An apparatus for coating pharmaceutical particles such as drug dosage forms or pellets is provided which includes a drum assembly mounted for rotation about a cylindrical axis of the drum and which includes an outer drum section and an inner perforated drum section mounted concentrically on an interior of the outer drum section such that an annular chamber is formed between the perforated inner drum section and the outer drum section. Two or more baffle plates are attached between an outer surface of the inner perforated drum and an inner surface of the outer drum which are configured to act as baffles to restrain or regulate the flow of air which define two or more compartments depending on the number of baffle plates. One end of the drum assembly includes an end plate with a central aperture for use in loading pellets into the drum and provide access to coating constituents that are pumped into the drum interior during the coating process. An air distribution plate is attached at the other end of the drum and has air flow passageways and is interfaced with an air introduction plate having air inlet and outlet passageways. As the drum rotates the air flow passageways in the distribution plate alternately come into flow communication with the air inlet and outlet passageways in the air introduction plate thereby providing a flow path of air into the perforate inner drum and out of the drum assembly.

A mixing chamber for mixing a variety of dry ingredients with a liquid is disclosed. The mixing chamber has an accumulation chamber that evenly distributes ingredients as they pass a liquid spray nozzle, resulting in uniform hydration. The liquid may be sprayed at a variety of pressures to achieve varying levels of granule hydration to permit the manufacture of dough, batter, or other compositions. Even dry ingredients which are generally slow to absorb moisture may be rapidly and evenly hydrated without an excess of liquid. Process parameters, such as volume flow rate of the dry ingredients, can also be varied.

A mixing apparatus having a processing area that exposes free falling dry materials to a high pressure hydration element and forms slurry with the a mixture of the dray materials and liquid.

Methods, processes, and apparatuses for preparing and transporting bitumen. Bitumen may be prilled such that a bitumen product comprising a prill core and a non-stick coating is produced. The non-stick coating may comprise asphaltenes and the prill core may comprise bitumen, deasphalted oil, or both bitumen and deasphalted oil. The resultant non-stick coated prills have reduced adhesion to transportation vessels and other non-stick coated prills at a temperature below an adhesion temperature, facilitating transport.

A method for continuously producing a conversion product, in particular starch glue, fried starch, dissolved gelatin or protein glue, wherein a starch-containing and/or protein-containing, preferably powdery starting material, in particular flour, starch powder, cereal grains, coarse cereal meal, gelatin powder or gluten powder, is fed to a mixing chamber (2) and the starting material, preferably powder, descending in the mixing chamber (2) is subjected to a liquid heated to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) of at least 50 C. for converting the starting material into the conversion product, in particular to at least a gelatinization temperature of the starch-containing starting material, a protein-dissolving and/or denaturing temperature of the protein-containing starting material or a frying temperature, in the form of a pressure jet (7) and is thereby conveyed against a baffle (10) preferably formed by an inner wall of the mixing chamber or by an installation in the mixing chamber.

A device for wetting particles, in particular wood particles, with an application agent, at least one conduit transporting a fluid as a fluid stream and an end section which forms an outlet. The fluid can be introduced in the direction of the main flow into a container containing the particles, via the outlet. The particles are in the container in a loosened state and/or can be loosened. The application agent, for spraying by a nozzle device with a speed component directed against the main flow direction, can be introduced into the fluid stream and can be guided to the particles by the fluid stream.

This disclosure provides a high solids biomass slurry that is readily pumpable and transportable to downstream processing units, such as chemical and/or biochemical processing units. The slurry is amenable to saccharification efficiencies of >70 % in processing times of <36 hours. Also provided are devices for processing materials, such as the high solids biomass slurry.

A mixing chamber for mixing a variety of dry ingredients with a liquid is disclosed. The mixing chamber has an accumulation chamber that evenly distributes ingredients as they pass a liquid spray nozzle, resulting in uniform hydration. The liquid may be sprayed at a variety of pressures to achieve varying levels of granule hydration to permit the manufacture of dough, batter, or other compositions. Even dry ingredients which are generally slow to absorb moisture may be rapidly and evenly hydrated without an excess of liquid. Process parameters, such as volume flow rate of the dry ingredients, can also be varied.

A gravity-fed treatment apparatus for the dispersion of an additive into a flow of granulated matter includes a vertical treatment chamber comprising a top inlet, a bottom outlet, and at least one wall disposed between the top and bottom defining an interior therebetween. The chamber further includes a feed port through the at least one wall and a plurality of vortex baffles, each extending angularly away from the wall into the interior at a respective angle. Each vortex baffle includes a flat portion and a flaring portion where the flaring portion curves away from a plane encompassing a surface of the flat portion. A portion of the flow of granulated matter spirals around an axis passing through the top and bottom of the chamber due to gravity and the shape of the vortex baffles.

A gravity-fed treatment apparatus for the dispersion of an additive into a flow of granulated matter includes a vertical treatment chamber comprising a top inlet, a bottom outlet, and at least one wall disposed between the top and bottom defining an interior therebetween. The chamber further includes a feed port through the at least one wall and a plurality of vortex baffles, each extending angularly away from the wall into the interior at a respective angle. Each vortex baffle includes a flat portion and a flaring portion where the flaring portion curves away from a plane encompassing a surface of the flat portion. A portion of the flow of granulated matter spirals around an axis passing through the top and bottom of the chamber due to gravity and the shape of the vortex baffles.