A liquid circulator for creating liquid circulation in a body of liquid includes a vortex disrupter or blocker that disrupts a vortex created by the circulation assembly of the liquid circulator to minimize or eliminate the slurping/slapping sound. The liquid circulator and vortex disrupter described herein may be used in shallow water with the liquid circulator mounted to a structure, such as a dock or pier. The vortex disruptor permits the circulation assembly to be operated closer to the water surface, while minimizing or eliminating the slurping/slapping sound, and with the circulation assembly further away from the bottom to avoid moving too much debris or possibly causing dredging/trenching on the bottom.

An inclined belt conveyor capable of mixing particulate material, such as agricultural seed or fertilizer. Inserting a plurality of mixing baffles into the stream of the particulate material induces a backflow of the particulate material. In the case of wet, freshly treated plant seed, this backflow causes a mixing, polishing, and drying of the plant seed. The mixing distributes the seed treatment into an even coat by rubbing the individual seeds of the seed flow stream together. The inclined belt conveyor may also be used to blend multiple varieties or types of particulate material. The mixing baffles are oriented to induce backflow and sideways lateral movement and may incorporate a passage to allow increase particulate material flow rate. The mixing baffles can selectively deploy between an angle of 20 degrees to 70 degrees to enable the mixing inclined belt conveyor to have a transfer-speed-maximizing mode and a mixing mode.

A system for preparing a polymeric mixture includes: a containment device configured to distribute dry polymeric materials; a receiving chamber in fluid communication with the containment device; a wetting bowl; a dispersing channel; and a mixing chamber connected to the dispersing channel. A method of preparing a polymeric mixture includes distributing water and dry polymeric materials through the various components of the system and mixing the materials with the mechanical mixing device.

According to one embodiment a solid component mixing apparatus is provided that includes a mixing device, a first dosing device for supplying sand and a second dosing device for supplying a solid additive that are communicated with the mixing device. The mixing device includes a vertical mixing chamber with a rectangular cross-section, the contour of the chamber being formed by four side walls, such that two side walls opposite one another are wider than the other two walls. The chamber includes a first inlet communicated with the first dosing device and a second inlet communicated with the second dosing device, the second inlet being at a lower height than the first inlet, and the second inlet being arranged in one of the wider side walls of the chamber. Associated mixing methods are also provided.

A stream of seed may be maintained at a metered flow rate through multiple stages of a treatment process. These multiple stages include dispensing, first application of fluid, second application of fluid, and seed transport. Seed transport may be accomplished through a conveyor configured to maintain the metered flow rate while providing static mixing, drying, and conditioning of the treated seed. The metered stream of seed may be treated within a first treatment applicator where a first wet treatment is applied, transferred through the incline conveyor, and treated again within a second treatment applicator where a second wet treatment is applied. Overtreating in multiple stages may layer consecutive seed treatments around the treated seed. A predetermined amount of seed treatment may be applied to the coated seed based on the metered flow rate established. Maintaining the metered flow rate through multiple stages eliminates the need for multiple metering steps.

A system and method for introducing a slurry mixture for making gypsum board is disclosed. The system includes, for example, a mixer, a foam injector, and a canister for mixing and moving a slurry mixture of foam and gypsum slurry. Also included in the system is an apparatus having a funnel body constructed and arranged to further mix the slurry mixture. The funnel body includes a number of baffles projecting from its inner wall towards a center and that are spaced around the inner wall. The baffles induce turbulence into the slurry mixture as the slurry mixture moves towards its outlet, thus further mixing the mixture and reducing the flow rate of the slurry mixture before its exits from the outlet for forming the gypsum board.

A system and method for introducing a slurry mixture for making gypsum board is disclosed. The system includes, for example, a mixer, a foam injector, and a canister for mixing and moving a slurry mixture of foam and gypsum slurry. Also included in the system is an apparatus having a funnel body constructed and arranged to further mix the slurry mixture. The funnel body includes a number of baffles projecting from its inner wall towards a center and that are spaced around the inner wall. The baffles induce turbulence into the slurry mixture as the slurry mixture moves towards its outlet, thus further mixing the mixture and reducing the flow rate of the slurry mixture before its exits from the outlet for depositing onto paper to form the gypsum board.

A mixer for recirculating ash from solid fuel combustion with hydrated lime and water and to feed the mixture into a desulfurization reactor. The mixer includes a housing having a front wall, two outer vertical sidewalls, a rear wall, a top, and a bottom, the top includes a feed chute configured for the entry and addition of product to the mixer, and the front wall includes an opening for the mixture of product to exit. The mixer also includes a rotatable vertical shaft having an impeller, the impeller having a plurality of blades disposed on the vertical shaft in the same horizontal plane and distributed equidistantly about the circumference of the vertical shaft. The mixer also includes a vertical wall disposed within the housing forming a mixing region and a feeding region that is operably connected to the opening of the front wall.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for promoting a mass transfer reaction. The apparatus comprises a flow distributor and a drive unit. The flow distributor has a top end surface, a bottom end surface and a peripheral surface that are axisymmetric with respect to a rotation axis. The flow distributor is configured to submerge in a fluid medium and to generate a flow of the fluid medium through at least one of the top end surface and the bottom end surface and through the peripheral surface by rotating around the rotation axis. The drive unit is configured to move the flow distributor perpendicular to the rotation axis.

A mixer for recirculating ash from solid fuel combustion with hydrated lime and water and to feed the mixture into a desulfurization reactor. The mixer includes a housing having a front wall, two outer vertical sidewalls, a rear wall, a top, and a bottom, the top includes a feed chute configured for the entry and addition of product to the mixer, and the front wall includes an opening for the mixture of product to exit. The mixer also includes a rotatable vertical shaft having an impeller, the impeller having a plurality of blades disposed on the vertical shaft in the same horizontal plane and distributed equidistantly about the circumference of the vertical shaft. The mixer also includes a vertical wall disposed within the housing forming a mixing region and a feeding region that is operably connected to the opening of the front wall.