Dispersing machine and its use

Abstract

Provided are a disperser and a method for using the same with which it is possible to produce microparticles, in particular nanoparticles, by efficiently giving shear force to an object to be processed with low power. A disperser 10 according to the present disclosure comprises an outer member 11 and an inner member 12 disposed radially inside the outer member 11. Between the outer member 11 and the inner member 12, a flow path 30 is provided through which fluid flows from one side to the other side in an axial direction. The flow path 30 includes a first region that circles spirally from the one side to the other side, and a second region continuous from the first region to the other side. The second region is defined by a tapered inner circumferential surface 13c of the outer member 11 and a tapered outer circumferential surface 21c of the inner member 12. With respect to one of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c, the angle of the other in a cross section in the axial direction is set to a different angle in the middle of the second region 30c, whereby a region with a different clearance distance is provided in the second region of the flow path 30.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a high-performance disperser capable of producing nanoparticles by dispersing with low power, capable of not only producing nanoparticles but also dissolving at the nano-level and polymers, and applicable to crystallization operations and emulsion polymerization operations, and a method for using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Nanoparticles are entering practical use in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. For example, the COVID-19 vaccine is well-known worldwide. The first COVID-19 vaccine approved in the United States and the European Union is an RNA vaccine. RNA vaccines contain ribonucleic acid (RNA). When introduced into tissues, messenger RNA (mRNA) directs cells to produce foreign proteins, stimulating an adaptive immune response and teaching the body how to recognize and destroy the corresponding pathogen. While nucleotide-modified mRNA is often used for RNA vaccines, this is not always the case. mRNA delivery is achieved by co-formulating the molecule into lipid nanoparticles, which protect the RNA strand and facilitate cellular absorption. These nanoparticles are said to be 100 nm in diameter. Virus-like particle vaccines and DNA plasmid vaccines are also undergoing clinical trials, and nanospheres, liposomes, and nanoemulsions are also being developed. This creates a demand for shear-controlled dispersers for ultrafine particle production, especially those suitable for injectable formulations.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a high-performance agitation-type disperser. Blades rotate at high speed inside a tank, and a screen with slits rotates at high speed in the opposite direction to the blades, spraying out a jet stream that applies shear force to atomize the material, but this has the problem of requiring a large amount of power.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes a production method for producing lipid emulsions and liposomes in a short time with low power. In this production method, a material to be treated containing phospholipids is pressurized, the air layer is removed, and the material is rotated at high speed to form fine particles. If an air layer is mixed into the dispersion tank, many small air bubbles will be trapped in the material to be treated, which will turn the material into a pseudo-compressible fluid and will not be able to apply shear force properly, but even this production method requires a considerable amount of power.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes a flow reactor (continuous reactor) that has a high heat exchange rate and is decomposable. Although it is an excellent flow reactor, the shear force is too small to be used as a disperser, making it difficult to produce nanoparticles such as those used in vaccines.

[0006] Patent Document 4 describes a gap shear disperser that includes a conical rotor and a vessel that houses the rotor concentrically and has a conical, inclined inner wall. This gap shear disperser is intended to uniformly atomize viscous materials such as paste, and considering the rotor's core runout caused by rotation and its structure, it is difficult to achieve a micron-order gap between the rotor and the vessel. Even if the gap between the rotor and the vessel were to be a micron-order gap, cavitation would occur in the gap when a viscous fluid is processed, making it difficult to apply shear force to the material being processed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-114724 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-24269 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2021-105507 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3-79834 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a disperser capable of efficiently applying shear force to a workpiece with low power to produce fine particles, particularly nanoparticles, and a method for using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, a disperser according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a cylindrical outer member having a tapered inner peripheral surface in a partial region, and an inner member having a tapered outer peripheral surface in a partial region that faces the tapered inner peripheral surface of the outer member and disposed radially inside the outer member, wherein a flow passage through which a fluid flows from one side to the other in the axial direction is provided between the outer member and the inner member, the flow passage including a first region that spirals from the one side to the other side, and a second region that continues from the first region to the other side, the second region of the flow passage being defined by the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface, and the angle of one of the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface relative to the other in the axial cross section being set to a different angle midway through the second region, thereby providing a region in the second region of the flow passage with a different clearance distance between the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface.

[0010] A second aspect of the present invention is the disperser of the first aspect, wherein the outer member has a female threaded inner peripheral surface located on the one side of the tapered inner peripheral surface, the inner member has a male threaded outer peripheral surface located on the one side of the tapered outer peripheral surface and corresponding to the female threaded inner peripheral surface, and is assembled to the outer member in a screw-like manner, the first region of the flow passage is defined by the female threaded inner peripheral surface and the male threaded outer peripheral surface, and the flow path area of ​​the first region of the flow passage is determined by the shapes of the female threaded inner peripheral surface and the male threaded outer peripheral surface.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention is a disperser according to the first or second aspect, wherein the second region of the flow passage has a contracting region in which the clearance distance becomes narrower from the one side to the other side, and a constant region that continues from the contracting region to the other side and in which the clearance distance is constant.

[0012] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a disperser according to the third aspect, wherein the fixed area of ​​the second region of the flow passage is set to a length of 1 mm or more along the flow path direction from one side to the other side in the axial cross section.

[0013] A fifth aspect of the present invention is the disperser of the second aspect, wherein the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface and the male thread-shaped outer peripheral surface have different shapes due to different thread angles.

[0014] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the disperser according to the third aspect, wherein the clearance distance of the fixed area in the second region of the flow path is 0.1 μm or more and 2 mm or less.

[0015] A seventh aspect of the present invention is the disperser of the third aspect, wherein the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface, which define the fixed area of ​​the second region of the flow passage, are made of ceramics.

[0016] An eighth aspect of the present invention is a disperser according to the second aspect, wherein by rotating the outer member and the inner member relative to each other, it is possible to selectively set the disperser into one of a contact state in which the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface are in contact, a use state in which the clearance distance is short when the disperser is used, and a spaced state in which the clearance distance is greater than in the use state, without disassembling the outer member and the inner member.

[0017] A ninth aspect of the present invention is a disperser according to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the outer member and the outer circumferential surface of the inner member that define the flow passage do not have horizontal portions where fluid flowing through the flow passage may accumulate.

[0018] A tenth aspect of the present invention is a disperser according to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the outer member and the outer circumferential surface of the inner member that define the flow passage are coated with a corrosion-resistant material.

[0019] An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the disperser according to the tenth aspect, wherein the coating is a fluororesin coating.

[0020] A twelfth aspect of the present invention is a disperser according to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein at least one of the outer member and the inner member has a jacket through which another fluid can flow for temperature adjustment of the fluid flowing through the flow passage.

[0021] A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a method of using the disperser of the eighth aspect, wherein when adjusting the clearance distance, the outer member and the inner member are rotated relative to each other so that the inner member moves to the other side relative to the outer member to bring them into contact, and then the outer member and the inner member are rotated relative to each other so that the inner member moves to the one side relative to the outer member to adjust to the usage state.

[0022] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is a method of using the disperser of the eighth aspect or the thirteenth aspect, wherein the outer member and the inner member are spaced apart when the flow path is cleaned or sterilized. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to efficiently apply shear force to a workpiece with low power to produce fine particles, particularly nanoparticles. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is an axial cross-sectional view of a disperser according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the main part of the dispersing machine of FIG. [Figure 3] 1A, 1B, and 1C are explanatory diagrams showing the various states of the disperser, in which (a) shows the contact state, (b) shows the use state, and (c) shows the separated state. [Figure 4] 10 is an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing a modified example of the second region of the flow path. FIG. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are explanatory views showing a modified example of the top portion of the inner member, in which FIG. 10A shows a state as viewed from above in the axial direction, and FIG. 10B shows an axial cross section. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a flow path area of ​​a first region of a flow path. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a dispersing machine showing a state in which a precision positioning device is connected. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an axial cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the disperser. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a main part of the disperser of FIG. 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, UP indicates the upside. CL indicates the central axis of the outer member and the inner member. In the following description, the axial direction refers to the direction along the central axis CL of the outer member and the inner member. The radial direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the central axis CL. The white arrows in each drawing indicate the flow direction of the fluid to be treated. In the following description, one side in the axial direction will be referred to as the lower side, and the other side in the axial direction will be referred to as the upper side.

[0026] Fig. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view of a disperser 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of the disperser 10 of Fig. 1.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the disperser 10 according to this embodiment is an apparatus capable of producing nanoparticles from a fluid to be processed (hereinafter referred to as the "fluid to be processed") by pre-dispersing the fluid and then continuously precisely dispersing it. The term "disperser" is a general term for an apparatus for applying shear force to a fluid to be processed to obtain a processed product, and may be used not only for producing fine particles such as nanoparticles, but also for producing emulsions, liposomes, nanospheres, etc., polymer dissolution, complete mixing at the molecular level, crystallization operations, emulsion polymerization operations, etc. The term "fluid" refers not only to gases and liquids, but also to fluid materials such as powders and granules and slurries.

[0028] The disperser 10 comprises an outer member 11 formed in a cylindrical shape extending in a predetermined axial direction (in the present embodiment, the vertical direction), and an inner member 12 extending in the axial direction and disposed radially inside the outer member 11. In the present embodiment, the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are concentrically disposed and assembled to each other so that their central axes CL overlap. A gap (space) is provided between the outer member 11 and the inner member 12, and this gap functions as a flow path 30 through which the fluid to be treated flows. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the structure of the disperser 10 will be described in a state in which it can be used as the disperser 10 (hereinafter referred to as the "used state").

[0029] The outer member 11 has an upper end opening 11a at its upper end, a lower end opening 11b at its lower end, and an inner circumferential surface 13 extending between the upper end opening 11a and the lower end opening 11b. The upper end opening 11a and the lower end opening 11b are arranged so as to be concentric with the central axis CL of a space defined by the inner circumferential surface 13 (hereinafter referred to as the "internal space"). In this embodiment, the upper end opening 11a is formed with a smaller diameter than the lower end opening 11b. The lower end opening 11b of the outer member 11 functions as an insertion port for inserting the inner member 12 into the outer member 11.

[0030] The inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 is an inner circumferential surface that defines the internal space of the outer member 11, and has four different vertical regions with inner circumferential surfaces of different shapes. The four differently shaped inner circumferential surfaces 13 of the outer member 11 are, from bottom to top, a lower end inner circumferential surface 13a, a female-threaded inner circumferential surface 13b, a tapered inner circumferential surface 13c, and an upper end inner circumferential surface 13d. In other words, the outer member 11 has the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c in a partial region. The inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 defines the radial outside of a flow passage 30, which will be described later.

[0031] The lower end inner circumferential surface 13a of the outer member 11 is an inner circumferential surface located below the internally threaded inner circumferential surface 13b, and extends continuously from the lower end opening 11b of the outer member 11 to the lower end of the internally threaded inner circumferential surface 13b. In this embodiment, the lower end inner circumferential surface 13a is formed with a larger diameter than the upper end inner circumferential surface 13d. A lower portion 13aa of the lower end inner circumferential surface 13a is in proximity to or in contact with an outer circumferential surface 21 (described later) of the inner member 12, thereby restricting radial movement of the inner member 12. An upper portion 13ab of the lower end inner circumferential surface 13a defines a part of the flow passage 30 (an inlet region 30a (described later)) between the lower end inner circumferential surface 13a and the outer circumferential surface 21 (described later) of the inner member 12. A treated fluid inlet 14 is provided in the upper portion 13ab of the lower end inner circumferential surface 13a to allow the treated fluid to flow into the flow passage 30. In this embodiment, two treated fluid inlets 14 are provided. The treated fluid inlet 14 is connected to a supply source (not shown) that pumps the treated fluid, and allows the treated fluid to flow into the flow passage 30 in the outer member 11. In this embodiment, the lower portion 13aa of the lower end inner circumferential surface 13a has a smaller diameter than the upper portion 13ab, but this is not limitative.

[0032] The female-threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11 is an inner peripheral surface formed in a female thread shape, and extends continuously upward from the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a. In the female-threaded inner peripheral surface 13b, groove-like recesses that are recessed radially outward extend spirally in the vertical direction. The axial cross section of the female-threaded inner peripheral surface 13b has a shape in which peaks and valleys of the same size (shape) are alternately continuous vertically (see FIG. 1). In FIG. 1, the inner peripheral surface 13 in the region between the uppermost dashed line and the lowermost dashed line is the female-threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11.

[0033] The tapered inner peripheral surface 13c of the outer member 11 is an inner peripheral surface formed in a tapered shape and extends upward continuously from the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b. In this embodiment, the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c is formed in a tapered shape that tapers from bottom to top. The apex of the taper angle of the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c is located on the central axis CL.

[0034] 2, in this embodiment, tapered inner circumferential surface 13c has two regions, upper and lower, with different taper angles. Specifically, tapered inner circumferential surface 13c has a lower lower region 15 with a larger taper angle θ1 and an upper upper region 16 with a smaller taper angle θ2 than lower region 15 (θ1>θ2). In other words, the taper angle of tapered inner circumferential surface 13c changes at a predetermined height position in the middle portion of tapered inner circumferential surface 13c.

[0035] The upper end inner circumferential surface 13d of the outer member 11 is an inner circumferential surface located above the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and extends continuously upward from the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c. In this embodiment, the upper end inner circumferential surface 13d is formed with a smaller diameter than the lower end inner circumferential surface 13a. The upper end inner circumferential surface 13d defines a space extending in the vertical direction, and this space functions as an outflow region 30d (described later) that is part of the flow passage 30. The upper end of the upper end inner circumferential surface 13d continues to the upper end opening 11a of the outer member 11. The upper end opening 11a of the outer member 11 functions as an outflow port for allowing the treated fluid to flow out of the flow passage 30.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 , the outer member 11 is provided with a jacket 17 (space) through which another fluid can flow to adjust the temperature of the fluid to be treated (fluid) in the flow passage 30. Examples of the other fluid include heat transfer media such as steam, hot water, cold water, and gas (nitrogen gas, etc.). The jacket 17 of this embodiment is provided over the entire area between the height position of the lower end of the female-threaded inner circumferential surface 13b of the outer member 11 and the height position of the upper end of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c. An inlet 18 is provided at the lower end of the jacket 17 for allowing the other fluid to flow into the jacket 17. An outlet 19 is provided at the upper end of the jacket 17 for allowing the other fluid to flow out of the jacket 17. As shown in FIG. 1 , the jacket 17 of this embodiment is provided along the outer circumferential surface of the outer member 11 by integrating a jacket-forming member 20, which is formed separately from the outer circumferential surface of the outer member 11, with the jacket-forming member 20 spaced from the outer circumferential surface of the outer member 11. The jacket 17 is not limited to this, and for example, a space that functions as the jacket 17 may be provided within the plate thickness of the outer member 11 without providing the jacket forming member 20 .

[0037] The inner member 12 is disposed radially inside the outer member 11 (in the internal space of the outer member 11) and is assembled to the outer member 11. In this embodiment, the inner member 12 is inserted into the internal space of the outer member 11 from a lower end opening 11b of the outer member 11 and assembled to the outer member 11 in a threaded manner. The inner member 12 has an outer peripheral surface 21 that defines a flow passage 30 between itself and an inner peripheral surface 13 of the outer member 11.

[0038] The inner member 12 of this embodiment has an internal space. The internal space of the inner member 12 functions as a jacket 22 through which the other fluid can flow to regulate the temperature of the fluid to be treated (fluid) in the flow passage 30. The jacket 22 is provided over the entire area of ​​the inner member 12 in the vertical and radial directions. An inlet 23 is provided in an inner lower surface 22a of the inner member 12, which defines the lower part of the jacket 22, for allowing the other fluid to flow into the jacket 22. Furthermore, an opening 25 for inserting a tubular member 24 is provided in a position on the inner lower surface 22a of the inner member 12 different from the inlet 23 (in this embodiment, at the center of the inner lower surface 22a of the inner member 12). The tubular member 24 is fixed to the inner member 12 with the opening 25 inserted. An upper end opening 24a of the tubular member 24 is located near the upper end of the inner member 12 within the jacket 22. The lower end opening 24b of the cylindrical member 24 is located below the opening 25 of the inner member 12 and functions as an outlet for allowing the other fluid to flow out from inside the jacket 22. The other fluid circulated in the jacket 22 of the inner member 12 may be the same as the other fluid circulated in the jacket 17 of the outer member 11, or may be a different fluid.

[0039] The outer peripheral surface 21 of the inner member 12 is an outer peripheral surface that defines the radial inside of the flow passage 30, and has three different upper and lower regions with outer peripheral surfaces of different shapes. The three different shapes of the outer peripheral surface 21 of the inner member 12 are, from bottom to top, a lower end outer peripheral surface 21a, a male thread outer peripheral surface 21b, and a tapered outer peripheral surface 21c. In other words, the inner member 12 has the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c in a partial region.

[0040] The lower end outer peripheral surface 21a of the inner member 12 is an outer peripheral surface below the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b and extends continuously from the lower end of the inner member 12 to the lower end of the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b. A lower portion 21aa of the lower end outer peripheral surface 21a is formed with a diameter slightly smaller than a lower portion 13aa of the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a of the outer member 11 and faces the lower portion 13aa of the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a of the outer member 11 from the radially inner side while being in close proximity to or in contact with the lower portion 13aa of the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a of the outer member 11. The lower portion 21aa of the lower end outer peripheral surface 21a positions the inner member 12 by restricting radial movement relative to the outer member 11. A seal member 33 (e.g., an O-ring) is provided on the lower portion 21aa of the lower end outer peripheral surface 21a to restrict fluid from flowing downward from the upper flow passage 30 side. The upper portion 21ab of the lower end outer peripheral surface 21a faces the upper portion 13ab of the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a of the outer member 11 from the radially inner side while being spaced radially inward from the upper portion 13ab of the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a of the outer member 11. The upper portion 21ab of the lower end outer peripheral surface 21a defines a space that becomes part of the flow passage 30 (an inflow region 30a, described later) between the upper portion 21ab of the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a of the outer member 11. The inlet 14 for the treated fluid of the lower end inner peripheral surface 13a of the outer member 11 is connected to this space. Note that, in this embodiment, the lower portion 21aa of the lower end outer peripheral surface 21a has a larger diameter than the upper portion 21ab, but this is not limited to this.

[0041] The male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b of the inner member 12 is an outer peripheral surface formed in a male thread shape, extending continuously upward from the lower end outer peripheral surface 21a, and facing the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11 from the inside in the radial direction. The male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b is formed at the same pitch as the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11, and can be threadedly engaged with the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b to form a screw-like assembly. In other words, the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b corresponds to the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b. On the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b, convex portions that protrude radially outward extend spirally in the vertical direction. The axial cross section of the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b has a shape in which peaks and valleys of the same size (shape) are alternately continuous vertically (see FIG. 1). In FIG. 1, the outer circumferential surface 21 in the region between the uppermost broken line and the lowermost broken line is the male threaded outer circumferential surface 21b of the inner member 12.

[0042] The thread angle θ3 of the male thread-shaped outer peripheral surface 21b is set to be larger than the thread angle θ4 of the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b (θ3 > θ4). That is, the male thread-shaped outer peripheral surface 21b and the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b have different shapes due to the different thread angles. A root 26 with the smallest outer diameter of the male thread-shaped outer peripheral surface 21b and a crest 27 with the smallest inner diameter of the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b are close to or in contact with each other. Furthermore, a crest 28 with the largest outer diameter of the male thread-shaped outer peripheral surface 21b and a root 29 with the largest outer diameter of the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b are spaced apart. This defines a spiral-shaped first region 30b (described later) of the flow passage 30 between the crests of the male thread-shaped outer peripheral surface 21b and the valleys of the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b.

[0043] The tapered outer peripheral surface 21c of the inner member 12 is a tapered outer peripheral surface that extends upward continuously from the male-threaded outer peripheral surface 21b. In this embodiment, the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c is tapered from bottom to top and faces the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c of the outer member 11 while being spaced apart from the radially inner side. This defines a second region 30c of the flow passage 30, which will be described later, between the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c. In this embodiment, the inner member 12 is formed so that the apex of the taper angle of the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c is the upper end of the inner member 12. The apex of the taper angle of the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c is located on the central axis CL. The apex of the upper end of the inner member 12 is located within a space defined by the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11 (the outflow region 30d of the flow passage 30).

[0044] 2, in this embodiment, the taper angle θ5 of the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c is set to a constant angle from the upper end to the lower end, unlike the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c. The taper angle θ5 of the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c is set to the same angle as the taper angle θ2 of the upper region 16 of the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c (θ5=θ2).

[0045] Next, the procedure for assembling the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 will be described. When assembling the outer member 11 and the inner member 12, the inner member 12 is inserted into the lower end opening 11b of the outer member 11 from the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c side, and the upper end side of the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b of the inner member 12 is brought into contact with the lower end side of the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11. Next, the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are rotated relative to each other to threadably engage the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b and the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b, thereby assembling the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 in a threaded manner. At this time, the clearance distance between the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c can be adjusted. Adjustment of the clearance distance will be described later.

[0046] A flow passage 30 through which the fluid to be treated flows from the bottom to the top is defined between the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12. The flow passage 30 has four regions with different shapes and functions. The four regions of the flow passage 30 are, from bottom to top, an inlet region 30a, a first region 30b, a second region 30c, and an outlet region 30d.

[0047] The inlet region 30a of the flow passage 30 is defined between an upper portion 21ab of the outer peripheral surface 21a at the lower end of the inner member 12 and an upper portion 13ab of the inner peripheral surface 13a at the lower end of the outer member 11, and is the space through which the treated fluid flowing into the flow passage 30 first flows. The inlet region 30a of the flow passage 30 is connected to the treated fluid inlet 14 on the inner peripheral surface 13a at the lower end of the outer member 11.

[0048] The first region 30b of the flow passage 30 is defined between the crests of the externally threaded outer peripheral surface 21b of the inner member 12 and the valleys of the internally threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11, and extends spirally from bottom to top. The size of the flow path in the first region 30b of the flow passage 30 is determined by the shapes of the internally threaded inner peripheral surface 13b and the externally threaded outer peripheral surface 21b. In other words, the flow path area of ​​the first region 30b of the flow passage 30 is determined by the shapes of the internally threaded inner peripheral surface 13b and the externally threaded outer peripheral surface 21b. The first region 30b is located above the inlet region 30a and communicates with the inlet region 30a. The first region 30b functions as a pre-dispersion section that performs pre-dispersion of the treated fluid before precision dispersion. Note that pre-dispersion refers to atomizing the treated fluid to a certain degree of uniformity, although the particle size is larger than the target particle.

[0049] The second region 30c of the flow passage 30 is defined between the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c of the inner member 12 and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c of the outer member 11, and is a region that continues upward from the first region 30b. That is, the flow passage 30 includes the first region 30b that extends spirally from bottom to top, and the second region 30c that continues upward from the first region 30b. The diameter of the second region 30c decreases from bottom to top. The second region 30c includes a reduced region 30ca defined between the lower region 15 of the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c and the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c, and a constant region 30cb defined between the upper region 16 of the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c and the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c (see FIG. 2). The reduced region 30ca of the second region 30c is a region of the second region 30c in which the clearance distance (for example, the distance between the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c in a direction perpendicular to the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c) becomes narrower from the bottom to the top. The constant region 30cb of the second region 30c is a region of the second region 30c in which the clearance distance L1 is constant from the bottom to the top. That is, in this embodiment, the clearance distance of the second region 30c gradually becomes narrower from the bottom to the top, and at a predetermined height position, it becomes a constant distance thereafter (or above). In this manner, in the disperser 10, the angle of one of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c relative to the other in the axial cross section is set to a different angle midway through the second region 30c (at a predetermined height position), thereby providing regions (in this embodiment, a reduced region 30ca and a constant region 30cb) in which the clearance distance between the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c varies. The second region 30c is located above the first region 30b and communicates with the first region 30b. The second region 30c functions as a precision dispersion section that performs precision dispersion on the material that has been pre-dispersed in the first region 30b. Note that precision dispersion refers to applying a shear force greater than that in the pre-dispersion process to the material that has been pre-dispersed to obtain fine particles of the desired size.Furthermore, in the following description, when simply referring to "clearance distance," it refers to the distance between the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c, and when referring to "clearance distance L1," it refers to the clearance distance of a certain region 30cb of the flow passage 30 (the distance between the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the upper region 16 of the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c).

[0050] The clearance distance L1 of the fixed region 30cb of the second region 30c is preferably 0.1 μm or more and 2 mm or less. The length L2 of the fixed region 30cb of the second region 30c along the flow path direction (flow path direction in the axial cross section) from the bottom to the top (see FIG. 2) is preferably 1 mm or more, more preferably 3 mm or more, and particularly preferably 5 mm or more.

[0051] The outflow region 30d of the flow passage 30 is defined by the upper end inner circumferential surface 13d of the outer member 11. The outflow region 30d is located above the second region 30c, and is connected at its lower end to the second region 30c and at its upper end to the upper end opening 11a of the outer member 11. The outflow region 30d guides the processed product that has been precision dispersed in the second region 30c to the upper end opening 11a, and causes it to flow out from the upper end opening 11a.

[0052] In this embodiment, the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12 do not have horizontal portions where fluid flowing through the flow passage 30 may accumulate when the axial direction is set to the vertical direction. Specifically, the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12 do not have upper surfaces that are horizontal when the axial direction is set to the vertical direction. In particular, the male threaded outer circumferential surface 21b and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c of the inner member 12, which define the first region 30b and the second region 30c of the flow passage 30, and the female threaded inner circumferential surface 13b and the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c of the outer member 11 do not have horizontal portions where fluid flowing through the flow passage 30 may accumulate when the axial direction is set to the vertical direction.

[0053] The material for the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12 can be selected appropriately, such as metal, depending on the type of fluid to be treated. For example, SUS316L may be buffed and then electropolished. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12, in the region defining the fixed region 30cb of the second region 30c of the flow channel 30 (the region indicated by diagonal lines on both sides of the fixed region 30cb in FIG. 2), are preferably made of ceramics such as silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, or alumina to prevent seizure, although diamond-like carbon may also be used as a substitute. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12, which define the flow channel 30, are preferably coated with a corrosion-resistant material. Examples of the corrosion-resistant coating include glass lining, fluororesin coating, and ceramic coating, with fluororesin coating being more preferred.

[0054] Next, the flow of the fluid to be treated when dispersion treatment or the like is carried out by the disperser 10 will be described.

[0055] 1, the fluid to be treated is first pumped from a supply source (not shown) and flows into the inlet region 30a of the flow channel 30 from the inlet 14 for the fluid to be treated in the outer member 11 at the bottom of the disperser 10. The fluid to be treated that has flowed into the inlet region 30a flows from the inlet region 30a into the spiral first region 30b above.

[0056] The treated fluid that flows into the first region 30b flows upward along the spiral-shaped first region 30b, circulating around the inner member 12 in a spiral pattern. As the treated fluid circulates upward in a spiral pattern, it is affected by centrifugal force, which easily creates a turbulent flow state and increases the Reynolds number. By controlling the flow rate of the treated fluid circulating in a spiral pattern, the centrifugal force and Reynolds number can be easily changed, thereby controlling the shear force applied to the treated fluid and obtaining the desired pre-dispersed product (hereinafter referred to as "pre-dispersed product"). In this way, the first region 30b of the flow channel 30 functions as a pre-dispersion section that performs pre-dispersion treatment on the treated fluid before precision dispersion treatment. Note that the pressure loss during this process is very small. The pre-dispersed product pre-dispersed in the first region 30b flows from the first region 30b into the second region 30c.

[0057] The pre-dispersion material that flows into the second region 30c first flows into the contraction region 30ca of the second region 30c. In the contraction region 30ca of the second region 30c, the pre-dispersion material moves upward while circulating circumferentially along the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c. As the diameters of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c become smaller, its speed increases. Furthermore, as the pre-dispersion material moves upward, the clearance distance shortens, so the pre-dispersion material further accelerates and is dispersed by the application of shear force before being guided to the fixed region 30cb. The pre-dispersion material that flows into the fixed region 30cb is accelerated by the appropriately set clearance distance L1 and is subjected to shear force, resulting in further fine particle size reduction, resulting in a precisely dispersed product (hereinafter referred to as the "precision dispersion material"). In this way, the second region 30c of the flow channel 30 functions as a precision dispersion section that performs precision dispersion processing on the pre-dispersion material that was pre-dispersed in the first region 30b. That is, the disperser 10 according to the present disclosure performs pre-dispersion processing and precision dispersion processing successively.

[0058] Next, how to use the disperser 10 will be described.

[0059] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of each state of the disperser 10, where (a) shows the contact state, (b) shows the use state, and (c) shows the separated state.

[0060] First, a method of using the disperser 10 when adjusting the clearance distance L1 of the fixed region 30cb of the flow path 30 and putting the disperser 10 into a usable state will be described, and then a method of using the disperser 10 when cleaning or sterilizing the same will be described.

[0061] When adjusting the clearance distance L1 of the fixed region 30cb of the flow path 30, first, the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are rotated relative to each other to bring the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c of the inner member 12 into contact with the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c of the outer member 11 (clearance distance L1 = 0) (see FIG. 3(a)). Then, the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are rotated relative to each other in the opposite direction to the direction of contact to bring them into a usable state (see FIG. 3(b)). In this way, the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c are separated from each other, which differs from the case where the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c are adjusted in a direction that brings them closer together. This allows for fine adjustment of the clearance distance L1 of the fixed region 30cb of the flow path 30, and the disperser 10 can be set to the desired clearance distance L1 and be usable.

[0062] In this way, in the disperser 10, the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are assembled in a threaded manner, and by rotating the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 relative to each other, a contact state (see FIG. 3(a)) can be achieved in which the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c and the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c are in contact with each other. Furthermore, by rotating the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 relative to each other from the contact state, the disperser 10 can be set to a usage state (see FIG. 3(b)) in which the clearance distance L1 is short when using the disperser 10. Furthermore, by further rotating the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 relative to each other from the usage state, the disperser 10 can be set to a separated state (see FIG. 3(c)) in which the clearance distance L1 is greater than that in the usage state. In other words, the disperser 10 according to this embodiment can be selectively set to any one of the contact state, usage state, and separated state without disassembling the outer member 11 and the inner member 12.

[0063] When cleaning or sterilizing the disperser 10, the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are rotated relative to each other to change the disperser 10 from the usage state to the separated state (see FIG. 3(c)). This allows the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c to be separated to an extent that allows cleaning or sterilization, so that cleaning in place and sterilization in place can be performed without disassembling the outer member 11 and the inner member 12.

[0064] In the disperser 10 configured as described above, the flow passage 30 includes a first region 30b that spirals from bottom to top, and the first region 30b functions as a pre-dispersion section that performs pre-dispersion treatment on the fluid to be treated before the fluid is subjected to precision dispersion treatment. In this way, in the disperser 10, the fluid to be treated is subjected to pre-dispersion treatment before the fluid is subjected to precision dispersion treatment, thereby obtaining a pre-dispersion.

[0065] Furthermore, the flow passage 30 includes a second region 30c that is defined by a tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and a tapered outer circumferential surface 21c and continues upward from the first region 30b. As a result, the pre-dispersion moves upward while circulating in the circumferential direction along the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c, and the speed increases as the diameters of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c become smaller. Therefore, the pre-dispersion treatment and the precision dispersion treatment can be performed continuously, and a precision dispersion (e.g., nanoparticles) can be obtained by precision dispersion treatment of the pre-dispersion.

[0066] Furthermore, by varying the angle of one of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c relative to the other in the axial cross section midway through the second region 30c, regions (in this embodiment, the contraction region 30ca and the constant region 30cb) in which the clearance distance between the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c varies are provided in the second region 30c of the flow channel 30. Therefore, by appropriately setting the clearance distance, the pre-dispersion can be further accelerated, efficiently applying a large shear force to the fluid to be processed (pre-dispersion), and performing a precision dispersion process to obtain a precision dispersion (e.g., nanoparticles). For example, as described above, by providing the contraction region 30ca and the constant region 30cb in the second region 30c, the pre-dispersion can be accelerated and dispersed in the contraction region 30ca while being guided to the constant region 30cb, where it can be further accelerated and dispersed to obtain a precision dispersion (e.g., nanoparticles).

[0067] Furthermore, in the disperser 10, the fluid to be treated is moved (spirally moved) relative to the outer member 11 and the inner member 12, so that a precision dispersion can be obtained from the fluid to be treated with low power, unlike when the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are rotated relative to each other to apply shear force to the fluid to be treated.

[0068] Furthermore, the flow passage 30 of the disperser 10 includes a first region 30b that functions as a pre-dispersion section and a second region 30c that functions as a precision dispersion section, so that a compact configuration can be achieved, unlike when precision dispersion and finishing dispersion are performed in different devices after pre-dispersion.

[0069] Furthermore, because the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are assembled in a threaded manner, the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 can be easily disassembled by rotating them in the opposite directions. Therefore, the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c that define the flow passage 30 can be easily coated.

[0070] Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12 do not have horizontal portions where fluid flowing through the flow passage 30 may accumulate when the axial direction is set to the up-down direction. This makes it possible to prevent, for example, the cleaning agent (such as condensed water of pure steam) from remaining in the flow passage 30 when the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12 are cleaned.

[0071] Furthermore, unlike when the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 are rotated relative to each other to apply shear force to the fluid to be treated, there is no sliding portion between the outer member 11 and the inner member 12, which allows for a simple structure and suppresses the generation of foreign matter. In this way, the generation of foreign matter can be suppressed and cleaning-in-place and sterilization-in-place can be performed, so this can be applied to pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment (especially injection manufacturing equipment).

[0072] Specifically, manufacturing processes for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, chemical products, electronic components, and the like often include a dispersion process, which produces nanocrystals, nanoemulsions, liposomes, nanospheres, and the like. Dispersers capable of producing these fine particles, particularly nanoparticles, have various requirements. For example, dispersers used to manufacture vaccines, such as those for the novel coronavirus, require in-place cleaning and in-place sterilization, which clean and sterilize parts without disassembly to eliminate human error, since the vaccine is an injectable drug. Furthermore, during sterilization, pure steam or the like is passed through the flow channel 30, requiring heat protection measures for the inner circumferential surface 13 of the outer member 11 and the outer circumferential surface 21 of the inner member 12, which define the flow channel 30. Furthermore, condensed water from the pure steam must be discharged without accumulation. The disperser 10 according to the present disclosure can meet these requirements, as described above.

[0073] It is also necessary to reliably prevent the incorporation of foreign matter (e.g., foreign matter generated from sliding parts, etc.) into the precision dispersion. For this reason, it is difficult to use dispersers such as bead mills or ultrasonic oscillators. In bead mills, foreign matter such as bead fragments and wear powder may be generated and contaminate the material to be processed. In ultrasonic dispersers, erosion due to cavitation may occur, leading to the generation of foreign matter, which may then contaminate the material to be processed. As described above, the disperser 10 according to the present disclosure can meet these requirements.

[0074] In addition, manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and the like are required to perform validation to verify whether the processes and methods for manufacturing pharmaceuticals and medical devices are correct. As described above, the disperser 10 according to the present disclosure can meet various requirements for dispersers used to manufacture pharmaceuticals and the like, and can therefore also meet the requirements for validation.

[0075] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently apply shear force to the object to be processed with low power, thereby producing fine particles, particularly nanoparticles.

[0076] In this embodiment, the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c of the outer member 11 is provided with two upper and lower regions (lower region 15 and upper region 16) having different taper angles, and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c of the inner member 12 is provided with a constant taper angle from the upper end to the lower end, thereby providing the contracted region 30ca and the constant region 30cb in the second region 30c of the flow passage 30, but this is not limited to this. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing a modified example of the second region 30c of the flow passage 30. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c of the inner member 12 may have a lower lower region 31 with a smaller taper angle θ6 and an upper upper region 32 with a larger taper angle θ7 than the lower region 31 (θ6<θ7). The tapered inner peripheral surface 13c of the outer member 11 may have a constant taper angle θ8 from the upper end to the lower end, and this taper angle θ8 may be set to the same angle as the taper angle θ7 of the upper region 32 of the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c. This may provide a reduced region 30ca and a constant region 30cb in the second region 30c of the flow passage 30.

[0077] In the present embodiment, the angle between one of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c and the other in the axial cross section is set to two different angles in the middle of the second region 30c, but this is not limited to this. The angle between one of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c and the other in the axial cross section may be set to at least two different angles, and may be set to, for example, three or more different angles.

[0078] In the present embodiment, the taper angle of one of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c in the axial cross section is changed at a predetermined height, and the taper angle of the other is set to a constant angle from the upper end to the lower end, but this is not limited to this. For example, the taper angles of both the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c may be changed at a predetermined height so as to provide regions with different clearance distances in the second region 30c of the flow passage 30.

[0079] In this embodiment, the inner member 12 is formed so that the apex of the taper angle of the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c of the inner member 12 is the upper end of the inner member 12, but this is not limited to this. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the apex of the inner member 12, where (a) shows a state as viewed from above in the axial direction, and (b) shows an axial cross section. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the inner member 12 may have a positioning apex 41 at its upper end, above the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c. The positioning apex 41 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape concentric with the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11 and has a diameter slightly smaller than that of the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11. The positioning apex 41 is inserted from below into the outflow region 30d of the flow passage 30 defined by the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11. The positioning apex 41 has a plurality of groove-shaped grooves 42 that extend vertically while being recessed radially inward from its outer peripheral surface. The grooves 42 are provided on the positioning apex 41 so as to be spaced apart at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The grooves 42 define a space between the positioning apex 41 and the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11, which space extends continuously upward from the upper end of the second region 30c of the flow passage 30 to the upper end of the positioning apex 41. This allows the upper and lower ends of the inner member 12 to be supported by the outer member 11 in a state where radial movement is restricted, thereby ensuring reliable positioning of the inner member 12.

[0080] Furthermore, the flow path area of ​​the spiral first region 30b of the flow passage 30 can be changed by changing the combination of the thread angle θ3 of the male thread-shaped outer peripheral surface 21b of the inner member 12 and the thread angle θ4 of the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the flow path area of ​​the first region 30b of the flow passage 30. Note that FIG. 6 shows an axial cross section of the first region 30b of the above embodiment. For example, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 6, the flow path area of ​​the first region 30b can be increased by changing the outer member 11 so that the thread angle θ4' of the female thread-shaped inner peripheral surface 13b is smaller than the thread angle θ4 of the above embodiment. The outer member 11 may be changed so that the thread angle θ4' of the female thread-shaped inner surface 13b is larger than the thread angle θ4 of the above embodiment, or the inner member 12 may be changed so that the thread angle θ3 of the male thread-shaped outer surface 21b is different (larger or smaller) from that of the above embodiment.

[0081] Furthermore, the externally threaded outer peripheral surface 21b of the inner member 12 and the internally threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11 may have a two-start or more thread structure. In this case, for example, the oil-based component and the water-based component may be introduced into different spiral flow paths (first region 30b of flow passage 30) to be adjusted and homogenized separately for pre-dispersion treatment, and then precision dispersion may be performed in the same second region 30c to obtain an emulsion.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the clearance distance L1 of the fixed region 30cb of the flow channel 30 is adjusted by rotating the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 relative to each other. However, this is not limiting. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a precision positioning device 50 for adjusting the clearance distance L1 may be connected to the disperser 10. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the disperser 10 showing the state in which the precision positioning device 50 is connected. As shown in FIG. 7, the precision positioning device 50 has a first member 51 connected to the outer member 11 of the disperser 10, a second member 52 connected to the inner member 12 of the disperser 10, and a precision adjustment unit 53 disposed between the first member 51 and the second member 52. The first member 51 is connected to the outer member 11 in a state in which its vertical movement relative to the outer member 11 is restricted. The second member 52 is connected to the outer member 11 in a state in which its vertical movement relative to the inner member 12 is restricted. In the example shown in FIG. 7 , the first member 51 is disposed to the side of the outer member 11 to support the outer member 11, and the second member 52 is disposed below the inner member 12 to support the inner member 12 from below. The precision adjustment unit 53 has a mechanism (e.g., an actuator, not shown) that can move the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 relative to each other in the vertical direction, as indicated by the outline arrow. The precision adjustment unit 53 can precisely adjust the clearance distance L1 of the fixed region 30cb of the flow passage 30 by moving the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 relative to each other in the vertical direction. In this case, it is preferable to set a large backlash (also called backlash) between the male-threaded outer peripheral surface 21b of the inner member 12 and the female-threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11 so that the outer member 11 and the inner member 12 can move slightly relative to each other in the vertical direction without rotating relative to each other. Even if the backlash between the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b of the inner member 12 and the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b of the outer member 11 is set to be large, the fluid to be treated is subjected to centrifugal force and rises in the first region 30b of the flow passage 30, so the effect on the spiral flow is minor, and the spiral flow can be sufficiently adjusted by increasing the number of threads on the male threaded outer peripheral surface 21b and the female threaded inner peripheral surface 13b.

[0083] In this embodiment, the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c of the outer member 11 and the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c of the inner member 12 are tapered from bottom to top, but this is not limiting. Fig. 8 is an axial cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the disperser. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the main parts of the disperser of Fig. 8. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate components corresponding to those of the above embodiment.

[0084] 8 and 9, the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c of the outer member 11 and the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c of the inner member 12 may be tapered downward. In this disperser 101, the upper end opening 11a of the outer member 11 is formed with a larger diameter than the lower end opening 11b and functions as an insertion port for inserting the inner member 12 into the outer member 11. The upper end opening 11a of the outer member 11 is closed from above by the upper end of the inner member 12. A portion of the upper end of the inner member 12 is inserted into and fitted into the outflow region 30d of the flow passage 30 through the upper end opening 11a of the outer member 11 so as to restrict radial movement of the inner member 12 relative to the outer member 11 and thereby position the inner member 12. A seal member 49 (e.g., an O-ring) is provided between the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11 near the upper end opening 11a and the upper end of the inner member 12 to restrict the upward outflow of fluid from the outflow region 30d of the flow channel 30. An outflow port 43 is provided in the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11 to allow the precision dispersion to flow out of the flow channel 30. The outer peripheral surface 21 of the inner member 12 has a cylindrical upper end outer peripheral surface 46 that extends upward continuously from the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c. The upper end outer peripheral surface 46 of the inner member 12 is positioned radially inward from the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11 and faces the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d. The outflow region 30d of the flow channel 30 is defined between the upper end outer peripheral surface 46 of the inner member 12 and the upper end inner peripheral surface 13d of the outer member 11. The tapered inner circumferential surface 13c and the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c each have two upper and lower regions with different taper angles. Specifically, the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c has a lower lower region 44 with a larger taper angle θ9 and an upper upper region 45 with a smaller taper angle θ10 than the lower region 44 (θ9 > θ10). The tapered outer circumferential surface 21c also has a lower lower region 47 with a larger taper angle θ11 and an upper upper region 48 with a smaller taper angle θ12 than the lower region 47 (θ11 > θ12). The taper angle θ11 of the lower region 47 of the tapered outer circumferential surface 21c is set smaller than the taper angle θ9 of the lower region 44 of the tapered inner circumferential surface 13c. The taper angle θ12 of the upper region 48 of the tapered outer peripheral surface 21c is set to the same angle as the taper angle θ10 of the upper region 45 of the tapered inner peripheral surface 13c.As a result, the second region 30c of the flow passage 30 has a narrowing region 30ca where the clearance distance narrows from bottom to top, and a constant region 30cb where the clearance distance L1 is constant from bottom to top. In this case, the second region 30c of the flow passage 30 radially expands upward, which, unlike when the clearance distance narrows from top to bottom, prevents the flow direction of the processed material from becoming axial and maintains the flow direction in a spiral direction. This reduces pressure loss, allows the processed material to remain in the second region 30c for a longer period of time, and enables more precise dispersion.

[0085] Although the present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the content of the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. In other words, all other embodiments, examples, operational techniques, etc. made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10,101: Dispersion machine 11:Outer member 12: Inner member 13: Inner surface of outer member 13b: Female thread inner surface 13c: Tapered inner surface 17,22:Jacket 21: Outer surface of inner member 21b: Male thread outer surface 21c: Tapered outer surface 30: Distribution path 30b:First area 30c:Second area 30ca: reduction area 30cb: fixed area

Claims

1. A disperser for dispersing a fluid to be treated, comprising: a cylindrical outer member having a tapered inner circumferential surface in a partial region; an inner member having a tapered outer peripheral surface in a partial region that faces the tapered inner peripheral surface of the outer member and disposed radially inside the outer member, a flow passage through which a fluid flows from one axial side to the other axial side is provided between the outer member and the inner member; the flow passage includes a first region that spirals from the one side to the other side, and a second region that continues from the first region to the other side, the second region of the flow passage is defined by the tapered inner circumferential surface and the tapered outer circumferential surface, an angle between one of the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface and the other in the cross section in the axial direction is set to a different angle midway through the second region, thereby providing a region in the second region of the flow passage where the clearance distance between the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface is different; In a state of use in which the fluid to be treated flows through the flow passage, the fluid to be treated is pumped and moved through the flow passage without causing the outer member and the inner member to rotate relative to each other. A dispersing machine characterized by:

2. the outer member has an internally threaded inner peripheral surface located on the one side of the tapered inner peripheral surface, the inner member has a male threaded outer peripheral surface located on the one side of the tapered outer peripheral surface and corresponding to the female threaded inner peripheral surface, and is assembled to the outer member in a threaded manner, the first region of the flow passage is defined by the female threaded inner circumferential surface and the male threaded outer circumferential surface, The flow path area of ​​the first region of the flow passage is determined by the shapes of the female threaded inner circumferential surface and the male threaded outer circumferential surface. The disperser according to claim 1 .

3. The second region of the flow passage has a narrowing region in which the clearance distance becomes narrower from the one side to the other side, and a constant region that continues from the narrowing region to the other side and in which the clearance distance is constant. The disperser according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The certain region of the second region of the flow passage is set to have a length of 1 mm or more along the flow path direction from the one side to the other side in the cross section in the axial direction. The disperser according to claim 3 .

5. The female threaded inner peripheral surface and the male threaded outer peripheral surface have different shapes due to the different thread angles. The disperser according to claim 2 .

6. The clearance distance of the fixed region of the second region of the flow path is 0.1 μm or more and 2 mm or less. The disperser according to claim 3 .

7. The tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface have a portion that defines the fixed area of ​​the second region of the flow passage and are made of ceramics. The disperser according to claim 3 .

8. By rotating the outer member and the inner member relative to each other, it is possible to selectively set the disperser to one of a contact state in which the tapered inner peripheral surface and the tapered outer peripheral surface are in contact with each other, a use state in which the clearance distance is short when the disperser is used, and a separate state in which the clearance distance is greater than that in the use state, without disassembling the outer member and the inner member. The disperser according to claim 2 .

9. The inner peripheral surface of the outer member and the outer peripheral surface of the inner member that define the flow passage do not have horizontal portions where fluid flowing through the flow passage may accumulate. The disperser according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The inner circumferential surface of the outer member and the outer circumferential surface of the inner member that define the flow passage are coated with a corrosion-resistant material. The disperser according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The coating is a fluororesin coating The disperser according to claim 10.

12. At least one of the outer member and the inner member has a jacket through which another fluid can flow for temperature regulation of the fluid flowing through the flow passage. The disperser according to claim 1 or 2.

13. A method for using the disperser according to claim 8, When adjusting the clearance distance, the outer member and the inner member are rotated relative to each other so that the inner member moves to the other side relative to the outer member to bring them into the contact state, and then the outer member and the inner member are rotated relative to each other so that the inner member moves to the one side relative to the outer member to bring them into the use state. A method for using a disperser characterized by the above.

14. A method for using the disperser according to claim 8 or claim 13, When the flow passage is cleaned or sterilized, the outer member and the inner member are kept in the spaced apart state. A method for using a disperser characterized by the above.

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