The invention discloses a reactor for preparing a formulation. The reactor comprises at least two apertures, a base and at least one sidewall extending flush therefrom, wherein the base and the sidewall together define a mixing chamber with a height h.sub.M and at least one axis of symmetry arranged substantially perpendicular to the base and at least one distance r from the sidewall. A first aperture is arranged within the base or adjacent to the base in the sidewall of the mixing chamber at a height h.sub.A ranging from 0.6 to 0.0 h.sub.M in order to introduce free-flowing materials and/or mixtures to the mixing chamber. The first aperture is configured with a non-return valve disposed therein or adjacent thereto, the non-return valve permitting the introduction of free-flowing materials to the mixing chamber through the aperture, but preventing outflow of free-flowing materials from the mixing chamber through the aperture. The first aperture is formed with an aperture area extending in a range between a minimum and a maximum, the minimum area being 0.05 mm.sup.2 and the maximum area being determined by a value resulting from Volume.sub.mixing chamber [cm.sup.3]/Area.sub.first aperture [cm.sup.2]≈5500.

The present invention relates to a system for backmix the reagent mass in rotating cylindrical reactors. In this context, the present invention provides a system for internal backmix of the reagent mass in a rotating cylindrical reactor (2), comprising a first set of drag fins (27) adapted for dragging the reagent mass in a first direction, and a second set of drag fins (28) adapted for dragging the reagent mass in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the first (27) and the second (28) set of drag fins are positioned internally along the length of the cylindrical rotating reactor (2). The system described above allows the mixing of a portion of the reagent mass at a more advanced stage of the reactor with another portion at an earlier stage of processing, homogenizing the reagent mass temperatures and increasing the reactor's productivity.

An apparatus for enhancing phase contact and chemical reactions is provided. The apparatus comprises at least one high-turbulence mixing stage and at least one high-shear-stress and high-cavitation stage. The stages are adapted to cause an increase in relative sliding speeds of phases involved in a multiphase flow passing through the stages. The high-shear-stress and high-cavitation stage comprises a rotor having radial teeth housed in a cavitation chamber surrounded by a stator having radial teeth. The facing surfaces of the radial teeth have a parabolic profile in circumferential direction. For each tooth, the parabolic profile lies along a curve of a parabola of which a vertex is arranged at a rear edge of the tooth, with respect to a direction of rotation of the rotor, and along a radius extending from the rear edge to a center of the rotor. The focus of the parabola is also located on the radius.

Reactor systems, reactor coolant systems, and associated processes for polymerizing polyolefins are described. The reactor systems generally include a reactor pipe and a coolant system, in which the coolant system includes a jacket pipe surrounding at least a portion of the reactor pipe to form an annulus therebetween, at least one spacer coupling the jacket to the reactor pipe, and a coolant which flows through the annulus to remove heat from the reactor pipe. At least one of the external surface of the reactor pipe, the internal surface of the jacket, and at least one spacer, are independently modified, for example by polishing, coating, or reshaping, to reduce the fluid resistance of the coolant flow through the annulus.

Disclosed is a jacketed, tiered baffle, bioreactor tank comprising an outer cylindrical-shaped jacket and a cylindrical tank having an inner tank surface defining a chamber configured for supporting a flexible bag disposed within the chamber, and an outer tank surface having tiered baffles configured for routing a heat exchange fluid around the entirety of the outer tank surface, the cylindrical tank disposed axially within the outer cylindrical-shaped jacket. The outer cylindrical-shaped jacket is sealed to the cylindrical tank in a manner sufficient to prevent or minimize loss of the heat exchange fluid.

A heat exchange module for use in a chemical, pharmaceutical or biological reactor system includes a generally hollow body having an interior space for receiving a replaceable or single use reactant container, and at least one thermally conductive surface adapted to contact the replaceable reactant container to facilitate heat transfer, a fluid circulation path formed within the body between an outer wall of the body and an inner wall of the body through which a heat exchange fluid can be circulated, and at least one baffle protruding from the inner wall of the body into the interior space.

This disclosure describes an improved heat transfer system for use in reaction vessels used in chemical and biological processes. In one embodiment, a heat transfer baffle comprising two sub-assemblies adjoined to one another is provided.

A polymerization device that includes: a reaction vessel that houses a polymerization solution and in which a polymerization reaction is performed; a stirring blade that stirs the polymerization solution housed in the reaction vessel; a plurality of heat transfer pipes that transfer heat to the polymerization solution in order to start the polymerization reaction and cause the polymerization reaction to proceed, and that remove, from the polymerization solution, heat generated by the polymerization reaction; and a baffle arranged between a vessel wall of the reaction vessel and the heat transfer pipes.

A photo-bioreactor for growing a photosynthetic culture comprising: a channel through the bioreactor having an inlet and an outlet providing a labyrinth path from the inlet to the outlet, configured to contain the photosynthetic culture, wherein the channel is formed by a plurality of ribs; and a light emitting diode panel along a side wall of the photo-bioreactor. A method of product preservation, comprising: treating a packaged product with a first cycle of high pressure processing; incubating the packaged product allowing spore germination; and treating the packaged product with a second cycle of high pressure processing.

An apparatus for enhancing phase contact and chemical reactions is provided. The apparatus comprises at least one first high-turbulence mixing stage and at least one second high-shear-stress and high-cavitation stage. The stages are adapted to cause an increase in the relative sliding speeds of the phases involved in a multiphase flow passing through the stages.