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US 2019/0381468 A1Published application
Mixing and processing apparatus
AssigneeAlkymar AS
InventorsOlav Asle Djupevåg, Arnstein Haugen, Ole Jørgen Marvik, Kjartan Sandnes
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AssigneeAlkymar AS
InventorsOlav Asle Djupevåg, Arnstein Haugen, Ole Jørgen Marvik, Kjartan Sandnes
Estimating the term…
A rotating drum apparatus for the mixing and processing of materials, the rotating drum apparatus comprising: a rotating drum (12) arranged with the length of the drum and the axis of rotation of the drum extending along the horizontal; an inlet at a first point on the drum (12) for receiving materials prior to mixing and/or processing; a screw (14) within the drum (12) for mixing the materials whilst conveying them lengthwise along the drum (12), wherein the screw (14) includes a helical blade extending along the length of the drum (12) with the outer edge of the helical blade being fixed to the inner surface of the drum (12) such that material can be conveyed and mixed in separated volumes (16) between each turn of the screw blade (14); an outlet at a second point along the drum for discharge of materials after mixing and/or processing; and a plurality mixing devices (18) for promoting mixing of the material in each of the separated volumes (16) of material as the material is conveyed along the screw (14), wherein the plurality of mixing devices (18) are spaced apart along the blade of the screw (14), and wherein there is at least one mixing device (18) for each turn of the screw blade (14).
A rotating drum apparatus for the mixing and processing of materials, the rotating drum apparatus comprising:
A rotating drum apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mixing devices comprise mixing vanes spaced apart along the screw with multiple vanes for each turn of the screw, the vanes being arranged to promote mixing of the material in the rotating drum.
A rotating drum apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mixing devices comprise fluid inlets for the addition of fluid to the mixture within each volume between turns of the screw.
A rotating drum apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the screw blade has a change in pitch between the inlet and the outlet.
A rotating drum apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the screw blade extends from the wall of the drum inward for at least 50% of the radius of the drum, and/or wherein the screw blade extends from the inner surface of the outer wall of the drum toward the centre of the drum but does not fully fill the drum.
A rotating drum apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the drum and/or the screw blade are provided with outlet features during the final turn(s) of the screw blade in order to provide a more even flow rate from the outlet of the drum, wherein the outlet features include holes in the wall of the drum and/or in the surface of the screw blade during the final turn of the screw blade.
A rotating drum apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the drum is arranged to provide a processing capacity of 5 m3 per hour or above, and/or wherein the rotating drum is arranged so that time taken for the raw material to pass along the extent of the drum is at least 15 minutes.
A rotating drum apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the diameter of the drum is at least 2 m and/or wherein the length of the drum between the inlet and the outlet is 3 m or more.
An enzymatic processing plant, such as for hydrolysis of protein, triglycerides, cellulose or chitin, the processing plant comprising a rotating drum as claimed in any preceding claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.