US 12,458,937 B2
Mixing unit and method for mixing a liquid product
Thomas Eggler, Rothrist (CH); Denis Steffen, Gränichen (CH); Devis Gangale, Rupperswil (CH); and Nora Magoni, Gretzenbach (CH)
Assigned to Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
Appl. No. 17/757,692
Filed by Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
PCT Filed Dec. 16, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/086507
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/122806, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19217279 (EP), filed on Dec. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0016783 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B01F 25/21 (2022.01); B01F 25/312 (2022.01); B01F 25/53 (2022.01); B01F 35/10 (2022.01)
CPC B01F 25/2124 (2022.01) [B01F 25/312 (2022.01); B01F 25/53 (2022.01); B01F 35/1453 (2022.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mixing unit for mixing a liquid product, the mixing unit comprising:
a tank configured to hold the liquid product;
a fluid nozzle attached to a bottom of the tank and configured to inject a fluid flow of the liquid product into the tank; and
an actuator positioned below the tank;
wherein the fluid nozzle has a first outlet that opens in a sideways direction, a second outlet that opens in an upward direction, and a valve plug configured to selectively open and close the first outlet and the second outlet, the mixing unit operable in a low stage operational mode during which the first outlet is open and the second outlet is closed for effecting mixing in a lower region of the tank and in a high stage operational mode during which the first outlet is closed and the second outlet is open for effecting mixing in an upper region of the tank,
wherein the actuator is configured to switch the mixing unit between the low stage operational mode and the high stage operational mode.