Abstract: A centrifugal pump has a casing, an overhung-mounted rotor in the casing having a feed chamber, which centrifugally accelerates the liquid flowing centrally to it, and a discharge chamber positioned axially behind it and connected to the feed chamber in the vicinity of the inner circumference of the rotor, as well as a scoop pipe guided centrally into the discharge chamber close to the inner circumference thereof and by means of which the liquid is discharged. For the discharge of liquids from a vacuum chamber, the discharge chamber is connected by means of a line centrally introduced into it to the gas phase of the vacuum chamber, so that the liquid flowing in via the feed chamber forms on its inner circumference a liquid ring, into which is immersed the feed end of the scoop pipe, and that on the drain side the scoop pipe is closed by an automatically closing valve, which opens under the operating pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus, e.g. centrifugal evaporator, has at least one rotary treatment surface, e.g. a heated evaporating surface, which rises outwards from the rotation axis, a liquid feed in the vicinity of the lowest point of the treatment surface close to the rotation axis and a product removal on the periphery of the treatment surface. Such an apparatus is characterized in that the treatment surface over at least part of its axial length has a stepped construction and each step has a step angle of approximately 90.degree.. Thus, as desired, a laminar or turbulent flow is possible. Through the construction of the steps it is possible to widely vary the nature of the flow and consequently the heat and material exchange, as well as the residence time of the liquid.

Abstract: A film-type evaporator has an upright container, a heating system arranged on the outside of its jacket, a rotor rotating in the container and an upper part with a vapor chamber and droplet separator. In the upper area of the rotor the product is fed onto the inner container wall and runs down in the form of a thin film in which evaporation takes place. Circulation evaporation with a high thickening capacity is made possible in that the container has an unheated lower part constructed as a receiving flask in which the product is collected and a central part with the heating system, on whose inner wall film-type evaporation takes place, and in that the tubular rotor extends into the lower part and is constructed as a circulating pump, which delivers the product from the lower part on the inside of the tubular rotor into its upper area and centrifugally delivers it there to the inner wall of the central part.

Abstract: A film-type evaporator has a vapor chamber, a rotor rotating therein, at least one evaporating surface extending outwards from the rotor axis and a heating chamber rotating therewith and sealed with respect to the vapor chamber. The starting product is fed onto the evaporating surface close to the rotor axis and spreads outwards in film-like manner due to the centrifugal force on the evaporating surface. A uniform film thickness is achieved in that the evaporating surface is a curved blade surface, which is formed by a generatrix substantially parallel to the rotor axis and whose axial extension is limited by upper and lower stop ledges, and that the concave side of the evaporating surface is directed in the circumferential direction of rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: An apparatus for thickening liquids with solid contents has a container receiving the liquid and a vapor outlet and a heater, which is positioned in the liquid column in the container. The heater is constructed as a rotor rotating in the container and is formed from a plurality of substantially parallel plates arranged with a limited axial spacing and extending outwards from the rotor axis, every second space between adjacent plates forming a heating chamber sealed with respect to the liquid, while the spaces located between the same close to the rotor axis and on the circumference thereof are open towards the container interior.

Abstract: Film-type evaporator for thickening liquid products with a container having a vapor outlet, a drive shaft introduced into the latter from above for a rotating rotor with at least one conically upwardly widening heating surface, onto whose inside the product is fed in the vicinity of the smaller diameter and the product spreads in film-like manner towards the larger diameter and is fed there as a concentrate into the container, and on whose outside is guided the heating medium supplied and removed through the hollow drive shaft.

Abstract: Fermentation equipment is provided with multiple rotating conical surfaces which create a flow of the liquid phase along the conical surfaces and produce a forced flow of the gaseous phase across the liquid phase, thus resulting in much improved mass transfer between the phases and preventing the formation of foam. The equipment is provided within a standard sterilizable fermentation vessel at the bottom of which is located propeller means for circulation of the liquid phase, cylindrical heat exchanger means for heating or cooling the liquid phase and a gas sparging system for introduction of the gaseous phase.

