Patent ID: 8568019

Claim:
An apparatus for producing aqueous fuel emulsions with consistently uniform dispersed phase particle sizes, the apparatus comprising: one or more inlets for providing one or more mixture components of a flow of a mixture of aqueous fuel emulsion-producing liquids; and a mixing device that is directed to receive the flow, the mixing device comprising: a solid body comprising: a first face, a second face opposite the first face, and a plurality of flow passages extending therethrough from the first face to the second face, each of the plurality of the flow passages having a diameter and presenting a constant flow area through the solid body from the first face to the second face; a flow measurement device for measuring and controlling a flow rate of the flow from one or more of the inlets to the mixing device, wherein the mixture of aqueous fuel emulsion producing liquids through the plurality of flow passages is provided at a constant flow rate, and wherein the constant flow rate is selected in relation to the diameter to generate within the plurality of flow passages a shear force on the mixture of aqueous fuel emulsion-producing liquids sufficient to emulsify the mixture of aqueous fuel emulsion-producing liquids.