Rotary wiped film evaporator with annular ring for process material flow control

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS OF THE ROTARY WIPED THIN FILM TYPE WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES IN COMBINATIN: (A) A CLOSED CHAMBER CHARACTERIZED BY AN INTERIOR WALL DEFINING A SURFACE OF REVOLUTION; (B) A ROTOR SHAFT WITHIN THE CHAMBER; (C) MEANS TO ROTATE THE ROTOR SHAFT; (D) ROTOR BLADES DIRECTLY SECURED TO AN EXTENDING FROM THE ROTOR SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, THE BLADES GENERALLY RADIALLY AND COAXIALLY ARRANGED FROM THE ROTOR SHAFT ALONG ITS LENGTH AND EXTENDING INTO A CLOSE NON-CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE CHAMBER FOT FORM A SMAL SPACE BETWEEN THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF THE BLADES AND THE INTERIOR WALL; (E) AN INLET IN THE CHAMBER FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF MATERIAL TO BE PROCESSED; (F) AN OUTLET SPACED AXIALLY APART FROM THE INLET IN THE CHAMBER FOR THE REMOVAL OF PROCESSED MATERIAL; AND (G) MEANS TO CONTROL THE AXIAL FLOW OF THE MATERIAL BEING PROCESSED, SAID MEANS COMPRISNG AT LEAST ONE CONTINUOUS NARROW RING LYING IN A CONTINUOUS PLANE ABOUT THE ROTOR BLADE PERIPHERIES AND SECURED THERETO, THE RING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE ROTOR BALDE EDGES, THE RING LOCATED IN THE REGION FROM JUST PRIOR TO THE PROCESSED MATERIAL OUTLET TO THE ENDS OF THE BLADES, WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE SAID OUTLET, TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS, SMALL, GENERALLY UNIFORM SPACE BETWEEN THE INTERNAL WAL OF THE CHAMBER AND THE RING IN A NONCONTACTING RELATIONSHIP.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS OF THE ROTARY WIPED THIN FILM TYPE WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES IN COMBINATIN: (A) A CLOSED CHAMBER CHARACTERIZED BY AN INTERIOR WALL DEFINING A SURFACE OF REVOLUTION; (B) A ROTOR SHAFT WITHIN THE CHAMBER; (C) MEANS TO ROTATE THE ROTOR SHAFT; (D) ROTOR BLADES DIRECTLY SECURED TO AN EXTENDING FROM THE ROTOR SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, THE BLADES GENERALLY RADIALLY AND COAXIALLY ARRANGED FROM THE ROTOR SHAFT ALONG ITS LENGTH AND EXTENDING INTO A CLOSE NON-CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE CHAMBER FOT FORM A SMAL SPACE BETWEEN THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF THE BLADES AND THE INTERIOR WALL; (E) AN INLET IN THE CHAMBER FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF MATERIAL TO BE PROCESSED; (F) AN OUTLET SPACED AXIALLY APART FROM THE INLET IN THE CHAMBER FOR THE REMOVAL OF PROCESSED MATERIAL; AND (G) MEANS TO CONTROL THE AXIAL FLOW OF THE MATERIAL BEING PROCESSED, SAID MEANS COMPRISNG AT LEAST ONE CONTINUOUS NARROW RING LYING IN A CONTINUOUS PLANE ABOUT THE ROTOR BLADE PERIPHERIES AND SECURED THERETO, THE RING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE ROTOR BALDE EDGES, THE RING LOCATED IN THE REGION FROM JUST PRIOR TO THE PROCESSED MATERIAL OUTLET TO THE ENDS OF THE BLADES, WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE SAID OUTLET, TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS, SMALL, GENERALLY UNIFORM SPACE BETWEEN THE INTERNAL WAL OF THE CHAMBER AND THE RING IN A NONCONTACTING RELATIONSHIP.