Apparatus for continuously treating liquids, emulsions and the like

[54] APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY

TREATING LIQUIDS, EMULSIONS AND
THE LIKE

[76] Inventor: Rudolf P. Fritsch, Goslarerstrasse 58, D7000 Stuttgart 31, Fed. Rep. of Germany

[21] Appl. No.: 256,261
[22] Filed: Oct. 11, 1988

Related U.S. Application Data

[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 871,422, filed as PCT DE85/00283 on Aug. 22, 1985, published as WO86/01432 on Mar. 13, 1986, abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Aug. 22, 1984 [DE] Fed. Rep. of Germany 3430885

[51] Int. CI.* B01F7/26

[52] U.S. a 366/97; 366/144;

366/146; 366/147; 366/301; 366/315; 422/135;

422/225

[58] Field of Search 366/64, 65, 96-98,

366/100, 103, 104, 147, 144, 146, 156, 157, 292-301, 315, 325, 82-84, 318; 425/200, 204, 207, 208; 422/131, 134, 135, 137, 138, 225, 226,

229

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,584,225 2/1952 Plunguian et al. .

2,668,756 2/1954 Corney 366/301

2,814,472 11/1957 Erdmenger 366/97

3,195,868 5/1984 Loomans .

3,243,128 3/1966 Tight 366/315

3,442,065 5/1969 Foras .

3,741,272 6/1973 Ullrich et al. .

4,124,307 11/1978 Anisic 366/147

4,173,417 11/1979 Kruder 366/89

4,304,537 12/1981 Kirjavainen et al 366/145

4,343,929 8/1982 Sugio et al 366/97

4,416,544 11/1983 Blach 366/85

4,432,650 2/1984 Langen et al 366/147

4,478,519 10/1984 Guibert 366/157

4,499,561 2/1985 Mason et al 366/156

4,514,090 4/1985 Neubauer et al 366/97

4,591,487 5/1987 Fritsch .

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

1211904 3/1966 Fed. Rep. of Germany 366/297

1298083 6/1969 Fed. Rep. of Germany .

1595735 8/1969 Fed. Rep. of Germany .

1906504 8/1970 Fed. Rep. of Germany .

2802125 7/1979 Fed. Rep. of Germany .

3030541 2/1982 Fed. Rep. of Germany .

956605 2/1950 France .

2078292 11/1971 France .

1227493 4/1971 United Kingdom .

2069356 8/1981 United Kingdom .

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"Kontinuierlich Arbeitende . . " (Continuously Operating) article by Maier, Fette Seifen-Anstrichmittel, 61st 'year, No. 8, 1959 pp. 686-690.

Primary Examiner—Philip R. Coe

Assistant Examiner—Joseph S. Machuga

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman &

Woodward

[57] ABSTRACT

Apparatus for the continuous processing, such as mixing, homogenizing, gassing and degassing, polymerizing of liquids, emulsions, suspensions, viscous substances and similar materials, is designed with several shafts (1) arranged vertically in ring fashion, with parallel axes and driven in equal direction. Each shaft carries a number of disk-shaped processing elements (13-15) arranged axially staggered in parallel planes, meshing with elements on adjacent shafts, and enclosing together with the shafts at least one central cavity or chamber (16) in whose area the processing elements are arranged in such a way that their circumferential surfaces are exposed. The material is efficiently mixed and homogenized while being handled gently and evenly, and local shearing stress leading to temperature peaks in the material is avoided by leaving the surfaces (130,140) of the processing elements exposed on the outside, i.e. on the side facing away from the chamber (16). A jacket (5) may be provided, spaced substantially from the exposed surfaces so as to have no interactive effect with the materials on the processing elements.

21 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets