Temperature-controlled thermokinetic mixer

A temperature-controlled K-mixer for thermally and kinetically treating a material, the K-mixer comprising:

• a substantially cylindrical stationary chamber for containing the material, the chamber having a chamber inlet for receiving the material and a chamber outlet for discharging the material;
• a shaft assembly coaxial with the chamber and having a portion extending in the stationary chamber, the shaft assembly comprising:
• an inner hollow shaft defining an inner passage extending therein;
• an outer hollow shaft coaxially surrounding and spaced away from the inner hollow shaft, the outer hollow shaft forming an outer passage with the inner hollow shaft, the outer passage extending between the inner and outer hollow shafts, the inner and outer passages being in fluid communication with each other;
• a motor end connectable to a motor for rotating the shaft assembly;
• a joint end connectable to a rotary joint, the joint end having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, each communicating with a respective one of the inner and outer passages;
• and
• a plurality of blades extending from the outer hollow shaft in the stationary chamber, for mixing the material, the blades being respectively formed from at least one solid plate provided, the at least one plate having one or more channels extending within the solid plate, said at least one plate comprising opposed first and second lateral faces, said lateral faces being substantially planar, each blade comprising a channel inlet communicating with one of the passages, and a channel outlet communicating with the other one of the passages;
• wherein the K-mixer is adapted for operating at speeds greater than 400 RPM and wherein the inner passage, the channels and the outer passage form a continuous flow path allowing a pressurized fluid to circulate within inner and outer hollow shafts and through the plurality of blades, from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, for controlling a temperature of the shafts and a temperature of the blades, allowing a flow of the fluid in the blades in an opposite direction of a rotational direction of the shaft assembly.