Claims
- 1. Apparatus for mixing liquid and particulate matter comprising a mixing bowl having a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl about its axis at a speed sufficient to cause a liquid therein to be moved by centrifugal force up the inner surface of the bowl to the rim thereof, means for introducing a liquid into said bowl at a rate that permits an unbroken film of liquid to form on the inner surface of the bowl, means for introducing particulate material in a path having a component of radial motion into said film of liquid and above the place where said liquid enters said bowl, and means for collecting the mixed liquid and particulate material at the rim of said bowl.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of said mixing bowl is approximately parabolic in longitudinal sectional shape at the location where particulate material is introduced into said liquid.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for introducing a liquid into said bowl comprises means forming a chamber below said bowl, openings in the bottom portion of said bowl communicating into said chamber, and means for pumping said liquid into said chamber and through said openings into the bottom said bowl.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for introducing particulate material into said film of liquid within said bowl comprises a slinger means rotatably mounted within said bowl, means for rotating said slinger means, and means for dropping particulate material on said slinger means.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said slinger means is a slinger disc.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 4 and further comprising means for adjusting the vertical position of said slinger means.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for dropping said particulate material on said slinger means comprises a sealed hopper for containing a supply of said particulate material, a feed tube sealed to said hopper and extending from the bottom of said hopper to a position above said slinger means sealed respecting said mixing bowl, and a feed screw within a portion of said feed tube for moving said particulate material therethrough, said mixing bowl being sealed to prevent entry of air, and further comprising a sealed conduit coupled from the central portion of said bowl to said hopper at a point above the level of the particulate material therein to equalize the air pressure between the center of said bowl and the top of said hopper to prevent excess particulate material from being drawn into said bowl due to air movement.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said bowl comprises a drive shaft attached to the bottom portion of said bowl and means for rotating the shaft and bowl, said drive shaft extending within said bowl, said means for introducing particulate material into said film of liquid within said bowl comprising slinger means connected to said shaft within said bowl, and means for dropping particulate material on said slinger means comprising a sleeve mounted above said slinger means and means for feeding particulate material into the sleeve.
- 9. Apparatus for mixing liquid and particulate matter comprising a mixing bowl having a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl about its axis at a speed sufficient to cause a liquid therein to be moved by centrifugal force up the inner surface of the bowl to the rim thereof, means for introducing a liquid into said bowl at a rate that permits an unbroken film of liquid to form on the inner surface of the bowl, means for introducing particulate material in a path having a component of radial motion into said film of liquid and above the place where said liquid enters said bowl, means for collecting the mixed liquid and particulate materials at the rim of said bowl, and further comprising a first shear ring on the rim of said mixing bowl and a coacting stationary shear ring opposite said first shear ring for shearing the mixed liquid and particulate matter to increase its uniformity.
- 10. Apparatus for mixing liquid and particulate matter comprising a mixing bowl having a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl about its axis at a speed sufficient to cause a liquid therein to be moved by centrifugal force up the inner surface of the bowl to the rim thereof, means for introducing a liquid into said bowl at a rate that permits an unbroken film of liquid to form on the inner surface of the bowl, means for introducing particulate material in a path having a component of radial motion into said film of liquid and above the place where said liquid enters the bowl, means for collecting the mixed liquid and particulate material at the rim of said bowl, said means for introducing a liquid into said bowl comprising means forming a chamber below said bowl, openings in the bottom portion of said bowl communicating into said chamber, and means for pumping said liquid into said chamber and through said openings into the bottom of said bowl, said apparatus further comprising a disc supported within the bottom portion of said bowl in a position which allows the disc to assist liquid which is introduced into the bowl beneath the disc to form a film on the inner surface of the bowl above the disc.
- 11. Apparatus for mixing liquid and particulate matter comprising a mixing bowl having a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl about its axis at a speed sufficient to cause a liquid therein to be moved by centrifugal force up the inner surface of the bowl to the rim thereof, means for introducing a liquid into said bowl at a rate that permits an unbroken film of liquid to form on the inner surface of the bowl, means for introducing particulate material in a path having a component of radial motion into said film of liquid and above the place where said liquid enters said bowl, means for collecting the mixed liquid and particulate material at the rim of said bowl, a first shear ring on the rim of said mixing bowl and a coacting stationary shear ring opposite said first shear ring for shearing the mixed liquid and particulate matter to increase its uniformity, and a stationary cover plate mounted over said mixing bowl, said stationary shear ring being on said cover plate.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11 and also comprising a guard ring attached to said cover plate and extending downwardly therefrom over said slinger means to prevent mixed fluid and particulate material from dropping down on said slinger means.
- 13. Apparatus for mixing liquid and particulate matter comprising a mixing bowl having a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl about its axis at a speed sufficient to cause a liquid therein to be moved by centrifugal force up the inner surface of the bowl to the rim thereof, means for introducing a liquid into said bowl at a rate that permits an unbroken film of liquid to form on the inner surface of the bowl, means for introducing particulate material in a path having a component of radial motion into said film of liquid and above the place where said liquid enters said bowl, means for collecting the mixed liquid and particulate material at the rim of said bowl, and a first shear ring on the rim of said mixing bowl and a coacting stationary shear ring opposite said first shear ring for shearing the mixed liquid and particulate matter to increase its uniformity, each shear ring containing circular teeth which are separated by circular grooves.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13 and further comprising circumferentially spaced radial notches in the teeth of both shear rings for increasing the mixing action of said shear rings.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said notches in the teeth of both shear rings are arranged in radially extending lines, the lines of notches on one shear plate being skewed with respect to the lines of notches on the other shear plate to prevent the mixed fluid and particulate material from flowing in a straight line down said lines of notches when they are substantially aligned.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein there is at least one less line of notches on one shear plate than on the other to prevent all of the lines of notches from being simultaneously substantially aligned at the same time.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 684,423, filed May 7, 1976, by the same inventor, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
684423 |
May 1976 |
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