Patent ID: 9446358
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: B01F

Claim Text:
1. A fluid mixing apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a vessel for containing a liquid with a liquid level; an inlet device comprising a floating suction at or near a top of the liquid level and movable with the liquid level, wherein the inlet device withdraws a portion of the liquid from a region at or near the top surface of the liquid level; a motive force device with a suction and a discharge, the suction fluidly connected to the inlet device with the discharge having a continuously sealed connection with the floating suction with no gaps in fluid flow between the floating suction and the discharge; and at least one mixer fluidly connected to the discharge and angled at least generally upward, wherein the at least one mixer returns the portion of the liquid to a different part of the vessel; and for liquids having a density difference of at least about 20 kilograms per meter cubed between the liquid in the region at or near the top surface of the liquid level and the liquid in the different part of the vessel, the fluid mixing apparatus provides a reduced mixing time compared to a fluid mixing apparatus having an inlet device that does not include a floating suction.