispersing of air introduced into the fermentor by a rotated agitator and then conducting the dispersed air by a baffle screen and optional annular guide member to a next agitator for redispersion.

Abstract: A liquid bearing for use in rotary devices processing biological fluids is disclosed. The device has a stationary housing and a rotating cartridge. One end of the cartridge is rotatably connected to the housing. The other end is not directly connected to the housing, and, thus, is free to move laterally during rotation. The liquid bearing tends to recenter the free end of the cartridge during rotation.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus for mixing two or more liquids, e.g. as required in reactive injection molding, has a rotary member mounted for rotational and axial movement within a cylindrical bore of a mixing head, with a convex conical surface of the rotary member disposed opposite a concave conical surface formed at a lower end of the bore. Mixing is performed by axially displacing the rotary member to form a mixing gap between the conical surfaces, injecting two or more liquids into the gap from the periphery thereof, and rotating the rotary member at high speed to mix the liquids, the mixture being ejected from a central aperture formed in the concave conical surface. On completion of the mixing operation, residual mixture is ejected by moving the conical surfaces into close contact.

Abstract: Apparatus for the mixing and cooling of hot, particulate matter, such as hot, retorted oil shale, comprises a plurality of enclosed, vertically spaced apart, converging vessels through which the material to be mixed and cooled is flowed. At least the lowermost vessel is configured for a packed bed flow of the material and has mounted therein, on a vertical drive shaft, a mixer blade assembly having a plurality of similar mixing blades which are upwardly inclined at an angle, A.sub.1, of between about 30.degree. and about 75.degree. and preferably within about .+-.15.degree. of the sidewall angle of the vessels. The blades are mounted so as to have an angle of attack, A.sub.2, relative to the rotational direction of travel, of between about 20.degree. and about 60.degree.. A constant angle of attack along each mixing blade is assured by making the angle, A.sub.3, between the blade leading edge and the blade base to be related to the blade inclination and attack angles in accordance with the relationship:A.sub.

Abstract: In a cyclone mixer for the continuous mixing of pulverulent substances with liquids, with a charging mechanism for the pulverulent substances and with a mixing chamber positioned below it and into whose upper region issues a tangential suction tube and which is provided in the lower region with a pump impeller and a dispersing apparatus surrounding the same and into whose lower region issues an outlet, it is provided according to the invention that the dispersing apparatus is constructed as a fixed lamellar ring, which is provided with uniformly circumferentially distributed baffle lamellas extending substantially radially outwards and whose inner portions immediately adjacent to the radial outer boundary of the impeller. In the case of an extremely simple construction, this apparatus ensures that despite the oppositely influencing parameters of high dispersion level and high throughput, a qualitatively and quantitatively very high efficiency is achieved.

Abstract: Improved dispersion or emulsification of a fluid medium of at least two components is obtained with an apparatus comprising a stator, a rotor journalled for rotation in close proximity to the stator and separated from the stator by a small gap, through passages in the rotor, a plurality of spaced inlets in the stator which open radially into the gap between the rotor and stator, and a means adjacent the rotor oppositely of the stator for collecting the dispersion or emulsification. There is at least one inlet in the stator for each of the components being dispersed or emulsified. The through passages in the rotor, the gap between the rotor and stator, and the inlets in the stator define at least one shearing field at the interface of the rotor and the stator.

Abstract: Novel process for preparing rubber-based compositions, e.g. adhesive formulations including natural and/or synthetic rubber and a quantity of tackifier resin for increasing adhesion, wherein said resin is incorporated in the composition via a cavity transfer mixer.

Abstract: Arrangement for the treatment of fluent, thin and highly viscous media, particularly for the fermentation of micro organisms, for mixing, pumping and the dissipation of the medium. The arrangement is based on a novel principle of bladeless mixing and pumping of fluent media of any kind and density. The main part of the arrangement is a hollow rotor with a bottom with at least a single inlet opening in the bottom. The rotor is rotated at a speed at which the treated medium due to centrifugal forces proceeds from one end of the rotor to the other one. The medium is discharged from the rotor through one or more outlet openings in the sides or in the top of the rotor; the medium is either only raised, or is also dissipated below or above the level of the fluent medium.

Abstract: An improved agitator for use with a fermentation and tissue culturing vessel acting as a microcarrier culture vessel is provided. The agitator includes a hollow body assembly having an open end and a closed end and at least one tubulation communicating with the hollow body assembly at a location spaced from the open end thereof, the tubulation having an exit opening oriented such that movement of the agitator and the tubulation causes a suction or draft at the exit opening to cause flow of fluid from the open end of the hollow body assembly through the hollow body assembly and out through the tubulation exit opening. In this way, a microcarrier cell culture may be stirred in a smooth and non-erratic way thereby minimizing the detachment of the rounded growth cells from the microcarriers.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus is disclosed which comprises a vessel; first impeller means positioned within said vessel immediately subjacent to the top of said vessel but sufficiently spaced from said top to rotate; second impeller means positioned within said vessel immediately superjacent to the bottom of said vessel but sufficiently spaced from said bottom to rotate; third impeller means positioned within said vessel between said first and said second impeller means; paddle means positioned within said vessel between said second and said third impeller means; and means for rotating said first, second and third impeller means and said paddle means.

Abstract: An apparatus for the continuous mixing of pulverulentsubstances with liquids is described which, in a mixing chamber, makes it possible to obtain a particularly intense wetting of pulverulent particles in that in the feed zone for the pulverulent substances, the liquid droplets are made to move in a particularly intense and substantially irregular manner.

Abstract: There is disclosed a mixer ideally suited for mixing of viscous, pasty and semi-solid materials. The mixer comprises at least one propeller having a central hub fixedly secured to the drive shaft and a plurality of axially pitched, radial blades carried by the hub. Preferably the blades terminate in an outer, annular thin rim. The propeller is used in an assembly which includes a stator that is supported by a spider having a second hub that is slideably and rotatably received over the drive shaft and that supports a plurality of arms which surround the propeller. A second plurality of axially pitched, radial blades are carried by the second hub, preferably of equal number and substantially the same configuration as the first plurality of blades of the propeller. These blades are centrally supported by a third hub which is also slideably and rotatably received over the drive shaft and the blades preferably terminate in a second, outer, annular thin rim which is also attached to the arms of the spider.

Abstract: An extruder including a devolatilizing section having helical channels formed in the barrel and having a cylindrical rotor closing the inner sides of the channels. Material is fed onto the rotor surface which rotates and forms the material into one or more rolling banks engaging only the upstream flank of the channels and the rotor surface. Helical vent slots pass through the barrel into each channel at the downstream flanks not occupied by the rolling bank.

Abstract: An extrusion apparatus having a barrel and a rotatable threaded screw coaxially positioned therein is disclosed. The apparatus includes an upstream inlet section having an opening therein for receiving material to be processed by the apparatus, a compression section downstream of the inlet section, and a mixing or plasticizing section downstream of the compression section. The interior surface of the barrel is provided with an undercut therein which intercommunicates the feed opening with the compression section and has a portion thereof which extends downstream in the compression section about the interior surface of the barrel with a continuously decreasing cross-sectional area. The undercut may be formed in a cylindrical insert carried within the barrel and, in an alternate embodiment, a second undercut cylindrical insert positioned about the first insert and rotatable relative thereto may be employed to vary the cross-sectional area of the undercut.