A stirrer is provided such that a fluid being processed can be more efficiently shown by way of the action of an intermittent jet flow and processing capacity can be improved. The stirrer concentrically includes a rotor that includes a plurality of flat vanes and that rotates, and a screen that is place around the rotor. The screen includes a plurality of slits in the circumferential direction thereof, and screen members that are positioned between adjacent slits. The fluid being processed is discharged by rotation of the rotor from the inside of the screen to the outside as an intermittent jet flow through the slits. The width of the distal working face on the distal end of the vane in the rotational direction is smaller than the width of the basal end of the vane in the rotational direction.

A stirrer is provided that can more efficiently achieve shearing applied, by an action of an intermittent jet flow, to a fluid to be processed. The stirrer concentrically includes a rotor including a blade, a partition wall, and a screen, wherein: the screen includes a plurality of slits in a circumferential direction thereof and screen members located between the adjacent slit; by rotating at least the rotor of the two components, the fluid to be processed is discharged from the inside to the outside of the screen as the intermittent jet flow through the slit of the screen; the screen has a cylindrical shape having a circular cross section; an opening of the slit provided on the inner wall surface of the screen is used as an inflow opening; openings of the plurality of slits provided on the outer wall surface of the screen are used as outflow openings; and the width of the outflow openings in the circumferential direction is set to be smaller than the width of the inflow opening in the circumferential direction.

Various aspects of the present invention relate to the control and manipulation of fluidic species, for example, in microfluidic systems. In one aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for making droplets of fluid surrounded by a liquid, using, for example, electric fields, mechanical alterations, the addition of an intervening fluid, etc. In some cases, the droplets may each have a substantially uniform number of entities therein. For example, 95% or more of the droplets may each contain the same number of entities of a particular species. In another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for dividing a fluidic droplet into two droplets, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions with an electric field. The invention also relates to systems and methods for fusing droplets according to another aspect of the invention, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions. In some cases, the fusion of the droplets may initiate or determine a reaction. In a related aspect of the invention, systems and methods for allowing fluid mixing within droplets to occur are also provided. In still another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for sorting droplets, e.g., by causing droplets to move to certain regions within a fluidic system. Examples include using electrical interactions (e.g., charges, dipoles, etc.) or mechanical systems (e.g., fluid displacement) to sort the droplets. In some cases, the fluidic droplets can be sorted at relatively high rates, e.g., at about 10 droplets per second or more. Another aspect of the invention provides the ability to determine droplets, or a component thereof, for example, using fluorescence and/or other optical techniques (e.g., microscopy), or electric sensing techniques such as dielectric sensing.

A discharge system includes a mixing vessel and a feedstock input in fluid communication with the mixing vessel. A solvent input is in fluid communication with the mixing vessel. A discharge output is in fluid communication with an outlet of the mixing vessel to discharge effluent. A method for generating turbulence on a liquid surface within a discharge system includes supplying a mixing vessel with feedstock fluid and solvent fluid to generate a liquid mixture and a gas pocket in the mixing vessel. The method includes supplying an impinging solvent fluid through a nozzle extending from a first end of the mixing vessel to generate a roiling surface at an interface between the gas pocket and the liquid mixture and permit uptake of gas from the gas pocket into the liquid mixture.

This disclosure includes mixers and methods of mixing. Some mixers comprise at least one contacting element, each defining at least one mixing channel. Each of the mixing channel(s) can have a cross-sectional area that decreases in a downstream direction to accelerate any pipe fluid flowing through the mixing channel. The contacting surface of each of the mixing channel(s) can deflect at least a portion of any pipe fluid flowing through the mixing channel until the contacting surface ends at an edge at a point of maximum constriction. Each of the contacting element(s) can define one or more injection path(s) to at least one of the contacting surface(s), each configured to inject admixture fluid onto the contacting surface such that the admixture fluid is entrained by pipe fluid over the edge.

