A method of coating particles includes dispensing particles into a vacuum chamber to form a particle bed in at least a lower portion of the chamber that forms a half-cylinder, evacuating the chamber through a vacuum port in an upper portion of the chamber, rotating a paddle assembly such that a plurality of paddles orbit a drive shaft to stir the particles in the particle bed, injecting a reactant or precursor gas through a plurality of channels into the lower portion of the chamber as the paddle assembly rotates to coat the particles, and injecting the reactant or precursor gas or a purge gas through the plurality of channels at a sufficiently high velocity such that the reactant or precursor a purge gas de-agglomerates particles in the particle bed.

An agitator rotor includes a shaft, rails, and a rod. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis. The rails extend radially from and are coupled to the shaft. The rails are separated from each other along a length of the shaft. Each rail includes a surface defining a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The rod includes a first end coupled to a first one of the rails. The rod includes a second end coupled to a second one of the rails. A projection of the first end and the second end of the rod in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft defines a minor arc about a portion of the shaft.

The present disclosure provides advantageous rotary interfaces for fluid assemblies (e.g., rotary interfaces for fluid flow in bioreactor applications), and related methods of fabrication and use. More particularly, the present disclosure provides improved rotary interfaces for fluid flow through porous impellers for filtration and/or sparging for fluid assemblies (e.g., bioreactor applications), and related methods of fabrication and use. Disclosed herein is a fluid assembly (e.g., bioreactor) that includes a porous impeller which is in fluid communication with a hollow shaft that can be used to transport a reaction fluid to an external storage tank or the like. The fluid assembly/bioreactor can include a coupling mechanism that transmits rotary motion from a motor to a primary shaft and then to a hollow secondary shaft, while at the same time permitting removal of a filtrate from the fluid assembly or bioreactor via the hollow secondary shaft and a porous impeller.

A reactor system includes a support housing having an interior surface bounding a chamber, the chamber having a vertically extending central longitudinal axis. A flexible bag is disposed within the chamber of the support housing and has an interior surface bounding a compartment. A mixing element is disposed within the compartment of the flexible bag. A drive element, such as a drive shaft, is secured the mixing element, wherein the mixing element is laterally offset from and/or is angled relative to the vertically extending central longitudinal axis of the support housing.

A stirring device of a plug-flow fermentation device includes a shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation which defines an axial direction. The stirring device further includes a boundary stirring element that defines the axial extent of a stirring volume covered by the stirring device. A nearest neighbor of the boundary stirring element in the axial direction has an axial maximum width which is smaller than an axial maximum width of the boundary stirring element and which is larger than an axial maximum width of a next-nearest neighbor of the boundary stirring element.

Disclosed is direct ink write (DIW) print extrusion head for 3D printing of viscous elastomers. The disclosed print extrusion head comprises a mixer assembly, comprising a fluid distribution cap coupled to a carrier, an in-line mixer coupled to the fluid distribution cap. A cooling jacket surrounds the in-line mixer. A nozzle is coupled to the in-line mixer and protrudes below the cooling jacket over a work surface. The position of the nozzle relative to the work surface is changeable. At least one heat source is on the chassis and disposed adjacent to the fluid distribution cap. The at least one heat source comprises a heat guiding element to direct heat to a region onto the work surface below the nozzle.

A stirring blade includes a first member having a first flat surface and a second member having a second flat surface, wherein the stirring blade is rotatable about a rotational axis in a state where the first and second flat surfaces are opposed to each other and spaced by a first distance across the rotational axis. When the stirring blade is rotated about the rotational axis with the first and second flat surfaces at least partially immersed in an object to be stirred, the object to be stirred having entered between the first and second flat surfaces is discharged in a direction away from the rotational axis by a centrifugal force and, simultaneously, the object to be stirred is sucked into and between the first and second flat surfaces from a direction along the rotational axis.

A method of mixing a fluid includes at least partially unfolding a collapsible bag bounding a compartment, the collapsible bag containing in the compartment at least a portion of an elongated drive line or drive shaft and an impeller secured to the drive line or drive shaft, the impeller including a plurality of impeller blades that are pivotable relative to the drive line or drive shaft, at least one of the plurality of impeller blades being in a collapsed position. A fluid is delivered into the compartment of the collapsible bag. The drive line or drive shaft is then rotated so as to rotate the impeller within the compartment and mix the fluid therein, the at least one of the plurality of impeller blades pivoting from the collapsed position to an expanded position as the impeller is rotated within the compartment.

A machine for processing liquid or semi-liquid food products, includes: at least one container for containing the product to be processed; at least one stirrer, mounted inside the container, to rotate about an axis of rotation; the machine is characterized in that the stirrer comprises at least: a first protuberance extending along the axis of rotation; a plurality of scraping elements, each provided with a cavity for accommodating the first protuberance; a first locking element, removably associable with the first protuberance and movable between an engaged position, where it is locked to the first protuberance to couple the scraping elements to the first protuberance, and a disengaged position, where it is movable relative to the first protuberance to allow uncoupling the scraping elements.

A thermokinetic mixer for melt mixing plastics waste includes a housing enclosing a mixing chamber, and a shaft protruding through the mixing chamber and connectable to a drive unit. In the mixing chamber, Y-shaped mixing blades protrude radially from the shaft, wherein the free end of the mixing blades protruding into the mixing chamber is cuboid, and the end opposite the free end of the mixing blades has two legs in each case having at least one through bore. The shaft has polygonal recesses, in which recesses the legs can be fastened by a fastener protruding through the through bores.