Abstract: A conical impeller with a hub that has a conical surface extending into the interior of the impeller. The hub has spiral, slanting arms which are attached or integrally formed with a plurality of curved blades. The blades can be connected at the bottom by a ring. The intersection of the conical surface of the hub with the blade forms an upward path for fluids and their entrained particles or gases which have been brought into the interior of the impeller to effectively completely be ejected. The discharge edges of the blades and/or the conical surface of the hub may have openings for discharging gas into the fluid. The impeller imparts low shear to the fluid and its components, and the shear is independent or only depends slightly on the size of the impeller. The impeller minimizes or eliminates particle agglomeration and fouling of the impeller. The efficiency of and flow pattern produced by the impeller means that containers don't require the use of baffles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dispersing and entraining and controlling the residence time, absorption and release of gas bubbles or particles in a fluid without losing gas utilization efficiency from escaping surface gas events. A mechanical, rotating plurality of hollowed blades that induce both an axial and radial controlled circulatory flow and provide a means of gas introduction into the discharge flow that has a conical helical, axial and radial outward flow from the axis of rotation and allows entrained gas bubbles to be trapped as particles and recirculated by means of a circulatory flow back into the intake vortex of said mechanical, rotating plurality of blades. The flow is characterized by a forced intake vortex caused by a low pressure zone with a radial component, and subsequent axial component drawing fluid in a circular fashion toward the eye of the rotating device and impelling fluid.