One embodiment provides a wine aerating device, including: a funnel-shaped container comprising a bottom that is provided with an outlet aperture having a predetermined size, wherein said funnel-shaped container is at least partially filled with a multitude of substantially spherical elements for breaking up and diverting a flow of wine streaming from the top to the bottom of said funnel-shaped container, each of said substantially spherical elements having a size significantly smaller than the size of said outlet aperture, and wherein a non-spherical element having a size greater than the size of said outlet aperture is placed upon said outlet aperture to partially block it, thereby preventing said spherical or nearly-spherical elements to pass through said outlet aperture while allowing the passage of wine through said outlet aperture and increasing the wine's turbulent motion and oxigenation while coming out of said funnel-shaped container. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Various aspects of the present invention relate to the control and manipulation of fluidic species, for example, in microfluidic systems. In one aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for making droplets of fluid surrounded by a liquid, using, for example, electric fields, mechanical alterations, the addition of an intervening fluid, etc. In some cases, the droplets may each have a substantially uniform number of entities therein. For example, 95% or more of the droplets may each contain the same number of entities of a particular species. In another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for dividing a fluidic droplet into two droplets, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions with an electric field. The invention also relates to systems and methods for fusing droplets according to another aspect of the invention, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions. In some cases, the fusion of the droplets may initiate or determine a reaction. In a related aspect of the invention, systems and methods for allowing fluid mixing within droplets to occur are also provided. In still another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for sorting droplets, e.g., by causing droplets to move to certain regions within a fluidic system. Examples include using electrical interactions (e.g., charges, dipoles, etc.) or mechanical systems (e.g., fluid displacement) to sort the droplets. In some cases, the fluidic droplets can be sorted at relatively high rates, e.g., at about 10 droplets per second or more. Another aspect of the invention provides the ability to determine droplets, or a component thereof, for example, using fluorescence and/or other optical techniques (e.g., microscopy), or electric sensing techniques such as dielectric sensing.

A discharge system includes a mixing vessel and a feedstock input in fluid communication with the mixing vessel. A solvent input is in fluid communication with the mixing vessel. A discharge output is in fluid communication with an outlet of the mixing vessel to discharge effluent. A method for generating turbulence on a liquid surface within a discharge system includes supplying a mixing vessel with feedstock fluid and solvent fluid to generate a liquid mixture and a gas pocket in the mixing vessel. The method includes supplying an impinging solvent fluid through a nozzle extending from a first end of the mixing vessel to generate a roiling surface at an interface between the gas pocket and the liquid mixture and permit uptake of gas from the gas pocket into the liquid mixture.

A system for increasing the extraction of an active ingredient includes a vacuum quick-dissolving tank, a mixer, a solid-liquid separator, and a homogenizer. The vacuum quick-dissolving tank receives a sample. The mixer is connected to the vacuum quick-dissolving tank, and provides an aqueous solvent to be mixed with the sample. Heating, cooling, stirring, and vacuuming in the vacuum quick-dissolving tank make the sample dissolve and emulsify repeatedly between the vacuum quick-dissolving tank and the mixer to produce a mixture, which is output by the vacuum quick-dissolving tank. The solid-liquid separator receives the mixture output from the vacuum quick-dissolving tank for solid-liquid separation, and outputs an isolated sample liquid. The homogenizer receives the sample liquid output from the solid-liquid separator, performs high-pressure homogenization to obtain an extract liquid containing an active ingredient, and outputs the extract liquid. The homogenizer can increase the content of the active ingredient in the extract liquid.

A system for increasing the extraction of an active ingredient includes a vacuum quick-dissolving tank, a mixer, a solid-liquid separator, and a homogenizer. The vacuum quick-dissolving tank receives a sample. The mixer is connected to the vacuum quick-dissolving tank, and provides an aqueous solvent to be mixed with the sample. Heating, cooling, stirring, and vacuuming in the vacuum quick-dissolving tank make the sample dissolve and emulsify repeatedly between the vacuum quick-dissolving tank and the mixer to produce a mixture, which is output by the vacuum quick-dissolving tank. The solid-liquid separator receives the mixture output from the vacuum quick-dissolving tank for solid-liquid separation, and outputs an isolated sample liquid. The homogenizer receives the sample liquid output from the solid-liquid separator, performs high-pressure homogenization to obtain an extract liquid containing an active ingredient, and outputs the extract liquid. The homogenizer can increase the content of the active ingredient in the extract liquid.