Abstract: A rotor-stator system for agglomerate mixing apparatus utilizes a unique rotor-stator mixer assembly which combines a high efficiency rotor with unique stator element designs to address the limitations of prior rotor-stator mixer assemblies, including the dispersal of large agglomerate and problem of heat build-up. The stator elements have a variety of slot openings in different sizes and shapes whose inside walls are slanted in an acute attack angle that will generate circumferential, rather than exit flow. These slot configurations enable rapid large agglomerate reduction into smaller and smaller agglomerates and ultimately down to particle size without the need to change stator configuration, which is already built into the device.

Abstract: A rotor-stator cooling system addresses the problem of heat generation and viscosity in feedstock mixers by utilizing a cooling dome which receives recirculating cooling water. The dome is attached above a rotor-stator mixer assembly having rotor and stator elements. Cooling water provides for temperature control to feedstock being drawn into the dome, as well as the feedstock circulating within the mixing tank containing the balance of the feedstock outside the dome. The rotor-stator assembly is cooled as well. In order to increase the feedstock viscosity range in the dome, an auger within a tubular member is added to the drive shaft above the rotor-stator assembly. This enables the velocity of slow-moving feedstock to increase, forcing it into the rotor-stator assembly located below. The feedstock is then further accelerated by the rotor element and forced through the stator element.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispersing solid constituents into a liquid vehicle employs an immersion mill operating in combination with a low shear mixer blade assembly which sweeps the walls of a tank containing a batch of solid constituents in a liquid vehicle to circulate the batch through the immersion mill to carry out a milling operation to establish a relatively high viscosity mixture having a high degree of uniformity. The immersion mill includes an improvement wherein a helical screw impeller is placed within a tubular inlet passage for moving the batch longitudinally through the tubular inlet passage into the immersion mill, the helical screw impeller including a helical flight extending along the length of the tubular inlet passage and having a diameter complementary to the diameter of the tubular inlet passage and a pitch less than the length of the tubular inlet passage such that the helical flight spans the diameter of the tubular inlet passage along plural turns of the helical flight.