A method for enhancing mixing and aeration of a liquid reaction medium in a toroidal bioreactor vessel includes dispensing a liquid reaction medium into an interior of a toroidal bioreactor vessel, the interior being bounded by an inner surface, a textured surface being arranged on at least a portion of the inner surface, the textured surface having a plurality of upstanding protuberances. The toroidal bioreactor vessel is rotated in an orbital motion such that there is a resonant frequency traveling wave of the fluid orbiting in one direction in the interior of the toroidal bioreactor vessel when a particular orbital speed is imparted to the toroidal bioreactor vessel.

A cylindrical or annular polymeric bioreactor is disclosed which provides enhanced mixing and aeration of the growth medium while simultaneously offering reduced mechanical shear force.

An apparatus for agitation of fluids is described that comprises an agitation chamber, an impeller configured to have a motor, a shaft, and blades, and a plurality of baffles. Further, the plurality of baffles have a predetermined shape and configuration. Further, the plurality of baffles are placed on a side wall of the agitation chamber.

Disclosed is a chemical liquid discharge mechanism. The mechanism includes: a storage portion including a chemical liquid storage space; a diluent supply port opened to supply a diluent for reducing a viscosity of the chemical liquid to the storage space; a vertex flow forming portion that forms vortex flows in the diluent and the chemical liquid by supplying a fluid to the storage space to stir the diluent and the chemical liquid; and a liquid discharge port opened to an upper side of the diluent supply port in the storage space such that, by the supply of the diluent, the diluent and the chemical liquid flow into the liquid discharge port to be discharged from the storage space. Thus, the viscosity of the waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge port may be reduced, and thus, it is not necessary to largely set the inclination of the liquid discharge path.

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 mixing apparatus for mixing particles in a liquid and its use are disclosed. The mixing apparatus comprises a tank having a bottom and a substantially vertical side wall, an agitation means comprising a rotation shaft located vertically and centrally in the tank, and an impeller arranged at a height above the bottom at the end of the rotation shaft and the impeller being a downward pumping axial or mixed flow impeller. The bottom is equipped with a corrugated formation comprising alternate consecutive ridges and valleys, the ridges and valleys extending radially in relation to a center of the bottom, whereby the valleys concentrate and channel the mixing power near to the bottom to direct the flow of the liquid and to increase the velocity of the flow near to the bottom.

A process for solvent extraction of bitumen from mined oil sand ore is provided, comprising mixing the mined oil sand ore with at least one solvent to produce a solvent/oil sand slurry; adding water to the solvent/oil sand slurry to produce a slurry having a water-to-solids mass ratio of less than about 0.1; mixing the slurry in a mixing tank having a diameter to agglomerate the solids present in the slurry, the mixing tank operating at a power input of between 20 and 50 W/kg of slurry, to produce an agglomerated slurry; and subjecting the agglomerated slurry to solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream; whereby the slurry height in the mixing tank is 0.1 to 0.3 of the tank diameter.

An apparatus to prevent formation of a vortex has a ring-shaped gasket having a bottom surface and a top surface; and a blade assembly mounted on the top surface and comprising a center portion and plural blades of a defined height. Each of the blades extend from the center portion to the top surface, with each pair of the plural blades defining a filter based at least in part on spacing between the pair of plural blades.

A blending appliance in accordance with the principals of the present invention includes a linear motor drive comprising a magnet structure secured to a reaction mass and a coil structure secured to a shaker platen, the shaker platen adapted to secure a blending cup. A third mass is secured to the reaction mass via at least one biasing member. A ground is secured to the third mass via at least one biasing member. The shaker platen is secured to the reaction mass via at least one biasing member. The magnet structure and coil structure impart a force to the reaction mass and the shaker platen, which force is driven by the biasing members and the masses of the shaker platen, the reaction mass, and the third mass into resonance, thereby maximizing payload amplitude, minimizing forces transmitted to ground, and minimizing driver amplitude. The smoothie blending cup comprising structure to generate at least two forces applied upon the smoothie ingredients, the forces selected from the group consisting of pulverizing force, shear force, rotational-kinetic energy force, radial-kinetic energy force, and combinations thereof. The smoothie blending cup and cap can be sealed with the beverage ingredients contained therein at the point of manufacture.

Apparatuses and methods based thereon are provided for mixing utilizing mixer inserts. A mixer insert may be adapted to enclose a space in a container, with the mixer insert having one or more securing components for securing the mixer insert to the container, and one or more mixing components, adapted to fit within the enclosed space when the mixer insert is secured to the container, with the one or more mixing components being configured to mix material placed within the enclosed space when the container is subject to a rotational force or movement. The mixer insert may have a closing section that has a shape matching an opening of the container, with the mixer insert being configured such that the closing section engages the opening of the container. At least one of the mixing components may be a blade, which may be twisted along the length of the blade.