A mixing unit (1) for mixing a liquid product (2) includes a tank (3) and a fluid nozzle (4) configured to inject a fluid flow (6, 7) of the liquid product (2) into the tank (3). The fluid nozzle (4) has a first outlet (20) that opens in a sideways direction (S), a second outlet (21) that opens in an upward direction (U), and a valve plug (14) configured to selectively open and close the outlets (20, 21). The mixing unit (1) is operable in a low stage operational mode (9) during which the first outlet (20) is open, the second outlet (21) is closed, and mixing occurs in a lower region (10) of the tank (3), and a high stage operational mode (11) during which the first outlet (20) is closed, the second outlet (21) is open, and mixing occurs in an upper region (12) of the tank (3).

A microingredient feed additive dispensing apparatus and method for adding microingredients to animal feed are described. The apparatus includes a frame, a microingredient receptacle with a front portion and a rear portion, a receptacle mount that mounts the receptacle to the frame, a plurality of microingredient bins oriented above the receptacle, one or more empty-receptacle-detecting sensors arranged along the front portion of the receptacle, and a driver coupled to the receptacle to feed the microingredients toward and over an exit boundary of the receptacle. Microingredients are concurrently dispensed from bins into the receptacle. The amount of the microingredients dispensed from each microingredient bin is calculated and controlled. One or more empty-collection-feeder sensors determine whether and when the collection feeder is empty, without weighing the whole collection bin. The apparatus and method provide a more efficient and accurate way to add microingredients to animal feed.

An apparatus for the treatment of powder, grain, paste products or the like has a treatment chamber provided with a loading mouth for at least one powder, grain or similar product and with a discharge mouth for the product; a closing cap for the discharge mouth; and at least one annular manifold, which is obtained in the discharge mouth or in the closing cap and communicates with the outside through an annular outlet channel configured to feed a compressed air flow along an inner surface of the discharge mouth and/or along an outer surface of the closing cap.

A facility for cooling products comprises a chamber for containing a product to be cooled, and a device for injecting a cryogenic fluid into the chamber, the device making it possible to inject the cryogenic fluid at one or more points located in a lower part (base) of the chamber, wherein the device comprises one or more injection nozzles connected to the lower part, wherein the cooling facility comprises a facility (120) for feeding the one or more injection nozzle with a flushing gas, wherein the one or more injection nozzles are fed with cryogenic fluid and flushing gas via a set of pipelines.

A system for processing material feeds for use by a plurality of processing machines includes an upstream batch blender, a downstream manifold, and a system controller. The batch blender prepares blended batches of material feeds from multiple batch components according to material feed formulations stored at the system controller. The manifold distributes materials feeds made by the batch blender to a plurality of buffer chambers for temporary storage and subsequent delivery to the plurality of processing machines. The system is configured to form dust-tight seals between separate system components that handle the material feeds, and to execute a self-cleansing process to remove residual material feed elements between separate processing runs of differently formulated material feeds, thereby avoiding cross-contamination of the separately formulated material feeds.

An apparatus for preparing foam or blended media can include a pitcher with a blending mechanism and a blending motor. The blending motor can be configured to actuate the blending mechanism. The pitcher can be configured to receive ingredients therein and the blending mechanism can be configured to blend the ingredients to produce the foam or the blended media. The apparatus can include a base with a rinsing feature configured to spray a liquid into an interior of the pitcher. The apparatus can include one or more pivot arms coupled to the pitcher and the base. The one or more pivot arms can be configured to actuate rotation of the pitcher.

A spraying system and method is provided for more efficiently accessing the interior of a container having an access opening to the container that is offset from or in angular relationship to the center and/or rotational axis of the container to contact the interior walls and surfaces of the container with a medium, such as a liquid, mixture, solution or suspension. The spraying system and method includes a non-linear boom that is elevated by a support structure, where the non-linear boom includes at its front end a plurality of spray nozzles. In one example, the support structure is a movable support structure that includes a guide mechanism where the guide mechanism is mounted on the moveable support structure at an angle relative to the surface supporting the moveable support structure to allow access to the interior of the container.