Patent ID: 6536940
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: A61K,B01F,C07C

Abstract:
A process for mixing or dispersing liquids to produce a liquid dispersion having an average particle size of about 10 nm to about 1000 nm comprising:(a) pumping at a pressure of about 50 bar to about 2500 bar a pre-emulsion of the liquids to be mixed or dispersed through the bore of the inlet nozzle of a mixing device, said mixing device having a cylindrical support comprising said inlet nozzle having a bore which is in fluid communication through a turbulence chamber with a bore of an outlet nozzle, wherein the bores of the nozzles are round, rectangular or elliptical and wherein the bores of the inlet and outlet nozzles are axially spaced apart relative to one another, wherein the length to diameter ratio of the inlet and outlet nozzle bores is about 1 to about 10, the bore diameter of the inlet nozzle is about 0.05 mm to about 1 mm, the diameter of the turbulence chamber is about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm, the bore diameter of the outlet nozzle is about 0.05 mm to about 1.5 mm, the bore diameter of the inlet nozzle is smaller than the bore diameter of the outlet nozzle, and wherein the inlet and outlet nozzles are manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of sapphire, diamond, stainless steel, ceramic, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, and zirconium oxide; and (b) allowing a residence time of the liquids to be mixed or dispersed in the mixing device of about 10âˆ’6 sec to about 10âˆ’1 sec.