Apparatus for forming emulsions
AssigneeBiotechnology Development Corporation
InventorsEdward J. Cook, Arthur P. Lagace
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for forming emulsions, a term used to include microemulsions. The leading edges of a plurality of sheets of an emulsion-forming liquid mixture are forced under pressure to impinge in a low-pressure turbulent zone of the liquid. The apparatus comprises a plurality of nozzles having elongated orifices to eject under pressure sheets of the emulsion-forming liquid and being arranged to effect impingement of the sheets along a common liquid jet interaction front. Inasmuch as the method and apparatus permit the formulation of emulsions without the use of any emulsifiers, there is provided a new class of emulsions, namely those essentially free of any emulsifying agents. The emulsions formed have a wide range of applications.
Claims19
A liquid jet interaction chamber block for forming an emulsion, comprising in combination
- (a) a plurality of submerged nozzles providing elongated orifices arranged to eject under pressure a plurality of thin sheets of an emulsion-forming liquid system, said nozzles being arranged to effect turbulent jet interaction of said sheets along a common liquid jet interaction front and said sheets being ejected by said nozzles into a low pressure zone filled with said liquid further creating turbulent jet interaction along a common boundary essentially defined and formed by said mixture in said low pressure zone and by said sheets ejected into said low pressure zone;
- (b) jet interaction chamber-defining means arranged to provide said low pressure zone of said liquid system in which said turbulent jet interaction is effected;
- (c) inlet channel means to deliver said liquid system under pressure to said nozzles;
- and
- (d) discharge channel means to withdraw said liquid in the form of an emulsion from said zone.
A liquid jet interaction chamber block for forming an emulsion, comprising in combination
- (a) base member means having an essentially optically flat surface thereon;
- (b) top member means having an essentially optically flat surface thereon;
- (c) shim spacer means interposed between said optically flat surfaces of said base and top member means and and maintained in fluid-tight contact with them, said shim spacer means having an opening cut therethrough to expose said optically flat surfaces to each other over a predetermined area, and said shim spacer means having a predetermined thickness;
- (d) opposed nozzles defined between said exposed surfaces and providing opposed elongated orifices said orifices having a height dimension determined by said thickness of said shim spacer means and said orifices having a width dimension determined by said opening cut through said shim spacer means and said nozzles having a length at least equal to said orifice width;
- (e) outer high-pressure liquid inlet channels in fluid communication with said nozzles to provide high pressure liquid thereto;
- (f) central liquid jet interaction chamber means between the outlet of said nozzles to provide a low-pressure liquid zone in which a common turbulent liquid jet interaction front is formed and said nozzles so arranged to achieve within said interaction chamber, turbulent jet interaction producing high values of circulation energy;
- (g) inlet liquid conduit means arranged to communicate with said inlet channels;
- and
- (h) discharge liquid conduit means arranged to communicate with said central interaction chamber means.
An apparatus for forming an emulsion of an emulsion-forming liquid system, comprising in combination
- (a) jet interaction chamber block means comprising in combination
- (1) a plurality of submerged nozzles providing elongated orifices arranged to eject under pressure a plurality of thin sheets of an emulsion-forming liquid system, said nozzles being arranged to effect turbulent jet interaction of said sheets along a common liquid jet interaction front and said sheets being ejected by said nozzles into a low-pressure zone filled with said liquid further creating turbulent jet interaction along a common boundary essentially defined and formed by said mixture in said low pressure zone and by said sheets ejected into said low pressure zone;
- (2) jet interaction chamber-defining means arranged to provide said low pressure zone of said liquid system in which said turbulent jet interaction is effected;
- (b) liquid supply means arranged to provide predetermined amounts of said liquid system;
- (c) pump means for delivering said liquid system under pressure to said nozzles;
- and
- (d) means to withdraw said liquid system in the form of an emulsion from said low-pressure zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.