The invention relates to a method for monitoring and controlling the operation of a liquid flow generator (1) configured for operation in a tank (18) housing in a liquid comprising solid matter. The flow generator (1) comprises a propeller (3) and a main body (7) having a drive unit (4), wherein a control unit (4) is operatively connected to the flow generator (1) in order to monitor and control the operation of the flow generator (1), the method comprises the steps of: a) driving the propeller (3) in a normal direction of rotation, wherein the liquid flow is directed from an upstream side of the propeller (3) towards a downstream side of the propeller (3), wherein the main body (7) is located at the upstream side of the propeller (3), b) performing a cleaning sequence in response to a main body cleaning signal, wherein the cleaning sequence comprises the steps of: i) stopping the propeller (3) from rotating in the normal direction of rotation, ii) driving the propeller (3) in a reverse direction of rotation, wherein the liquid flow is directed from the downstream side of the propeller (3) towards the upstream side of the propeller (3) and along the main body (7) in order to remove any solid matter accumulated on the main body (7), and iii) stopping the propeller (3) from rotating in the reverse direction of rotation, c) resume driving of the propeller (3) in the normal direction of rotation.

A tube-in-tube inline solids conditioner and pre-wetter. The conditioner has three concentric tubes. A first ingredient is fed into an inner tube. A second ingredient is fed into an outer tube. The middle tube has a flared nozzle to form a tear drop flow with the second ingredient that surrounds the first ingredient. A vacuum chamber is formed between the middle tube and the inner tube. The cocoon and the vacuum prevent the formation of condensation inside the conditioner. The conditioner combines the two ingredients into a mixture that is pumpable.

A mixing device includes a mixing container rotatable about a first axis of rotation for receiving mixing material, which has a mixer opening and a mixer cover which can be reciprocated between an opened position and a closed position. The mixer cover in the closed position closes the mixer opening and in the opened position exposes the mixer opening. The mixing container is rotatably mounted to a machine stand. The mixer cover is so fixed to the machine stand that the mixing container in the closed position of the mixer cover is rotatable relative to the mixer cover about the first axis of rotation. The machine stand has a stationary element and a pivotal element, wherein the pivotal element is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis relative to the stationary element. The mixing container is mounted rotatably to the pivotal element and the mixer cover is fixed to the pivotal element.

A self-cleaning extruding apparatus with two co-rotating screws and the method thereof are provided here. Said apparatus is comprised of a screw mechanism, a barrel (1), a feeding port (10), a venting port (11), and a discharge port (12). Said screw mechanism is comprised of the first screw with one tip (3) and the second screw with two tips (4). There is a baffle in the channel of the first screw and the baffle's height is lower than that of the screw flight. The baffle will cause hyperbolic perturbation in the shape of a ‘figure 8’ flow pattern above the top of the baffle. The first and second screws rotate at the same speed and touch each other at all times, thereby achieving a self-cleaning function.

The baffle will generate chaotic mixing in the screw channel caused by the hyperbolic perturbation. Topological chaos is also introduced into the screw channel by the mechanism ‘one part divided into two parts, then two parts converging into one part, and then one part divided into two parts once more’. Each of the screws in the present invention uses an asymmetrical flow channel geometrical shape, such that a periodic action like ‘compression—expansion—further compression—expansion further’ works. The above three enhancement mechanisms work together to efficiently accelerate melting and mixing.

The invention provides a method of operating a batch mixer for producing first and second numbers of mixtures from first and second numbers of batches of materials to be mixed in the batch mixer, the batch mixer comprising a mixing chamber, a mixing element disposed within the mixing chamber, the mixing element and the mixing chamber being configured for providing an identical flow of the materials to be mixed within the mixing chamber and around the mixing element regardless of in which of the first and second opposite directions the mixing element is rotated, and a motor assembly coupled to the mixing element for rotating the mixing element for mixing the first and second numbers of batches of materials to be mixed for producing the first and second numbers of mixtures. The method comprises the steps of energizing said motor assembly for rotating said mixing element in said first direction, for each one of the first number of batches of the materials to be mixed: loading the one of the first number of batches of materials to be mixed into the mixing chamber, mixing the one of the first number of batches of materials for producing one of the first number of mixtures, and removing the one of the first number of mixtures from the mixing chamber, energizing the motor assembly for rotating the mixing element in the second direction, and for each one of the second number of batches of the materials to be mixed loading the one of the second number of batches of materials to be mixed into the mixing chamber, mixing the one of the second number of batches of materials for producing one of the second number of mixtures, and removing the one of the second number of mixtures from the mixing chamber.

The invention relates to a self-cleaning homogeneous mixer-bleeder system composed of a set of screens and a bleed manifold (1), in particular for the production of must by pellicular maceration, of the type incorporated in a wine maceration tank (0) and having mainly: a. a bleed system (10) containing a bleed manifold (107) and a set of perforated side bleed screens (102); b. an inerting valve (11); c. a CO.sub.2 system (12).

Improving health and experience of a cosmetic product user, the robotic cosmetic mix bar of the present invention is disclosed. The robotic cosmetic mix bar allows the user to select safe ingredients tailored to their own unique hair and skincare goals. In one embodiment, the robotic cosmetic mix bar contains a robotic arm surrounded by a dispenser and multiple processing stations. Based on a user input indicating a type of cosmetic product and the ingredients to include in the cosmetic product, the robotic arm obtains the desired ingredients from the dispenser and, by transporting the ingredients from one processing station to another, the robotic arm facilitates the processing of the ingredients. The processing of ingredients can include boiling, cooling, mixing, whisking, blending, etc. Within approximately two minutes, the cosmetic product built according to the user specifications is delivered to the user.

A tank, such as a fermentation tank, includes a scraper blade assembly slideably coupled to a bottom surface of the tank. The scraper blade assembly includes a blade arranged to displace solids deposited on the bottom surface of the tank out through an aperture arranged flush with the bottom surface of the tank.

A tank, such as a fermentation tank, includes a scraper blade assembly slideably coupled to a bottom surface of the tank. The scraper blade assembly includes a blade arranged to displace solids deposited on the bottom surface of the tank out through an aperture arranged flush with the bottom surface of the tank.

The invention relates to a stirring member (9) for using in a system for preparing a food product, the product being prepared by the stirring member (9) moving inside a container (8), the stirring member (9) being configured in such a way that it can adopt different configurations depending on its direction of rotation inside the container (8). Preferably, the stirring member (9) can adopt a spoon configuration or a whisk configuration. The invention further relates to a method for using such a stirring member (9) in a system for preparing a food product, the method varying the direction of rotation of the stirring member (9) so that it adopts a different configuration depending on the type of product prepared in the container (8).