Disclosed cyclonic flow-inducing pumps overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions that arise from flow of certain types of materials through a material flow conduit. Such cyclonic flow-inducing pumps provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow. Such cyclonic flow profile provides a variety of other advantages as compared to a parabolic flow profile such as, for example, increased flow rate, reduce inner pipeline wear, more uniform inner pipe wear, reduction in energy consumption, reduced or eliminated adverse considerations such as slugging.

Various examples of systems and methods for making microspheres, microparticles, and emulsions are provided. In one example, a system and method for forming microspheres comprises: pumping a dispersed phase liquid and a continuous phase liquid into a levitating magnetic impeller pump to subject the dispersed phase liquid and continuous phase liquid to a high shear environment within the impeller pump's pump chamber. In another example, a system and method for forming an emulsion comprises: pumping a dispersed phase liquid and an inner aqueous phase liquid into a levitating magnetic impeller pump to subject the dispersed phase and the inner aqueous phase to a high shear environment within the impeller pump's pump chamber.

The disclosure relates to pumping systems that may be used to pump fluids in variety of situations where it is important to maintain fluid flow. The systems include at least two pump assemblies. At least one controller, an inlet, an outlet, and a stand.

The disclosure relates to pumping systems that may be used to pump fluids in variety of situations where it is important to maintain fluid flow. The systems include at least two pump assemblies. At least one controller, an inlet, an outlet, and a stand.

A polymer flocculant mixing and dissolving system comprising: a mixing tank (2) in which a solid polymer flocculant is mixed with water used as a solvent; a liquid feed unit (3) for feeding an aqueous solution containing the polymer flocculant from the mixing tank; a regenerative mixer (4A,4B) used to mix and dissolve the polymer flocculant by applying pressure to the aqueous solution containing the polymer flocculant fed from the liquid feed unit while forming a vortex flow; a process channel (61) through which the aqueous solution that has passed through the regenerative mixer is fed to a downstream process; a circulation channel (62) through which the aqueous solution is returned to a position on an upstream side of the liquid feed unit; and a flow rate adjusting unit (6) for adjusting a balance between a flow rate of the aqueous solution flowing through the process channel and a flow rate of the aqueous solution flowing through the circulation channel. The polymer flocculant mixing and dissolving system can stably supply the solution in an amount required in the downstream process.

A polymer flocculant mixing and dissolving system comprising: a mixing tank (2) in which a solid polymer flocculant is mixed with water used as a solvent; a liquid feed unit (3) for feeding an aqueous solution containing the polymer flocculant from the mixing tank; a regenerative mixer (4A,4B) used to mix and dissolve the polymer flocculant by applying pressure to the aqueous solution containing the polymer flocculant fed from the liquid feed unit while forming a vortex flow; a process channel (61) through which the aqueous solution that has passed through the regenerative mixer is fed to a downstream process; a circulation channel (62) through which the aqueous solution is returned to a position on an upstream side of the liquid feed unit; and a flow rate adjusting unit (6) for adjusting a balance between a flow rate of the aqueous solution flowing through the process channel and a flow rate of the aqueous solution flowing through the circulation channel. The polymer flocculant mixing and dissolving system can stably supply the solution in an amount required in the downstream process.

A high pressure homogenizer for flowable substances charged with particles, having a high pressure chamber and a homogenizer unit that is located fluidically downstream thereof and, by swirling, expands the fluid to be homogenized which has previously been brought to a pressure of more than 500 bar in the high pressure chamber, and a plunger pump associated with the homogenizer unit, the plunger of which plunger pump pressurizes the high pressure chamber, wherein the high pressure homogenizer has a low pressure chamber which surrounds the plunger shaft to cool the plunger and which has an operating pressure of P.sub.N≤25 bar, wherein the low pressure chamber and the high pressure chamber are separated from each other by a seal which is penetrated by the plunger, the seal being a throttle gap which is formed between the plunger shaft and a bushing that does not contact the plunger shaft, the ratio S/.sub.L of the length to the radial annular gap height of the throttle gap being ≤0.0015.

A high pressure homogenizer for flowable substances charged with particles, having a high pressure chamber and a homogenizer unit that is located fluidically downstream thereof and, by swirling, expands the fluid to be homogenized which has previously been brought to a pressure of more than 500 bar in the high pressure chamber, and a plunger pump associated with the homogenizer unit, the plunger of which plunger pump pressurizes the high pressure chamber, wherein the high pressure homogenizer has a low pressure chamber which surrounds the plunger shaft to cool the plunger and which has an operating pressure of P.sub.N≤25 bar, wherein the low pressure chamber and the high pressure chamber are separated from each other by a seal which is penetrated by the plunger, the seal being a throttle gap which is formed between the plunger shaft and a bushing that does not contact the plunger shaft, the ratio S/.sub.L of the length to the radial annular gap height of the throttle gap being ≤0.0015.

A dispersing and grinding device for dispersing or grinding particles in a particle-containing liquid with a shear force generated when the particle-containing liquid passes through a gap, the dispersing and grinding device including: a casing; a rotor, a stator, and an impeller; and drive means. The gap is defined between the stator and the rotor. When the rotor and the impeller are rotated by the drive means, the particle-containing liquid is allowed to flow into the casing through an inflow portion of the casing by a rotating force of the impeller, and passes through the gap to cause the particles in the particle-containing liquid to be dispersed or ground with a shear force generated when the particle-containing liquid passes through the gap.

A pump or combination pump/mixer device is disclosed. The pump or pump/mixer uses moving diaphragms in combination with check valves to pump and/or mix fluid. A main inlet is located at the top of the pump and is fed by a vessel or container that contains fluid. The fluid, in response to the moving diaphragms, passes through an outer chamber into a plurality of lower chambers and then into a central chamber where the fluid then exits via one or more outlets. A series of check-valves are used to ensure one-way flow of fluid through the chambers. The drive shaft of a motor or drive unit drives a nutating disk or wobble plate that actuates the diaphragms to drive fluid through the device. In the pump/mixer configuration, one or more additional inlets are provided to input additional fluids into the device for mixing within the inside of the pump/mixer.