Homogenizing apparatus and method

A valve assembly for homogenizing or mixing a fluid comprising a plurality of valve members stacked within a housing and defining a central chamber and a peripheral chamber within the housing, at least some of the valve members having annular, knife edge valve seats protruding axially therefrom and spaced less than 0.003 inch from adjacent valve members to provide a plurality of valve slits between the central and peripheral chambers through which fluid is expressed, the valve assembly comprising:

• rigid spacing means positioned between the valve members radially outward from the knife edge valve seats;
• valve actuating means for releasably clamping the valve members together into a tight stack, with rigid spacing means therebetween, by means of a rigid actuator operative from the exterior of said housing to exert an axial clamping force on the stack of valve members, which force is concentrated centrally on an end valve member radially inward from rigid spacing means associated with said end valve member for flexing at least said end valve member to adjust the gap of at least one of the valve slits;
• and
• spring elements between the valve members for exerting axial spring forces on the valve members to separate the valve members when the members are released by the valve actuating means, the valve members being thus separated to allow for substantially larger slit gaps for cleaning the slits, a valve slit gap between each valve seat and adjacent valve member being determined by said rigid spacing means independent of the spring elements in homogenizing or mixing operation, the valve members and rigid spacing means being fully compressed into a tight stack with the spring elements compressed therebetween.

A valve member suitable for a stacked configuration homogenizing valve assembly, the valve member comprising a rigid ring having a central hole and having opposite faces which provide a valve surface and a valve seat for respective valve slits, the rigid ring further comprising:

• a chamber groove in one face thereof concentric with the central hole in the ring;
• an annular knife-edge valve seat forming a ridge between the central hole and chamber groove;
• a flat valve surface aligned with the valve seat on the opposite face of the ring;
• a peripheral rim having flat axially directed surfaces, one surface being coplanar with the flat valve surface, the other surface being near coplanar with the valve seat but spaced axially a predetermined amount to form a rigid spacer which assures a gap between the valve seat and the flat valve surface of a like valve member;
• and
• a plurality of axial fluid passages through the ring from the chamber groove.

A valve member suitable for a stacked configuration homogenizing valve assembly, the valve member comprising a rigid ring having a central hole and having opposite faces which provide a valve surface and a valve seat for respective valve slits, the rigid ring further comprising:

• a chamber groove in a face thereof concentric with the central hole in the ring;
• an annular knife edge valve seat forming a ridge between the central hole and chamber groove;
• a flat valve surface aligned with the valve seat on the opposite face of the ring;
• a peripheral rim having flat axially directed surfaces, one surface being coplanar with the flat valve surface, the other surface being near coplanar with the valve seat but spaced axially a predetermined amount less than 0.003 inch to form a rigid spacer which assures a gap between the valve seat and the flat valve surface of a like valve member;
• a plurality of axial fluid passages through the ring from the chamber groove;
• and
• a spring groove in each of said peripheral rim surfaces.