Homogenizing method and apparatus

A process of homogenizing a liquid and an insoluble component comprising the steps of:

• feeding a multicomponent stream including a liquid and at least one insoluble component mixed therein;
• creating a free turbulent shear layer in the multicomponent stream having a cavitating flow regime with bubbles therein;
• exposing the free turbulent shear layer to a sufficiently high pressure to violently collapse the bubbles and generate a homogenized effluent of the liquid and the insoluble component;
• premixing the liquid and the insoluble component to provide a mixed multicomponent flow;
• pressurizing the mixed multicomponent flow;
• and
• mixing the mixed multicomponent flow a second time by passing the mixed multicomponent flow through a mixer preparatory to the feeding step.

A process of homogenizing a liquid and an insoluble component comprising the steps of:

• feeding a multicomponent stream including a liquid and at least one insoluble component mixed therein;
• creating a free turbulent shear layer in the multicomponent stream having cavitating flow regime with bubbles therein;
• exposing the free turbulent shear layer to a sufficiently high pressure to violently collapse the bubbles and generate a homogenized effluent of the liquid and the insoluble component;
• maintaining a first pressure in the multicomponent stream during the feeding step;
• maintaining a second pressure in the homogenized effluent downstream of the turbulent shear layer;
• and
• maintaining the ratio of the first pressure to the second pressure in the range of 10 to 100.

Apparatus for homogenizing a liquid stream and an insoluble component to generate an effluent that has a separation half-life substantially greater than a few minutes comprising:

• orifice means having an opening therethrough;
• supply means for passing a current containing a liquid stream and an insoluble component through the opening and operable to generate a free turbulent shear layer downstream of the opening which causes cavitation to occur in said free turbulent shear layer, the cavitation being confined downstream of the opening;
• wherein the orifice includes
• a conduit having an inlet for receiving the liquid stream and the insoluble component and an exit for discharging an homogenized effluent, and
• an orifice plate positioned transversely in the conduit between the inlet and the exit, the orifice plate having an orifice plate opening;
• the conduit has a first characteristic transverse dimension, D;
• the orifice plate opening has a second characteristic transverse dimension, d where 5.ltoreq..sup.D /d.ltoreq.75;
• and
• wherein the supply means includes
• first means for maintaining a first predetermined pressure;
• p.sub.0, upstream of the orifice means,
• second means for maintaining a second predetermined pressure;
• p.sub.1, downstream of the orifice means so that 10.ltoreq.(p.sub.0)/(p.sub.1) 100 and
• fluid supply means for maintaining a predetermined volumetric flow rate of the liquid stream.

Apparatus for homogenizing a liquid stream and an insoluble component to generate an effluent that has a separation half-life substantially greater than a few minutes comprising:

• orifice means having an opening therethrough;
• supply means for passing a current containing a liquid stream and an insoluble component through the opening and operable to generate a free turbulent shear layer downstream of the opening
• which causes cavitation to occur in said free turbulent shear layer, the cavitation being confined downstream of the opening;
• the opening has a characteristic dimension, d;
• and
• supply means including a first premixing means positioned upstream of the opening, spaced therefrom by a length which lies in the range of 20 to 100 times the characteristic dimension, d, and being operable to coarsely intermix the insoluble component with the liquid stream so as to avoid a startified flow.

Apparatus for homogenizing a liquid stream and an insoluble component and for supplying the resulting homogenized effluent to a device requiring a varying supply of the effluent comprising:

• orifice means having an opening therethrough and providing a predetermined flow restriction;
• supply means for passing a current containing a liquid stream and an insoluble component through the opening, operable to maintain a predetermined pressure ratio across the opening, and operable to generate a free turbulent shear layer downstream of the opening with cavitation occurring in the free turbulent shear layer downstream of the opening so as to produce a homogenized effluent at a predetermined flow rate;
• and
• tank means downstream of the supply means, operable to receive the homogenized effluent at the predetermined flow rate, connected to supply the homogenized effluent to a device requiring a varying flow rate, the tank means having a volume selected such that homogenized effluent not used by the varying flow rate can be stored in the tank means for later use, the effluent being used within its separation half-life.

Apparatus for generating an homogenized effluent from a liquid stream and an insoluble component such that the effluent has a separation half-life substantially greater than a few minutes comprising:

• a source of a liquid stream;
• a source of a component insoluble in the liquid stream;
• means for locally accelerating the fluid stream, having an opening that provides a predetermined restriction to the fluid stream;
• means for delivering a current containing the liquid stream and the insoluble component to the means for accelerating, including means for establishing a predetermined pressure quotient across the means for accelerating, the predetermined restriction and the predetermined pressure quotient selected to generate a free turbulent shear layer in said stream downstream of the opening with cavitation occurring in said free turbulent shear layer downstream of the opening, the predetermined pressure quotient and the predetermined restriction causing cavitation bubbles to collapse with a collapse pressure in the range of 10,000 to 1,000,000 psi.