Mixing apparatus and method
AssigneeThe Maitland Company
InventorRobert M. Rumph
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mixing apparatus including a frame, a housing, and a pair of thrust generators are disclosed. The housing is pivotably mounted to the frame and is movable between a retracted position substantially parallel with the frame and an extended position substantially perpendicular to the frame. The thrust generators are opposingly mounted to the housing and face opposite directions both when the housing is in the retracted position and when the housing is in the extended position. Various mixing and disposal methods are also described.
Claims29
A mixing apparatus comprising:
- an elongated support structure;
- and
- a mixing unit pivotably mounted to the support structure for movement between a retracted position substantially parallel with the support structure and an extended position oriented angularly relative to the support structure, the mixing unit having a pair of opposingly operable thrust generators fixedly mounted in an opposing relationship.
A method for mixing a substance including liquid and solid constituents, the substance being contained in a tank having a floor, at least a portion of the solid constituents being settled on the floor of the tank, the method comprising:
- providing a mixing apparatus, the mixing apparatus including a frame, a pair of opposing thrust generators pivotably mounted to the frame, and a floor contacting member;
- lowering at least a portion of the mixing apparatus into the tank;
- with the thrust generators in a first position such that one of the thrust generators substantially faces the floor of the tank, clearing the settled solid constituents from an area of the floor;
- moving the thrust generators to a second position from the first position;
- engaging the floor contacting member with the floor at the area clear of the settled solid constituents;
- and
- with the thrust generators in the second position, mixing the liquid and solid constituents of the substance, including the settled solid constituents.
A method of handling a sedimentary substance, the method comprising:
- loading a slurry carrying the sedimentary substance into a tank;
- permitting the sedimentary substance to settle on a bottom of the tank;
- lowering a mixer into the tank, the mixer having two opposing thrust generators mounted to a first frame, the first frame being pivotally mounted to a second frame and maintaining the thrust generators at a fixed spaced apart distance from each other;
- after lowering, pivoting the first frame from a retracted position to an extended position;
- and
- powering the thrust generators such that the first thrust generator exerts a first force on one end of the first frame, and the second thrust generator exerts a second force on an opposing second end of the frame, the second force being substantially equal and opposite to the first force.
A method of disposing of a sedimentary material contained in a tank, the method comprising:
- cutting at least one hole in the tank above a top surface of the sedimentary material;
- adding a liquid material to the tank;
- inserting a mixer into the tank through the cut hole;
- activating the mixer to blend the sedimentary material with the added liquid material;
- and
- off-loading the blended mixture from the tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.