System for producing emulsions

A system for producing at a selected rate a stable, highly viscous emulsion with an internal phase content of above about 75% by volume within an immiscible external phase comprising:

• a. supply means providing individual stream of an inverter phase formed of an internal-in-external emulsifier and an external phase, and an internal phase;
• b. first and second flow rate controller means for precisely regulating in said supply means the flow rates of separate streams of the internal phase and the inverter phase in a preselected ratio in the range of between 95 to 5, and 75 to 25 percents by volume within said system;
• c. mixing means receiving the separate streams of the internal phase and the inverter phase and distributing loosely the internal phase in stepwise progressive amounts into the inverter phase, thereby forming a composition with the desired ratio of internal phase, emulsifier and external phase of the desired emulsion;
• d. pumping means;
• e. means for passing said composition of internal phase and inverter phase into said pumping means for moving therethrough said composition at a selected rate;
• f. said pumping means providing continuous shear at rates between about 500 and 10,000 reciprocal seconds sufficient to reduce the effective viscosity of said composition near to that of the inverter phase but below the inherent shear stability point of the desired emulsion;
• said pumping means retaining less than 1% by volume of said emulsion relative to the volume per minute of said composition being moved;
• g. outlet means for removing the resultant emulsion from said pumping means to a subsequent utilization.