Patent ID: 8469585

Claim:
A method for mixing a plurality of fluids, said method comprising the steps of: a) inputting the fluids into a mixer; b) mixing said fluids in the mixer to produce a mixed product, said mixer comprises: i) at least one mixing chamber having a mixing chamber surface; ii) a drive shaft; iii) an impeller positioned within the mixing chamber having an overall cross-sectional area ranging from 75% to 99% of the cross-sectional area of the mixing chamber surface, wherein said impeller comprises a plurality of mixing blades affixed to a circular disk and to a circular upper cap and a circular lower cap, wherein said circular disk is coupled to the drive shaft and is perpendicular to said drive shaft, and wherein said mixing blades are positioned rotationally symmetrical to the drive shaft; and iv) at least one fluid inlet for feeding said plurality of fluids into the mixing chamber; and v) at least one fluid outlet for conveying said mixed product out of the mixing chamber; wherein cross sectional shape of said mixing chamber surface is (A) 3-D oblate spheroid, (B) prolate spheroid, (C) egg shaped, (D) cylindrical, (E) spherical, (F) fused cylindrical and conical, (G) double conical, (H) fused spherical and conical, or (I) drum shaped; wherein the impeller is dimensionally configured to fit within the space of said mixing chamber so there is substantially no dead volume within said mixing chamber; wherein said overall cross-sectional area of the impeller and said cross-sectional area of the mixing chamber are determined from a cross-section through the center of said drive shaft and perpendicular to said circular disk, and said overall cross-sectional area of the impeller is the area included within the outmost boundaries of the impeller defined by the mixing blades, the circular upper cap and the circular lower cap of the impeller; and c) outputting said mixed product out of the mixing chamber.