A conical mixer with two conical bodies that are sloped downward toward a discharge opening on a bottom, middle portion of the conical mixer. The conical mixer has a horizontally placed agitator axle with a plurality of agitator arms extending from the agitator axle. At least one paddle is attached to each agitator arms. As the agitator arms get closer to the middle, the length of the arms is increased. The conical mixer ensures proper mixing of the contents as well as using the slope of the conical bodies to assist in pushing the contents toward the discharge opening.

According to one aspect, a method of producing a product having mixed constituents comprises the step of providing a mixing apparatus including a main housing having an inlet and an outlet opposite the inlet wherein the outlet is disposed at a lower portion of the main housing, a mixing drum disposed in the main housing wherein the mixing drum includes an opening that is movable between a first position aligned with the inlet and a second position aligned with the outlet, and an agitator disposed inside the mixing drum. The method further includes the step of providing first and second materials, positioning the mixing drum at the first position, and introducing the first and second materials into the mixing drum through the aligned opening and inlet. Still further, the method includes the steps of operating the agitator to mix the first and second materials to produce a human-edible product, moving the mixing drum to the second position, and removing the human-edible product from the mixing drum through the aligned opening and outlet. A mixing apparatus is also disclosed.

An apparatus for handling a food product powder includes a sealable container having an interior surface defining a volume in which the food product powder is handled, and a powder outlet. The apparatus includes a jet nozzle that is attached to the container and configured to feed air into the container and direct the air towards the interior surface to remove product powder from the interior surface, such that the air and the removed product powder may flow out of the container via the powder outlet. The jet nozzle includes a ceiling spray opening formed on a first side of the jet nozzle and directed towards a ceiling of the interior surface, and a side wall spray opening formed on a second side of the jet nozzle opposite the first side and directed towards a side wall of the interior surface.

An apparatus for handling a food product powder includes a sealable container having an interior surface defining a volume in which the food product powder is handled, and a powder outlet. The apparatus includes a jet nozzle that is attached to the container and configured to feed air into the container and direct the air towards the interior surface to remove product powder from the interior surface, such that the air and the removed product powder may flow out of the container via the powder outlet. The jet nozzle includes a ceiling spray opening formed on a first side of the jet nozzle and directed towards a ceiling of the interior surface, and a side wall spray opening formed on a second side of the jet nozzle opposite the first side and directed towards a side wall of the interior surface.

The present invention provides a mixing impeller and the like capable of properly performing mixing. A mixing impeller includes multiple blade pairs each having two blades, wherein the blades included in the multiple blade pairs are attached around a rotational shaft extending in a lateral direction, so as to be positioned at a same position in an axial direction of the rotational shaft, the two blades of each blade pair each have a shape that is symmetric about a symmetry plane that is a plane perpendicular to the rotational shaft, the two blades of each blade pair are formed so as to extend from the rotational shaft side toward an outer circumferential side, which is a side opposite to the rotational shaft side, and blade outer portions that are on the outer circumferential side are bent toward a side on which the two blades face each other.

The invention is directed to a process and equipment for use in a process to bacterially decompose organic waste to a dry composted end material wherein organic waste is composted in a composting tank in the presence of oxygen and aerobic bacteria to obtain a wet composted material. The wet composted material is partly removed from the composting tank and dried such to lower the water content of the composted material to obtain dry composted end material.

A system and method for processing an artificial turf, and a product produced by the method, is provided. The method includes providing an artificial turf having an infill, separating at least a portion of the infill from the artificial turf, downsizing the artificial turf into artificial turf fragments and rotationally mixing and translating, by a melt system, the artificial turf fragments at a pressure less than a maximum predefined pressure to form a melt. The maximum predefined pressure is between about 0.08-20 bar.

A system and method for processing an artificial turf, and a product produced by the method, is provided. The method includes providing an artificial turf having an infill, separating at least a portion of the infill from the artificial turf, downsizing the artificial turf into artificial turf fragments and rotationally mixing and translating, by a melt system, the artificial turf fragments at a pressure less than a maximum predefined pressure to form a melt. The maximum predefined pressure is between about 0.08-20 bar.

An apparatus can include a hollow tube, central shaft, agitation components, and bidirectional fluted auger. The hollow tube can have an inlet, outlet, and longitudinal central axis, and can facilitate the conveyance of foodstuff materials from the inlet to the outlet. The central shaft can extend along the longitudinal axis and can be rotationally driven both clockwise and counterclockwise. The agitation components can be coupled to the central shaft and can agitate and mix foodstuff materials being conveyed along the hollow tube. The bidirectional fluted auger can be coupled to the central shaft proximate the outlet, can rotate with the central shaft when the central shaft is rotationally driven, and can have a flow rate limiting inner cylinder, clockwise-progressing flute features, and counterclockwise-progressing flute features. The clockwise and counterclockwise progressing flute features can convey foodstuff materials toward the outlet when the bidirectional fluted auger is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise.

An apparatus can include a hollow tube, central shaft, agitation components, and bidirectional fluted auger. The hollow tube can have an inlet, outlet, and longitudinal central axis, and can facilitate the conveyance of foodstuff materials from the inlet to the outlet. The central shaft can extend along the longitudinal axis and can be rotationally driven both clockwise and counterclockwise. The agitation components can be coupled to the central shaft and can agitate and mix foodstuff materials being conveyed along the hollow tube. The bidirectional fluted auger can be coupled to the central shaft proximate the outlet, can rotate with the central shaft when the central shaft is rotationally driven, and can have a flow rate limiting inner cylinder, clockwise-progressing flute features, and counterclockwise-progressing flute features. The clockwise and counterclockwise progressing flute features can convey foodstuff materials toward the outlet when the bidirectional fluted auger is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise.