Chemical vessel agitator

Abstract

1. An agitator device for mixing materials comprising: a containment vessel defining an interior volume; a hollow shaft having an upper end, a lower end, and a central bore along its length, the lower end extending downwardly into the interior volume of the containment vessel such that the hollow shaft is rotatable relative to the containment vessel; and an outlet tube having an upper end and a lower end, the outlet tube being disposed within the central bore of the hollow shaft such that the lower end of the outlet tube is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the containment vessel.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 906,901, filed Sep. 27, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The inventions disclosed herein relate generally to an agitation device for a vessel to mix and agitate materials to effect a chemical reaction and methods of use thereof, and more particularly to a system that facilitates removal of the final product from a vessel following a chemical reaction and methods of use thereof. [Background technology]

[0003] Agitator devices used for mixing ingredients, especially for mixing chemicals, are well known in the art. Existing agitator devices usually include a drain or tap at the bottom of the device to drain the end product of the agitation process from the corresponding vessel. Such taps are necessarily at the bottom of the device to allow proper drainage, and therefore create problems with leakage of the vessel contents through the tap. This problem is exacerbated when the stirred chemical vessel is used in a highly radioactive environment which may lead to deterioration of the seal in the tap. In other known embodiments, the agitation process may be stopped to allow removal of the product through a dip tube penetrating downwardly through a port in the vessel lid. However, continuing the agitation process during removal of the product may lead to undesirable separation of the ingredients in the vessel upon removal.

[0004] Thus, there remains a need for a stirring device and method for at least mixing ingredients and facilitating removal of product from the device while continuing to stir. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One embodiment of the present disclosure provides an agitator device for mixing materials including a containment vessel defining an interior volume, a hollow shaft having an upper end, a lower end and defining a central bore along its length, the lower end extending downwardly into the interior volume of the containment vessel such that the hollow shaft is rotatable relative to the containment vessel, and a take-up tube having an upper end, a lower end and a central bore along its length, the take-up tube being disposed within the central bore of the hollow shaft such that the lower end of the take-up tube is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the containment vessel and the upper end of the take-up tube extends axially outward beyond a top of the hollow shaft.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides an agitator device for mixing material in a containment vessel defining an interior volume, the agitator device including: a hollow shaft having an upper end, a lower end and defining a central bore along its length; a drive assembly operatively connected to the upper end of the hollow shaft, the hollow shaft being rotatable relative to the drive assembly; and a take-up tube having an upper end, a lower end and a central bore along its length, the take-up tube being slidably receivable within the central bore of the hollow shaft such that the lower end of the take-up tube is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the containment vessel.

[0007] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0008] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stirring device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the stirring device shown in FIG. 1 mounted in a containment vessel. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the stirring device shown in FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the stirring device shown in FIG. 2 taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the stirring device shown in FIG. 2 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention according to the present disclosure.

[0011] Reference will now be made to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield still further embodiments. It is therefore intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0012] As used herein, terms referring to a direction or position with respect to the orientation of a fuel-fired heating apparatus, such as, but not limited to, "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "above," or "below," refer to a direction and relative position with respect to the orientation of the apparatus in its normal intended operation as shown in the figures herein. Thus, for example, the terms "vertical" and "upper" refer to a vertical and relative upper position in the perspective of the figure and should be understood in that context with respect to the apparatus that may be disposed in a different orientation.

[0013] Furthermore, the term "or" as used in this disclosure and the appended claims is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or." That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, the phrase "X uses A or B" is intended to mean any of the inherent inclusive permutations. That is, the phrase "X uses A or B" is satisfied by either X uses A, X uses B, or X uses both A and B. Furthermore, the articles "a" and "an" as used in this application and the appended claims should be generally construed to mean "one or more," unless otherwise specified or clear from the context to be directed to the singular form. Throughout this specification and the appended claims, the following terms have at least the meaning expressly associated therewith herein, unless the context dictates otherwise. The meanings identified below do not necessarily limit the terms, but merely provide illustrative examples for the terms. The meaning of "a," "an," and "the" may include plural reference, and the meaning of "in" may include "in" and "on." The phrase "in one embodiment" as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but it may.

[0014] 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of an agitator device 10 according to the present invention includes a containment vessel 12 having a lid 14, a preferably rigid outlet tube 16 with a piping connection 18 at one end, a spool piece 20 with a removable end cap 22, a hollow shaft 24, and an optional filter or screen 26 (FIG. 2). It should be noted that the agitator device 10 shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 2 differs slightly from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. As will be discussed in more detail below, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 mainly in the omission of the spool piece 20. The hollow shaft 24 is operatively connected to a drive assembly 28 or gear box with an output hub 30 that is open at both ends. To provide rotational force to the hollow shaft 24, the drive assembly 28 must be connected to the hollow shaft 24. The details of how to support the hollow shaft 24 have many known solutions and will therefore not be discussed further in this disclosure.

[0015] As shown, the hollow shaft 24 preferably includes paddles 25 (which may be in the form of a screw, blades, propellers, etc.) extending radially outward from its outer surface to agitate the material within the vessel 12 as the hollow shaft 24 rotates. Note that two different forms of paddles 25 are shown in FIG. 1. The spool piece 20 (embodiment of FIG. 2) is attached to the drive assembly 28 but does not rotate relative to the containment vessel 12. The spool piece 20 supports the removal tube 16 without imparting a rotational force to the tube. As best seen in FIG. 3, the opening 21 in the spool piece 20 is large enough to allow the removal tube 16 to be inserted (which may include an introduction taper) but small enough to ensure proper alignment of the removal tube 16 through the hollow shaft 24. The removal tube 16 may incorporate a soft bushing (not shown) that provides a seal to prevent gases from entering or leaving the containment vessel 12 through the hollow shaft 24 connection. It should be noted that in an alternative embodiment, a dip tube with an integrated pump may be used rather than the configuration described above.

[0016] As previously mentioned, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the spool piece 20 can be removed and the hollow shaft 24 can be extended upward through the drive assembly 28. A removable end cap 34, similar to the end cap 22, can be used to seal the top end of the hollow shaft 24 when the take-off tube 16 is not in place. As shown, a shaft seal 40 is disposed around the exterior of the hollow shaft 24 to indicate the escape of gas and liquid if the hollow shaft 24 enters the containment vessel. Since the spool is omitted in the embodiment described here, the upper surface of the drive assembly 28 is provided with a take-off tube mount 33. After the take-off tube 16 is inserted into the hollow shaft 24, the take-off tube 16 is secured to the tube mount 33 by a flange 31 disposed on the upper end of the take-off tube 16. In this alternative arrangement, a bushing (not shown) or support device is preferably utilized to maintain alignment of the take-off tube 16 when the stirring device 10 is in operation. A mounting flange 43 is provided on the agitator device 10 to allow the device to be attached to the lid 14 of a corresponding containment vessel 12. In yet another embodiment, the outlet tube 16 can be replaced or combined with a measuring probe (not shown) that allows measurement of the mixing conditions (e.g. temperature, pH) or addition of additional material.

[0017] 4, the hollow shaft 24 has sufficient clearance to allow rotation of the hollow shaft 24 with the removal tube 16 fully inserted therein. Above the maximum height of the chemical product in the vessel 12, the upper portion 24a of the sidewall of the hollow shaft 24 is solid, but the lower portion 24b of the sidewall is preferably clear (e.g., grooved or includes openings 29), as shown in FIG. 5. As shown, the grooved configuration promotes circulation of the product within the vessel 12 and aids in cleaning of the hollow shaft 24 after the product is removed from the vessel 12. The design of the lower portion 24b of the hollow shaft includes features to prevent accumulation of particles that may be present in the product material. For example, the clearance 27 between the lower portion 24b of the hollow shaft 24 and the removal tube 16, and the grooves 29, can be designed to be larger than the largest expected product particle. To prevent larger particles (eg, larger than half the inside diameter of the delivery tube 16 ) from clogging the delivery tube 16 , a filter 26 may be attached to the bottom end of the hollow shaft 24 .

