Grinding sections for food waste disposers, food waste disposers having grinding sections, and methods of manufacturing food waste disposers having grinding sections are disclosed herein. The grinding sections include an internal wall having a plurality of projections extending into the food receiving area. Grinding inserts are attached to each projection. The grinding sections may be made by molding the grinding section housing with the projections and attaching the grinding inserts into the projections.

Described is a macerator and process for using the macerator to reduce the particle size of a particulate containing slurry that is introduced to the macerator. The macerator comprises a housing that defines a chamber an inlet and an outlet, the inlet configured to receive a flow of slurry, two or more elongate concentric bodies located within the chamber to define a gap between the surface of the outer body and the inner surface of the housing, the bodies having a first end and a second end, at least one of the bodies rotatable about an axis, and each body comprising a plurality of apertures to define a flow path through each body, from the housing inlet to the housing outlet, a baffle or baffles that extend substantially the width of the gap from the first end to the second end of the bodies to define a first portion that contains the inlet, and a second portion that contains the outlet, and wherein the baffle or baffles substantially inhibit passage of slurry between the two portions via the gap such that the slurry is directed through the body apertures, a motor to drive the rotating body or bodies, one or more injectors that inject liquid into the gap, wherein at least one of the injectors is located in the first portion. The particle size of the outlet slurry is less than the particle size of the inlet slurry.

In a defibrating apparatus, when a region, of a discharge path, including a discharge unit is a downstream discharge path, a region, of the discharge path, other than the downstream discharge path is an upstream discharge path, a region, of a screen, constituting the downstream discharge path is a downstream discharge screen, a region, of the screen, constituting the upstream discharge path is an upstream discharge screen, and a through-hole that causes a defibrating chamber to be in communication with the discharge path is a communication hole, the communication hole is provided on the screen such that the air is less likely to pass through the downstream screen than the upstream screen.

A cutting blade assembly establishes a bidirectional and/or multifaceted scissor-type cutting action to efficiently and effectively process various types of debris encountered by the cutting blade assembly. The assembly includes a cutting plate and a cutting hub configured for relative rotation. A cutting slot is formed in the cutting plate and intersects the axial face to define a cutting edge at the intersection of the cutting slot and the axial face. The cutting hub has a cutting arm positioned adjacent to the axial face. When the cutting plate and the cutting hub undergo relative rotation, the cutting arm passes adjacent to the cutting edge to perform a scissor-type cutting action.

A device for granulating sludge has a hollow-cylindrical die into which sludge to be granulated is to be injected and in which a stripper with at least one knife is rotatingly arranged. A knife holder holds at least one knife radially movably on the rotating stripper.

A hydrate production apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a main body unit having a reaction space in which a hydrate is produced therein; an inlet pipe unit connected to one side of the main body unit so as to introduce, into the reaction space, a host material and a guest material for producing the hydrate; an outlet pipe unit connected to the other side of the main body unit so as to discharge the hydrate produced in the reaction space to the outside; and a pulverizing device unit provided inside the reaction space so as to increase a reaction area for producing the hydrate by pulverizing, into fine-sized particles, an object to be pulverized, which is at least one of the introduced host material and guest material.

An apparatus for cutting polymer includes a rotor having a base with a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The rotor includes an outer annular wall extending from the first side and defining a number of slots, an inner annular wall defining a number of slots and extending from the first side and surrounded by, and spaced apart from, the outer annular wall. The rotor also includes blades extending from the first side and positioned within the inner annular wall. A circular-shaped stator also defines a number of slots. At least a portion of the stator is positioned in a space between the outer annular wall and the inner annular wall of the rotor.

A method of producing a powder suitable for additive manufacturing and/or powder metallurgy applications from a precursor particulate material comprising: subjecting the precursor particulate material to at least one high shear milling process, thereby producing a powder product having a reduced average particle size and a selected particle morphology.

An apparatus, method and system for wet or dry processing of plant material is provided. The apparatus has an enclosure attached to a frame. The apparatus includes: (a) a cylindrical rotatable drum for receiving the plant material, the rotatable drum having a plurality of slots; (b) a cutting module for cutting portions of the plant material that pass through one or more said slots; and (c) a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a liquid within the enclosure.

The apparatus may further include a controller having a processing unit and a memory, the memory containing instructions for directing the processing unit. The controller may be operable to selectably control operations of the rotatable drum, the cutting module, and the plurality of nozzles.

The cutting module may include a plurality of cutting reels.

The cutting module and the rotatable drum may be coaxial. The cutting module may include a plurality of blades rotatable about the drum.

Embodiments of the invention provide a cutting blade assembly operably coupleable to a fluid pump. The cutting blade assembly comprises a cutting plate and a cutting hub. The cutting plate may have a front axial surface, an opening, and a plurality of cutting features. Each of the plurality of cutting features may define a pair of cutting edges. The cutting hub may be disposed at least partially within the opening of the cutting plate and may have a cutting arm and fin adjacent to the front axial surface. The cutting arm may define an arcuate front surface having a leading edge. When the cutting plate and the cutting hub are rotated relative to each other, the leading edge of the cutting arm may pass adjacent to the plurality of cutting features so that the relative rotation of the cutting plate and the cutting hub defines a cutting action between the cutting arm and each cutting feature.