US Patent 7168848 Axial-pumping impeller apparatus and method for magnetically-coupled mixer

An impeller apparatus for use with a magnetically coupled mixer includes in one embodiment an axial-pumping impeller spaced axially apart from a driven magnet by a shaft. In another embodiment the impeller apparatus includes an up-pumping impeller spaced axially apart from a magnetic element by a shaft, the magnetic element cooperates with a superconducting element for levitating the impeller apparatus away from the bottom of the tank and cooperates with a motive device to rotate the impeller.