Abstract: An impeller vane assembly for blending liquids with solid particulate matter in which a center drive shaft extends through a housing having a solid particle inlet and a liquid inlet together with an outlet, and upper and lower impeller vanes are aligned respectively with the particle inlet and liquid inlet to cause intermixing of the solids and liquids by counterflow of the liquid into the upper impeller region, the upper and lower vanes being separated by a common divider plate, the upper vanes being radially split and lower vanes having outer split tips, the vanes being operative to balance the point at which the solids and liquid are intermixed between the solid particle inlet and annular space surrounding the impeller. In one embodiment, inner concentric expeller blades are employed with the upper impeller vanes to accelerate the flow of solid particles.

Abstract: An impeller vane assembly for blending liquids with solid particulate matter in which a center drive shaft extends through a housing having a solid particle inlet and a liquid inlet together with an outlet, and upper and lower impeller vanes are aligned respectively with the particle inlet and liquid inlet to cause intermixing of the solids and liquids by counterflow of the liquid into the upper impeller region, the upper and lower vanes being separated by a common divider plate, and the vanes are characterized by being curved in the direction of rotation of the impeller and having outer radially extending tips which terminate at the outer peripheral edge of the common divider plate, the vanes being operative to balance the point at which the solids and liquid are intermixed between the solid particle inlet and annular space surrounding the impeller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blending liquids with solid particulate matter in which a center drive shaft extends through a housing having a solid particle inlet and a liquid inlet together with an outlet, and upper and lower impeller vanes are aligned respectively with the particle inlet and liquid inlet to cause intermixing of the solids and liquids by counterflow of the liquid into the upper impeller region. In one embodiment, expeller blades are employed in inner concentric relation to the upper impeller vanes to accelerate the flow of solid particles into the upper impeller region, and baffle plates or deflector members are employed above and below the upper and lower impellers to prevent any leakage of liquid into the center of the impeller. In preferred and alternate forms, the impeller vanes are sized to balance the point at which the solids and liquid are intermixed.

Abstract: An impeller vane assembly for blending liquids with solid particulate matter in which a center drive shaft extends through a housing having a solid particle inlet and a liquid inlet together with an outlet, and upper and lower impeller vanes are aligned respectively with the particle inlet and liquid inlet to cause intermixing of the solids and liquids by counterflow of the liquid into the upper impeller region, the upper and lower vanes being separated by a common divider plate, and the vanes are characterized by being curved in the direction of rotation of the impeller and having outer radially extending tips which terminate at the outer peripheral edge of the common divider plate, the vanes being operative to balance the point at which the solids and liquid are intermixed between the solid particle inlet and annular space surrounding the impeller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blending liquids with solid particulate matter in which a center drive shaft extends through a housing having a solid particle inlet and a liquid inlet together with an outlet, and upper and lower impeller vanes are aligned respectively with the particle inlet and liquid inlet to cause intermixing of the solids and liquids by counterflow of the liquid into the upper impeller region. In one embodiment, expeller blades are employed in inner concentric relation to the upper impeller vanes to accelerate the flow of solid particles into the upper impeller region, and baffle plates or deflector members are employed above and below the upper and lower impellers to prevent any leakage of liquid into the center of the impeller. In preferred and alternate forms, the impeller vanes are sized to balance the point at which the solids and liquid are intermixed.

Abstract: A blending apparatus comprises a generally cylindrical casing bounded by top and bottom walls, the top wall having a central solids inlet for introduction of solids by gravity flow into an impeller mounted for rotation in the casing and in coaxial alignment with the solids inlet. The impeller has one or more spaced plates and impeller vanes mounted thereon which extend radially away from a central opening in the upper plate thereof, the central opening being aligned in open communication with the solids inlet and disposed in closely spaced relation to the top wall in such a way to prevent backflow of materials from the chamber formed in the casing through the upper solids inlet. Tangentially directed fluid inlet and outlet ports are disposed in the casing's cylindrical wall and the inlet port is disposed in outer radially spaced relation to the impeller preferably with the outlet port spaced below the inlet port and impeller for discharging intermixed materials from the chamber.