Patent ID: 7334937
Filing Date: 2008-02-26
Classification: B01F

Abstract:
1. In apparatus for blending a liquid with solid particles wherein a housing has an upper solid particle inlet and a lower liquid inlet, a center drive shaft extending vertically through said housing, and an outlet in communication with an annular space in outer spaced surrounding relation to said drive shaft, the improvement comprising: upper impeller means including a first series of circumferentially spaced vanes mounted for rotation on said shaft whereby to direct said solid particles from said particle inlet in a radial outward direction toward said annular space; lower impeller means including a second series of circumferentially spaced vanes mounted for rotation on said shaft whereby to direct liquid from said liquid inlet through said annular space to intermix by counterflow of said liquid with respect to said solid particles prior to discharge of said solid particles into said annular space; and a common flat divider plate extending continuously between said upper and lower impeller means whereby to constrain the flow of liquid upwardly from said lower impeller means around the outside of said divider plate into said annular space and wherein said upper solid particle inlet includes a plurality of radially extending expeller blades on said divider plate in inner concentric relation to said upper impeller means.