Patent ID: 6017022
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: B01F

Abstract:
A shear mixing apparatus, comprising:a) a hollow gas and liquid receiving subassembly, andb) a bubble-generating subassembly,wherein the hollow gas and liquid receiving subassembly includesi) a central conduit having an open inlet end for receiving a liquid therein and an outlet end in fluid communication with the bubble-generating subassembly, andii) a gas receiving housing which is disposed generally about and is spaced apart from the central conduit so as to define a passageway for the flow of a gas therethrough to the bubble-generating subassembly, and which includes at least one gas-receiving passageway for receiving a gas therethrough and communicating the same via the passageway to the bubble-generating subassembly, with the gas-receiving housing being joined at one of its ends in a gas-tight relationship to the central conduit, at a point closer to the inlet end of the central conduit than to its outlet end;and, wherein the bubble-generating subassembly in turn includesi) a base plate which is joined to the central conduit adjacent its outlet end in a gas-tight relationship,ii) a gas and liquid distribution housing for containing and distributing gas and liquid received from the gas receiving housing and central conduit, respectively, and which is joined to the base plate in a gas-tight relationship, andiii) a cover plate which is in turn joined to the gas and liquid distribution housing in a gas-tight relationship,the gas and liquid distribution housing having a central, funnel-shaped fluid expansion housing that with the base and cover plates divides the bubble-generating subassembly into an upper, liquid expansion chamber and a lower, gas expansion chamber, the funnel-shaped fluid expansion housing having a hollow stem that fits in a generally gas-tight seal over a portion of the central conduit and an outward-projecting, peripheral extension from said hollow stem that has defined therein a plurality of apertures that are in fluid communication with the gas expansion chamber and a plurality of fluid channels that are in fluid communication with the liquid expansion chamber, with the apertures being in fluid communication with the fluid channels for mixing of the gas and liquid conveyed therethrough.