A static homogenizing apparatus for blending a fluid additive with a polymer melt includes: (a) a homogenizing conduit; and (b) a plurality of homogenizing elements in the conduit for flow of the melted resin and fluid additive through the homogenizing elements in series. The plurality of homogenizing elements includes a plurality of mixing elements and at least one amplifier element. Each mixing element has a quantity of mixing channels passing therethrough, and each amplifier element has a quantity of amplifier channels passing therethrough. The quantity of amplifier channels is greater than the quantity of mixing channels.

The invention relates to a mixing chamber in which a first liquid comes into contact with a second liquid, and a gas injection device designed to inject a gas into the mixing chamber, wherein the gas injection device comprises: a gas source to provide the gas at a predetermined pressure, and a metering unit to limit the gas provided by the gas source to a predetermined flow rate, wherein the metering unit is in contact with the mixing chamber on a gas outlet side of the metering unit, wherein the gas outlet side of the metering unit comprises an elongated gap, wherein the gas passes out of the metering unit into the mixing chamber via the elongated gap, and wherein the gas passes out of the metering unit into the mixing chamber.

The present invention relates broadly to microfluidic devices, particularly microfluidic devices optimised for the industrial production of nanoparticles such as liposomes. The device (101) comprises a substrate which extends between a distal end (107) comprising an outlet region (105) and a proximal end (108) comprising an inlet region (106). The inlet region comprises two substantially parallel outer channels (103a, 103b) for transport of a first fluid, said outer channels (103a, 103b) defined in part by a first outer wall (109a) and a second outer wall (109b) respectively, and a linear inner channel (104) for transport of a second fluid. The linear channel is disposed between the two substantially parallel outer channels. The outer channels (103a, 103b) and inner channel (104) extend from the proximal end (108) to a mixing chamber (102) which extends from the inlet region (106) to the outlet region (105). The mixing chamber (102) is in flow communication with the inner and outer channels (103a, 103b, 104) to receive the first and second fluids from the inner and outer channels (103a, 103b, 104) and the mixing chamber (102) has a uniform width (W) along its length substantially equal to the width (W1) between the outer walls (109a, 109b) of the two substantially parallel outer channels (103a, 103b).

There is provided a mixing device (2) for a beverage and CO2 gas for producing carbonated beverage. The mixing device (2) having a mixing channel (4) extending in a main direction (10). The mixing channel (4) includes: wide channel sections (16) and narrow channel sections (18) along the main direction (10). The mixing channel (4) has an elongated cross section seen in a direction perpendicular to the main direction (10). At least a first delimiting surface (22) of the mixing channel (4) is provided with protrusions (20) extending at least partially along the first delimiting surface (22) in a direction across the mixing channel (4) and protruding towards a second delimiting surface (24) of the mixing channel (4) to form the narrow channel sections (18). A turbulent flow of beverage is created by the narrow and wide channel sections. Further a carbonator for producing carbonated beverage, an appliance having a carbonator, and a method of producing a carbonated beverage are provided.

Rotary in-line pumps as disclosed herein overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions that arise from flow of certain types of materials through a material flow conduit. Such rotary in-line pumps provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow. Such cyclonic flow profile provides a variety of other advantages as compared to a parabolic flow profile such as, for example, increased flow rate, reduce inner pipeline wear, more uniform inner pipe wear, reduction in energy consumption, reduced or eliminated slugging and the like.

A method for controlling fluid ratio accuracy during a dual flow injection with a powered injection system is described. The method includes predicting a first capacitance volume of a first syringe comprising a first medical fluid and a second capacitance volume of a second syringe comprising a second medical fluid with a first capacitance correction factor and a second capacitance correction factor, respectively, selecting a ratio of the first medical fluid and the second medical fluid to be administered to a patient in the dual flow injection, determining a relative acceleration ratio of a first piston of the first syringe and a second piston of a second syringe based on the predicted first capacitance volume and the predicted second capacitance volume, wherein the relative acceleration ratio is selected to maintain the selected ratio of the first medical fluid and the second medical fluid during the dual flow injection, and injecting a mixture of a first medical fluid and a second medical fluid having the selected ratio with the powered injection system.

A nozzle includes a main chamber defining a first internal space, a first inlet defined in a first end of the main chamber to couple to a material sprayer, a second inlet to receive a solid material into the main chamber, and an outlet defined in a second end of the main chamber. The first inlet upstream from the second inlet to allow a fluid material to enter the main chamber before the solid material. The main chamber configured to mix the solid material with the fluid material.

Disclosed material flow amplifiers have opposing amplifier bodies each with a profile that jointly defines an amplifier body (i.e., “clamshell configuration”). The amplifier body has a flow expander section and a vortex inducer section. A vortex chamber insert is within at least an interior space of the vortex inducer section. Such material flow amplifiers provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing laminar flow.

Disclosed cyclonic flow-inducing pumps overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions that arise from flow of certain types of materials through a material flow conduit. Such cyclonic flow-inducing pumps provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow. Such cyclonic flow profile provides a variety of other advantages as compared to a parabolic flow profile such as, for example, increased flow rate, reduce inner pipeline wear, more uniform inner pipe wear, reduction in energy consumption, reduced or eliminated adverse considerations such as slugging.

Membrane Emulsification Apparatus with Refiner There is described a membrane emulsification apparatus for dispersing a first phase in a second phase, comprising: •a membrane defining a plurality of apertures connecting a first volume on a first side of the membrane to a second volume on a second, different, side of the membrane, the apparatus being arranged to receive a first phase containing a liquid in the first volume and to receive a second phase in the second volume the apparatus being adapted to generate an emulsion through egression of the first phase into the second phase via the plurality of apertures; •the apparatus also comprising a refiner (1) arranged to receive the emulsion from the membrane; and wherein said refiner comprises an inlet (4/5) and an outlet (5/4) wherein an opening (8) adapted to converge flow of the emulsion and to break up droplets of the emulsion into a refined emulsion is located between the inlet and the outlet.