Patent ID: 8322910

Claim:
An apparatus for mixing liquids by producing shear and/or cavitation, said apparatus comprising: at least one inlet; a mixing chamber, said mixing chamber comprising an entrance, said mixing chamber being in liquid communication with said at least one inlet; an element with an orifice therein, said element being located adjacent the entrance of said mixing chamber, wherein said orifice is configured to spray liquid in a jet in a general direction and produce shear or cavitation in the liquid, wherein said orifice has a width and a height; a substantially flat blade in said mixing chamber disposed opposite the element with an orifice therein, said blade having two opposing surfaces that are oriented substantially parallel to the general direction of said liquid spray, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a tip on said leading edge, which tip is the portion of the blade positioned closest to the orifice; and at least one outlet in liquid communication with said mixing chamber for discharge of liquid following the production of shear or cavitation in said liquid, said at least one outlet being located downstream of said mixing chamber, wherein said apparatus has at least one of the following features: (1) said at least one outlet is on the gravitational bottom of said apparatus and can also be used for draining said mixing chamber; and (2) said apparatus further comprises at least one drain on the gravitational bottom of said apparatus for draining said mixing chamber.