Patent ID: 8746963

Claim:
A continuous, semi-continuous or fed-batch mixing process for producing and maintaining a consistently mixed substance, the substance comprising at least a first phase and a second phase, the process comprising the steps of: providing a supply of at least one of the first and second phases to a tubular vessel having a flow path; imparting non-oscillatory, unidirectional linear motion to the substance in the tubular vessel using flow control means configured to impart a flow rate which gives a net flow Reynolds number greater than 500 and laminar flow to the substance in the tubular vessel; and; mixing the substance in the tubular vessel, using a plurality of annular baffles in the form of substantially flat plates comprising an aperture located approximately centrally in said plates and configured to produce local turbulent flow, the annular baffles being spaced apart in a substantially equidistant manner, and arranged substantially in parallel, such that they extend radially inwards from the side of the tubular vessel, the distance between the annular baffles being between 1d and 2d, where d is the diameter of the tubular vessel.