Mixing device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025058289-A1
Application number	US-202218724242-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2022
Priority date	Dec 30, 2021
Publication date	Feb 20, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mixing device for mixing a powder-liquid mixture, comprises a movable body, arranged within the housing, with a channel formed between the housing and the movable body. An actuator moves the movable body between a closed and an opened position. The movable body comprises a first body section having a first set of openings, and a second body section having a second set of openings. The housing comprises a sleeve with a covering section that covers the second set of openings when the movable body is in the closed position, for minimizing a flow of the mixture through the second set of openings, and be offset from the second set of openings when the movable body is in the open position, for allowing the mixture to flow into the channel through the second set of openings.

First claim

1 . A mixing device for mixing a powder-liquid mixture, the mixing device comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a movable body having an interior space and arranged within the housing, with a channel formed between the housing and the movable body and leading to the outlet, and an actuator arranged to move the movable body within the housing, between a closed position and an open position,
the movable body comprising a body inlet aligned with the inlet of the housing and leading to the interior space, a first body section forming a first part of the interior space and having a first set of openings leading to the channel, and a second body section forming a second part of the interior space and having a second set of openings leading to the channel, wherein the housing comprises a sleeve having a covering section arranged to
cover the second set of openings when the movable body is in the closed position, for minimizing a flow of the mixture through the second set of openings, and
be offset from the second set of openings when the movable body is in the open position, for allowing the mixture or a cleaning liquid to flow through the second set of openings and into the channel.

2 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is arranged at the inlet of the housing and extends into the housing of the mixing device.

3 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is at least partly located at a position between the body inlet of the movable body and the first body section.

4 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve has through holes that are
offset from the second set of openings when the movable body is in the closed position, and aligned with the second set of openings when the movable body is in the open position.

5 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a support section for supporting the movable body inside the housing.

6 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the movable body comprises a body inlet section forming the inlet of the movable body, the second set of openings being located at a position between the support section and the first set of openings.

7 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the movable body comprises a third body section forming an end part of the interior space and having a third set of openings for allowing the mixture or a cleaning liquid to flow through the third set of openings and into the channel when the movable body is in the open position.

8 . The mixing device according to claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises an end section that is arranged to cover the third set of openings when the movable body is in the closed position, for minimizing a flow of the mixture through the third set of openings.

9 . The mixing device according to claim 7 , wherein the actuator comprises a rod extending through the housing and connected to the third body section of the movable body.

10 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first set of openings comprises individual openings, each individual opening of the first set of openings having a size in the range from 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm.

11 . The mixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the second set of openings comprises individual openings, each individual opening of the second set of openings having a size at least five times bigger than the individual openings of the first set of openings.

12 . A mixing system comprising
a mixing device according to claim 1 , a pump, a hopper and an injector, wherein the pump and the hopper are connected to the injector for feeding liquid respectively powder into the injector to form a powder-liquid mixture, and the injector is connected to the mixing device for feeding the powder-liquid mixture through the mixing device to form a mixed powder-liquid mixture.

13 . A method of operating a mixing device according to claim 1 , the method comprising
closing the mixing device by setting the movable body in the closed position, feeding a powder-liquid mixture through the mixing device such that it forms a mixed powder-liquid mixture, opening the mixing device by setting the movable body is in the open position, and feeding a cleaning liquid through the mixing device.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Eggler Thomas
• Steffen Denis
• Magoni Nora
• Zappella Sergio

Classifications

• B01F35/1452

  using fluids · CPC title

• B01F25/31

  in conduits or tubes through which the main component flows · CPC title

• B01F23/50 Primary

  Mixing liquids with solids (displacing one liquid by another in dispersions of solids in liquids B01D12/00) · CPC title

• B01F25/45211

  the elements being cylinders or cones which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube, the flow changing from axial in radial and again in axial · CPC title

• B01F2101/06

  Mixing of food ingredients · CPC title