Abstract: A thin film evaporator consists of an enclosure defining a vapor space, a level drive shaft running into the enclosure and a rotor fixed to the shaft and having an axis of rotation disposed horizontally when in operative position, the rotor being made up of spaced coaxial conical evaporator elements, whose evaporation space communicates with the vapor space. The feed to be evaporated is supplied at one end of the rotor at the inner circumference of one or more conical evaporator elements thereof. Such evaporator elements are placed together in pairs so that they taper outwards with the evaporating faces thereof facing each other, so as to form a collection trough at their outer edges for the concentrate. The feed spreads out in the form of a film from the inner edge or edges for the elements and is taken up in the respective collection trough as a preconcentrate.

Abstract: A thin layer evaporator comprises a container forming a body, a container cover on the one side, a drive shaft projecting into the container from the opposite side, a rotor fixed to the drive shaft and which has one or more conically outwardly widening evaporator areas and whose evaporator chamber is connected to the body, as well as a heating chamber separated from the body. The starting product is fed to the inner periphery of the evaporator areas, spreads outwards therefrom in a thin film and the concentrate is removed on the outer periphery by means of a draw-off pipe. In order to be able to absorb dynamic forces in a vibration free manner, the drive shaft is partly constructed as a hollow shaft and is mounted on a fixed spindle projecting into the container and rotor.

Abstract: A device based on rotating surfaces for promoting highly efficient molecular diffusive transfer between gases and liquids is described. Said transfer is achieved by generating a thin film of liquid which flows on a rotating surface, thereby exposing a large area of flowing liquid to the gaseous phase. This device is especially useful in promoting efficient molecular transfer of gases with low solubility in the liquid, e.g., oxygen into an aqueous phase in conventional aerobic fermentation vessels. The principle of this system can be employed in the reverse direction of transfer, for gases leaving the liquid phase, such as occurs in stripping, defoaming and deodorization. Of special value is the prevention of foaming, a common problem in the operation of conventional fermentation processes which occurs as the molecular transfer takes place.

Abstract: A film evaporator is made up of a central shaft with conical surface elements fixed on it, each of which has a conically convex side and a conically concave side, said conical surface elements walling off an evaporation space. There is a means for running a product feed to limits of inner openings in the rotating conical surface elements so that same may be spread out from said limits in the form of a film and after heating by said heat vehicle may be run off out of the evaporator as a concentrate. The outer faces of the surface elements are heated by a heat vehicle. To make certain that the film of product is kept unbroken on its way through the apparatus there are tubelets with a small diameter running out radially from the outer limits of the surface elements. At their inner limits the tubelets each have an inner diameter such that the sum of the inner circumferences of all the tubelets on a given surface element is equal to the circumference of the surface element in question at its outer limit.

Abstract: A column for heat and mass transfer between a liquid and a gaseous phase has stage plates of which each is made up of a fixed ring part joined to the wall of the column, and a wheel part fixed to a turning shaft within the column. Each ring part and each wheel part are made bell-shaped or conical and the wheel part is nested within the fixed ring part and has blades on its lower face.

Abstract: A pump for extracting fluids from a vacuum enclosure with the pump including a housing having an impeller rotating therein in sealed relationship therewith. Fluid passes through a feed tube to the center of the impeller with a plurality of delivery channels extending radially of the impeller and being in fluid flow connection with the center of the impeller. The delivery channels are of assymetric U-shaped or analagous form within which, in use, the fluid forms a barrier between the high and low pressure environments.

Abstract: In a thin-layer evaporator having a vapor chamber and a hollow rotor mounted for rotation in such chamber, the rotor defining a chamber to receive a heat-transfer medium and one wall thereof constituting an upwardly facing, conical evaporator surface, a heating system for the heat-transfer medium is provided within the rotor and is thus in direct contact with such medium. The heating system is cylindrical in form and is of a diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the evaporator surface.

Abstract: A thin film evaporator comprising an element having a conical, interior surface thereon which surface defines an evaporator surface and an outer casing within which the element is disposed is further provided with a support casing intermediate the said element and outer casing, the said support casing being permeable to the heat exchange medium and being connected, with the element providing the evaporator surface, at at least one location intermediate the axial limits thereof.