GB894627A - Method and apparatus for treating materials and/or material mixtures continuously or in charges - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0894627/III/1> <PICT:0894627/III/2> <PICT:0894627/III/3> <PICT:0894627/III/4> <PICT:0894627/III/5> <PICT:0894627/III/6> A method of treating materials and/or material mixtures of different nature continuously or in batches, e.g. emulsifying, comprises forcing the material or material mixture through an annular working gap at a predetermined speed and subjecting the material or material mixture in the working gap to periodically repetitive shearing, pulsation and cavitation effects in a circumferential direction at sonic or ultrasonic frequency, the circumferential speed of the material or material mixture in the working gap being only a fraction of the speed at which the shearing, pulsation and cavitation effects are propagated through the material or material mixture but being a multiple of the speed of the material or material mixture through the working gap in a direction transverse to the said circumferential direction. Emulsions comprising (a) talcum, vaseline and lanolin and (b) mineral oil distillate, methyl alcohol, tannin and graphite, are mentioned. In one form of apparatus for carrying out the method, a stator 112, Fig. 1, secured to a container 113 is provided with annular rows of teeth 121 with which co-operate annular rows of teeth 120 provided on a rotor 111, the rows of teeth 120, 121 extending across an annular gap 119 between the rotor and stator. The rotor carries beating and tearing members 115 co-operable with members 126 carried by the stator. A screen 127 secured to the rotor serves to separate the material entering the gap 119. The stator has an annular discharge channel 122 containing at least one pump vane 123 mounted on the rotor. In a modification, Fig. 3, the stator and/or rotor may be provided with one or more slotted or perforated rings 135 to produce a smashing and shearing effect. In a further modification, Fig. 4 (not shown), the rotor and stator are also provided with friction bodies respectively. In another modification, Fig. 5 (not shown), a sieve is provided on the rotor beyond the working gap. In further modifications, Figs. 6 and 7 (not shown), the tips of the rotor members extend beyond the roots of the stator members and enter annular grooves in the stator and vice versa. In another modification, a casing 1, Fig. 8, having an inlet 2 and outlet 3 is provided with rows of ribs 6, teeth 7, ribs 8 and teeth 10 co-operable respectively with rows of ribs 15, teeth 17, ribs 18 and teeth 20 provided on a rotor 14. In a further modification, Fig. 11, the casing 32 has rows of teeth 37 co-operable with rows of teeth 51 provided on rotary vanes 49 and with rows of teeth 53 provided on a hollow rotor 48. The rotor is equipped with vanes 54 which lead the material to a further treatment stage comprising a stator ring 41 provided with rows of teeth 40 co-operable with rows of teeth 58 secured to a rotor ring 57. Rotor blades 60 are secured to the ring 57. A shaft 44 carries a worm conveyer 46 co-operable with casing ribs 35. In another modification, Fig. 16 (not shown), the outermost stator row following the blades 54 constitutes a slotted or perforated ring. In a further modification, Fig. 18 (not shown), the apparatus of Fig. 11 is modified in that the vanes 49 are disposed in a cylindrical casing and in that the stage 37, 53 may also be cylindrical. In another modification, Fig. 19 (not shown), a valved system connected to the apparatus of Fig. 11 enables the material to be re-circulated through the whole, or only part, of the apparatus. In another modification, Fig. 22, apparatus similar to that shown in Fig. 11 is mounted in a container 86 and has a suction pipe 85 connected to the inlet thereof. The stock is sucked in from the bottom of the container through the pipe 85 and expelled in a fine spray at the outlet into the container space above the stock. This spray may be treated with air or other gas supplied through a conduit 87. The fine droplets are thrown against the wall of the container, the heavier stock dropping towards the bottom of the container while the gas escapes through a conduit 88. In a further modification, Fig. 23, stock to be treated is supplied through conduits 95 to an apparatus, similar to that shown in Fig. 11, mounted in a container 92. The stock emerges from the apparatus in the form of a spray which while falling in the form of droplets is dried by means of warm and dry air blown in through a conduit 96 having a distributer 97 so that the treated stock accumulates in fine condition on the container bottom from which it is removed through an outlet 98 by means of a conveyer 99. Specifications 734,571 and 774,275 are referred to.