A method for extruding a comestible material comprises the steps of passing comestible material into an extruder (100) with rotation of the extruder screw(s) (120, 122) and delivery of fluid comprising steam and water into an opening (114a) of the extruder barrel (104). The fluid delivery step comprises separately directing individual quantities of steam and water into the casing (72) of a static mixing section (54), and blending the steam and water to create a blended mixture, and then delivering the blended mixture into the barrel (114a). The blended mixture is delivered to the barrel opening (114a) by a conveying assembly (84, 86) having a pipe assembly (86) with an outlet in communication with the barrel opening (114a); the pipe assembly (86) and opening (114a) have diameters less than maximum internal diameter of the static mixer casing (72).

An extruder (100) for comestible material comprises a tubular barrel (104) and one or more elongated, axially rotatable, helically flighted screws (120, 122) within the barrel (104), where the barrel (104) has a delivery opening (114a). The extruder barrel (104) is equipped with an assembly (22) for delivery of fluid to the interior thereof, including a static mixing section (54) operable to blend steam and water to create a blended mixture; the blended mixture is delivered to the barrel opening (114a) by of a conveying assembly (84, 86) having a pipe assembly (86) with an outlet in communication with the barrel opening (114a); the pipe assembly (86) and opening (114a) have diameters less than maximum internal diameter of the static mixer casing (72).

Methods of preconditioning comestible materials such as foods or feeds include the step of separately injecting steam and water into a static mixer in order to create a blend, which is then injected into the materials within a preconditioner barrel. The methods yield increased cook values in the preconditioned materials, with a reduction in evolved steam from the preconditioner.

Mixer for ceramic feedstock pellets with a tank, a mixing means, and heat exchange means including cooling means for the cooling of the content of this tank.

Control means control the heat exchange means which include heating means arranged to heat the content of this tank to a temperature comprised between a lower temperature (TINF) and a higher temperature (TSUP) stored in a memory for a specific mixture, and the heating means exchange energy with a heat exchange and mixing temperature maintenance circuit, external to this tank, and wherein the thermal inertia of this circuit is higher than that of this fully loaded tank.

The invention also concerns a method for mixing raw material for powder metallurgy, implementing a specific injection moulding composition and a specific binder.

A dynamic mixer comprising two mixing parts which are rotatable relative to each other about a predetermined axis of rotation, each of said mixing parts having a mixing face, between which is defined a flow path which extends between an inlet and an outlet, each of said mixing faces comprising a series of annular steps centered on the predetermined axis of rotation, having a plurality of offset and overlapping cavities formed therein, such that material moving between the mixing faces of the two mixing parts from the inlet to the outlet is transferable between overlapping cavities.

The present set of embodiments relate to a system, method, and apparatus for culturing cells within a cell culture vessel having a mixing element. The cell culture system includes a flexible portion and a mixing element disposed therein. The mixing element includes a suspended foldable portion. The system is configured to reduce shear stress on cells without compromising mixing efficiency. This reduction is accomplished by using a mixing element having a large surface area allowing for reduced rotational speeds. The system is collapsible for ease of transport and disposal. The flexible portion collapses and the foldable portion folds to minimize the volume of the system while not in operation.

A blender for home or commercial use that is rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The blender includes an upper housing with a front housing door that covers the moving blending machinery. The blender also includes a cupholder receiving area which allows the user to safely insert a frozen food or beverage cup inside a cupholder for blending. After the start button is pressed, the cup and cupholder will be lifted together for blending in a balanced, linear motion by an elevator assembly. Dual lead screws or a dual belt drive are preferably used in the elevator assembly to achieve this balanced, linear motion. As the cupholder is lifted upward, a cover will be pressed over the top opening of the inserted cup to prevent spillage during blending. The elevator assembly continues to lift the cupholder upward until the rotating cutter blades of a spindle assembly cut through successive layers of the frozen food or beverage. To facilitate cleaning, the spindle assembly is preferably removable from the blender through use of a quick release coupling mechanism.

A mixing system for pigment dispersions, colorants, paints, and coatings, including a mixing or dispersion blade having a disc having top and bottom surfaces and an outboard edge, vanes circumferentially spaced around and extending from the outboard edge of the disc, each vane oriented non-horizontal to the top surface of the disc, and a wear-indicating notch in at least one of the vanes; and a tank, the tank including a paint, pigment dispersion, colorant, or coating.

A mixing system mixes liquid adhesive and gas to create a solution. The mixing system it a manifold defining an adhesive input that receives the liquid adhesive, a gas input that receives the gas, a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the adhesive and gas inputs, an output that outputs the solution, and an output passage extending from the mixing chamber to the output. The mixing system also includes a rotor that rotates within the mixing chamber about a longitudinal axis so as to mix the solution, a motor that rotates the rotor, and a static mixer positioned within the output passage that statically mixes the solution flowing through the output passage.

A powder blender for a system for continuous processing of powder products comprises a horizontal blending tube extending along an axis from a first end to a second end. The horizontal blending tube comprises at least one inlet configured to receive the powder products to be blended, and at least one outlet configured to discharge the powder products after blending. At least two blending devices are positioned in the blending tube and arranged successively along the axis of the blending tube. At least two actuators, wherein each of the at least two actuators is configured to operate one of the at least two blending devices such that the at least two blending devices are actuated differently from each other.