Fluid mixer with rotating baffles and method of operating same

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF CONTACTING FLUENT MATERIALS OF WHICH ONE CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF SUBDIVIDED SOLIDS BY FLOWING SAID MATERIALS THROUGH A MIXER WHICCH COMPRISES A VESSEL CONTAINING A SERIES OF VERTICALLY SPACED, ANNULAR BAFFLES DEFINING INTERCOMMUNICATING COMPARTMENTS AND A SERIES OF INNER BAFFLES SITUATED WITHIN SAID COMPARTMENTS, ROTATING ONE OF THE SAID SERIES OF BAFFLES WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER AND THEREBY CREATING TORODIAL VORTICES IN SAID MATERIAL FORMING A DISPERSION OF ONE SAID MATERIAL IN THE OTHER WITHIN SAID COMPARTMENTS, AND TRANSFERRING SAID MMATERIALS BETWEEN ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS BY GRAVITATIONAL FLOW THROUGH THE CENTRAL OPENINGS IN SAID ANNULAR BAFFLES, THE IMPROVEMENT OF CONTROLLING THE HOLD-UP WITHIN SAID VESSELS BY THROTTLING AT LEAST SOME OF SAID CENTRAL OPENINGS AND THEREBY RESTRICTING THE GRAVITATION OF SAID MATERIAL THROUGH SAID OPENINGS, AND ADJUSTING THE DEGREE OF SAID THROTTLING DURING OPERATON OF THE MIXER TO CONTROL THE SAID HOLD-UP.