Method for mixing two liquids or liquid and solid material together, and for simultaneously separating another liquid or solid from the liquid

A method for maintaining continuous mixing in a liquid throughout a reactor space and for simultaneously separating from said liquid either a second liquid or solid particles comprising:

• providing a reactor having three vertically superposed zones;
• filling said reactor with liquid and with a second liquid or a liquid and solid particles, mixing said liquid and said second liquid or said liquid and solid particles in a cylindrical reaction zone, coalescing and settling droplets of said second liquid or said solid particles in a conical settling zone below said reaction zone, and collecting said droplets or solid particles in a collecting zone below said settling zone, homogeneously mixing said liquid throughout said reaction and settling zones by creating a vertical circulation in said reactor by means of a helical impeller and baffles at rims of the reactor for causing the liquid to circulate downwards in a middle portion of the reactor and to circulate upwards near said rims of the reactor, and preventing the return of liquid or solid particles from the collecting zone into said circulation by providing a protective conical deflector at a bottom end of said helical impeller.