[0018] The take-off tube 16 can be inserted at the beginning of a chemical batch mixing run or at the completion of a chemical batch mixing run. If the take-off tube 16 is inserted during a chemical run, it can be pressurized with gas to prevent reactants from entering the take-off tube 16 and potentially building up products that could clog the take-off tube 16. In either case, the top of the spool piece 20 should be sealed to prevent gaseous reaction products from escaping the vessel 12. If the take-off tube 16 is inserted after the chemical reaction is completed, the top of the spool piece 20 can be sealed with a cap 22 that can be easily removed during the process.

[0019] Although one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the present invention includes such modifications and variations that come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. An agitator device for mixing materials, comprising: a containment vessel defining an interior volume; a hollow shaft having an upper end, a lower end and defining a central bore along its length, the lower end extending downwardly into the interior volume of the containment vessel, the hollow shaft being rotatable relative to the containment vessel, the hollow shaft further having one of a plurality of paddles, a plurality of spirals, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of propellers extending radially outward from an outer surface of a lower portion of the hollow shaft; a delivery tube having an upper end, a lower end and a central hole along its length; having the removal tube is disposed within the central bore of the hollow shaft such that the lower end of the removal tube is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the containment vessel and such that the upper end of the removal tube extends axially outward beyond a top of the hollow shaft; the lower portion of the hollow shaft further having one or more axially extending grooves extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the lower portion of the hollow shaft.

2. The agitator device of claim 1, further comprising a drive assembly and a spool piece fixed non-rotatably to the upper part of the drive assembly, the upper end of the extraction tube extending axially outward beyond the top of the spool piece.

3. The agitator device of claim 1 , wherein the containment vessel further comprises a lid disposed on an upper portion of the containment vessel, the hollow shaft and the outlet tube passing through the lid.

4. An agitator device for mixing materials, comprising: a containment vessel defining an interior volume; a hollow shaft having an upper end, a lower end and defining a central bore along its length, the lower end extending downwardly into the interior volume of the containment vessel, the hollow shaft being rotatable relative to the containment vessel, the hollow shaft further having one of a plurality of paddles, a plurality of spirals, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of propellers extending radially outward from an outer surface of a lower portion of the hollow shaft; a delivery tube having an upper end, a lower end and a central hole along its length; having the removal tube is disposed within the central bore of the hollow shaft such that the lower end of the removal tube is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the containment vessel and such that the upper end of the removal tube extends axially outward beyond a top of the hollow shaft; and The agitator device further includes a cap received on the upper end of the outlet tube.

5. The agitator device of claim 1 , further comprising a drive assembly operatively connected to the hollow shaft and configured to selectively rotate the hollow shaft.

6. 1. An agitator device for mixing material within a containment vessel defining an interior volume, comprising: a hollow shaft having an upper end, a lower end and defining a central bore along its length, the hollow shaft further having one of a plurality of paddles, a plurality of spirals, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of propellers extending radially outward from an outer surface of a lower portion of the hollow shaft; a drive assembly operatively connected to the upper end of the hollow shaft, the hollow shaft being rotatable relative to the drive assembly; a delivery tube having an upper end, a lower end and a central hole along its length; having the delivery tube is slidably receivable within the central bore of the hollow shaft such that the lower end of the delivery tube is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the containment vessel; and The lower portion of the hollow shaft further includes one or more openings extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the lower portion of the hollow shaft.

7. 7. The agitator device of claim 6, wherein the upper end of the outlet tube extends axially outward beyond a top of the hollow shaft.

8. 7. The agitator device of claim 6, further comprising a spool piece non-rotatably secured to an upper portion of the drive assembly, the upper portion of the outlet tube extending axially outward beyond an upper portion of the spool piece.

9. 7. The agitator device of claim 6, wherein the containment vessel further comprises a lid disposed on an upper portion of the containment vessel, the hollow shaft and the outlet tube passing through the lid.

10. 7. The agitator device of claim 6, further comprising a cap received on the upper end of the outlet tube.

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