Rotary processor apparatus and method for extensive and dispersive mixing.

摘要

A rotary processor for high-shear processing of plastic or polymeric materials comprises a rotor having end discs and at least one mixing disc 22 and 26 therebetween, the rotor closely surrounded by a housing to define annular processing chambers 15 flanking each mixing disc, with a high-shear-mixing transfer gap defined between the mixing disc and the housing. Channel blocks 40 are deployed at circumferentially spaced apart positions in adjacent chambers to cause transfer of material through the transfer gaps, with dispersive mixing occurring in the transfer gaps. Some embodiments have plural channel blocks in the chambers, evenly spaced apart. The channel blocks extend generally into and to the bottom of a chamber, and have two working surfaces divergent from a central region of the chamber and convergent toward the disc walls defining the chamber. The working surfaces and disc walls defined two high-shear-mixing recycle gaps through which a portion of the material passes and is mixed. The channel block configuration is also used in a single chamber rotary processor.