It's a valve that breaks cells or solid particles due to shear stress (= high pressure gradient), so the product is "homogenized". This is the principle used to produce baby-foods. An industrial application is the breaking of bacterical cells (cultivated on a biochemical reactor) used to produce enzymes. --Aushulz (talk) 13:30, 19 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]
The valve is fixed, but I think the space between it and the seat can be adjust accordingly to the pressure difference between feed and product. The only "moving part" is then the fluid containing the cells/solid particles. The cells/solid particles are broken due to two factors: the compression and the impact. --Aushulz (talk) 00:10, 20 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for the explanation. The fact that I was left with this question means that the drawing isn't explanatory enough for me, therefore I Oppose. --Ikar.us (talk) 14:06, 21 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Support I disagree with Ikar.us: I don't see how a drawing (at least, an unanimated one) could explain it better. Sometimes, an image and text need to work hand-in-hand, but that doesn't make the image less valuable. An animated one might be even better, but since when has VI been about comparing things with potential images? Adam Cuerden (talk) 18:25, 21 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]
As for me, it's a naming problem. It it was named homogenizing nozzle, I would have understood the drawing. In a valve I'd expect the pin to be spring-loaded, and the substance to be pressed through the passage against spring force.
Criterion 6: Categorization is incomplete. Category:Food industry sould be a more specific subcategory. Category:Nozzles (or similar, if I'm wrong) is missing.
The correct name is "Homogenizing valve" (see here and here). I added some note to the image. I found here a draw similar to this. Here is some photos of a homogenizing valve. I can add a dissembled view, if it's more clear, but I think the lack of a good related page on Wikipedia is a negative aspect for vote. So maybe I'll create the page en:Homogenizing valve to clarify the image. --Aushulz (talk) 22:21, 27 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]
