Hydration apparatus and method

An apparatus comprising:

• a. a plurality of cylindrical vessels comprising n cylindrical vessels in series, wherein n is at least 2, and each of the plurality of cylindrical vessels comprises:
• i) an inside wall defining an interior volume, a first vessel end and a second vessel end, a top and a bottom;
• ii) at least one and at most one inlet in the bottom of the cylindrical vessel;
• iii) at least one and at most one outlet in the top of the cylindrical vessel;
• iv) at least one dividing plate attached to the inside wall and disposed within the interior volume;
• and
• b. wherein, for the 2nd and any subsequent cylindrical vessel, the inlet of the nth cylindrical vessel is connected in fluid flow communication with the outlet of the n−1 cylindrical vessel.

A method for hydrating a polymer comprising:

• a. utilizing an apparatus comprising:
• i) a cylindrical vessel comprising an inside wall defining an interior volume, a first vessel end and a second vessel end, a top and a bottom;
• ii) at least one inlet in the bottom of the cylindrical vessel;
• iii) at least one outlet in the top of the cylindrical vessel;
• iv) at least one dividing plate attached to the inside wall and disposed within the interior volume;
• b. introducing a slurry comprising water and the polymer to the cylindrical vessel through the inlet;
• and
• c. removing an at least partially hydrated polymer slurry from the outlet of the cylindrical vessel.