A blender has a mixing chamber for reception of materials to be blended. A mixing screw is mounted at a bottom of the mixing chamber for mixing materials within the mixing chamber and delivering mixed materials to an outlet feeding a processing line. The blender has a plurality of material handling compartments. One or more cleaning air jets are provided in each material handling compartment. The cleaning air jets are operable to direct material towards an outlet of the compartment. Each cleaning air jet is connected to a pressurised air supply through a valve which controls delivery of pressurised air to the cleaning air jet.

A mixer includes a mixing container having an outlet opening; a closure cover, which can be moved back and forth between a closed position, in which the closure cover closes the outlet opening, and an open position, in which the closure cover uncovers the outlet opening so that mixture can be removed from the mixing container via the outlet opening; at least one cleaning nozzle to clean the closure opening and/or a mixture outflow region arranged outside the mixing container; and a liquid feed to feed cleaning fluid to the at least one cleaning nozzle. To provide a mixer and a method for enabling cost-effective, efficient, simple and operationally reliable cleaning of the mixture outflow region and of the closure opening, at least one cleaning nozzle is fastened to the closure cover such that it is moved together with the closure cover.

Disclosed herein are techniques and methods for dispersing a volume of gas in a beverage contained in an unpressurized container.

A method for controlling pressure in a blending apparatus includes sealingly coupling a blade platform to a rim of a vessel including foodstuffs to form a blending chamber. The blade platform includes a blade assembly. The method includes injecting fluid via an opening defined within the blade platform into the blending chamber while the blade platform is sealingly coupled to the vessel. The injection of fluid causes a change in pressure in the blending chamber. The method includes rotating blades of the blade assembly to process the foodstuffs in the blending chamber. The method includes introducing air into the blending chamber to decrease a difference between the pressure within the blending chamber and a pressure external to the blending chamber. The method includes decoupling the blade platform from the rim.

Fluid injection systems and methods, particularly, fluid injection systems and methods for use in fertigation and irrigation.

A mixer includes a mixing container having an outlet opening; a closure cover, which can be moved back and forth between a closed position, in which the closure cover closes the outlet opening, and an open position, in which the closure cover uncovers the outlet opening so that mixture can be removed from the mixing container via the outlet opening; at least one cleaning nozzle to clean the closure opening and/or a mixture outflow region arranged outside the mixing container; and a liquid feed to feed cleaning fluid to the at least one cleaning nozzle. To provide a mixer and a method for enabling cost-effective, efficient, simple and operationally reliable cleaning of the mixture outflow region and of the closure opening, at least one cleaning nozzle is fastened to the closure cover such that it is moved together with the closure cover.

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.

System and method for dispensing a flowable product are provided. The system includes a mixing chamber having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet. The mixing chamber of the system contains a mixing element capable of motion. The system also includes a paste located in an enclosure configured to flow into the mixing chamber via a first channel connected to the first inlet, and a flowable medium configured to flow into the mixing chamber via a second channel connected to the second inlet. The mixing chamber is configured to mix the paste and the flowable medium using the mixing element, thus, producing the flowable product that may be output via the outlet.

A solution making system and apparatus are described. The solution maker mixes a chemical or slurry with a solvent to a desired concentration. The concentration of the solution is monitored by one or more methods. Based upon this measurement, the concentration of the solution may be adjusted.