Abstract: A thin-film evaporator (TFE) includes a cylindrical body and blades disposed therein. However, to avoid clogging within a “dead zone” of a conventional discharge nozzle coupled to the cylindrical body of the TFE, an integrated drive screw apparatus intersects the cylindrical body of the TFE. The drive screw apparatus extracts processed material from the cylindrical body and ejects the processed material via a discharge nozzle coupled to the drive screw apparatus. The intersection of the cylindrical body of the TFE and the drive screw apparatus effectively reduces (possibly to zero) length of the dead zone.

Abstract: A rotary grinding system includes a support frame and a grinding assembly coupled to the support frame for longitudinal movement, with respect to a workpiece attached to the support frame. A radial arm is suspended below the grinding assembly and rotated in a plane parallel to the workpiece. A grinding wheel traverses the radial arm, thereby working a circular, annular or sector portion of the workpiece. The height, and therefore the depth of cut, of the grinding wheel may be precisely adjusted via a single point adjustment screw or the like. Optionally, the grinding system may be controlled by a computer numeric controller (CNC) to automatically refinish programmed portions or all of the workpiece. Eccentric pins extending from the support frame and into the workpiece may be used to adjust the lateral position of the support frame, relative to the workpiece.

Abstract: A vertical wiped thin-film evaporator (WFE) may be bottom fed or top fed. Some embodiments have integral entrainment separation devices. Some embodiments are configured with replaceable rotor blade cartridges to facilitate experimenting with different blade configurations, blade pitches and directions (up or down) of thin film displacement for various modes of operation. Some embodiments can be operated in either co-current or counter-current modes, without requiring modification to their “overheads” (entrainment separation, condensing and vacuum) systems. Some embodiments include a variety of feed nozzles and/or a variety of “bottoms” nozzles. The available nozzles provide flexibility in operating the device, such as selecting a mode (top feeding or bottom feeding) of operation or co-current or counter-current vapor extraction.