The 5 Most Common Types of Industrial Mixers: A Primer
Across many industries, industrial mixers play an essential role. From the food and beverage industry to pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and adhesives, these mixers facilitate the blending and mixing of various materials to ensure consistency, quality, and efficiency in production. However, there are several types of industrial mixers to choose from.
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In this blog, we&#;ll dive into the most common types of industrial mixers and what to consider before making your decision.
5 Types of Industrial Mixers
Industrial mixers are pivotal to ensure consistency, enhance quality, and facilitate reactions. There are 5 common types of industrial mixers.
- Batch mixers
- Continuous mixers
- High-shear mixers
- Low-shear mixers
- Multi-shaft mixers
1. Batch Mixers
Batch mixers are the most commonly used type of industrial mixer. They work by combining all the ingredients at once and mixing them until the desired consistency is achieved. This type of mixer is suitable for small to medium-sized batches, making it a versatile choice for various industries.
Additionally, batch mixers are typically portable, making them exceptionally versatile. There are several types of batch mixers and they can attach to a mixing vessel, such as a drum, IBC tote, open-top tank, or rolling mixer stand &#; which allows an operator to move the mixer from vessel to vessel.
Although the popular choice, it might not be best suited for large-quantity applications. The better choice in this case is typically continuous mixers.
2. Continuous Mixers
Continuous mixers are designed to handle large quantities of materials continuously, making them ideal for high-volume production processes. Continuous mixing works on low energy, but still provides a high output. They work by feeding a steady stream of ingredients into the mixer while simultaneously discharging the mixed product.
Continuous mixers are unique, as they&#;re in-line mixers that are piped into part of the process. These mixers are typically between two or more tanks and can be placed upstream or downstream depending on the process requirements. Also, continuous mixers can be integrated into a monitoring system to allow for precise control over the blend.
Some examples of continuous mixers include in-line rotor-stator mixers and static in-line mixers. paddle mixers, screw conveyors, and fluidized bed mixers.
3. High-Shear Mixers
High-shear mixers are used for emulsifying, dispersing, and homogenizing materials that are difficult to mix. They work by using high-speed rotating blades to create intense shearing forces that break down particles and blend them together.
High-shear mixers are commonly used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and laboratory/research and development settings. They&#;re widely used in these industries since they can accommodate a wide range of viscosities and be made into benchtop scale, meaning they leave a small footprint for sitting on tabletops or counters.
Some examples of high-shear mixers include rotor-stator mixers, dispersers, and homogenizers.
4. Low-Shear Mixers
Low-shear mixers work by gently blending materials together without causing any damage or altering properties. These mixers are commonly used in the food industry for ingredients such as fruits and vegetables since they&#;re designed to mix delicately.
5. Multi-Shaft Mixers
There are several types of multi-shaft mixers, including:
- Dual Shaft Mixers
- Triple Shaft Mixers
- Planetary Mixers
- Reciprocating Mixers
While all of these mixers work similarly, they can each be customized to achieve whatever the customer&#;s process demands.
Factors to Consider When Selecting Industrial Mixers
When choosing an industrial mixer, the selection process depends on more than type alone. Here are some other important factors to consider:
Material Properties
The properties of the materials you're mixing play a significant role in determining which mixer to use. Factors including viscosity, density, and the presence of solids or liquids need to be taken into consideration. For example, high-shear mixers are ideal for materials of lower viscosity, while low-shear mixers are better suited for solid suspension.
Production Capacity
There are specific types of mixers best suited for your application depending on production capacity. While batch mixers are ideal for small to medium-sized production runs, continuous mixers typically handle larger volumes better. It's important to choose a mixer that can effectively handle your capacity needs while ensuring the quality of the mix.
Energy Efficiency
Especially in today's manufacturing world, energy efficiency is an essential factor to consider. Energy efficiency can significantly impact the operational costs of your manufacturing process, so selecting a mixer with good energy efficiency can be a cost-effective choice.
For example, some mixers, such as continuous mixers, operate on low energy but still provide high output -- which is ideal.
Mixer Versatility
Most likely, you'll want to use your mixer for more than one job. So, it's essential to have a mixer that offers versatility and accommodates different types of materials and mixing tasks.
Planetary mixers, for example, are well-known for their versatility and can handle a wide range of mixing jobs.
Industry Requirements
Mixing requirements and standards differ based on the industry. The pharmaceutical and food industries have strict hygiene and safety regulations to follow, while some industries, such as adhesives, may not have as difficult requirements. If you take the industry requirements into consideration upfront, you'll be able to find a mixer best suited for your specific project.
Technology and Innovation
As technology continues to evolve, newer types of mixers are being developed that offer improved efficiency, versatility, and other benefits. If you keep an eye out for the latest trends and innovations in industrial mixers, you may find one that better meets your needs.
Finding the Right Mixer for You
Keep in mind that the equipment you use for your mixing processes can make or break your production. With the right mixer, your process can enhance productivity, improve product quality, and reduce operational costs.
Take these factors into careful consideration before making your decision and reach out to a specialist with experience in your industry, like Mixer Direct.
Intro to Different types of Mixing Machine
- Thursday, January 20,
Mixing is an indispensable production process for modern industry. With the continuous development of Chinese industry, the development of mixing systems and mixing equipment will become more and more powerful.Mixing is used in the entire industrial field, such as chemicals, food, building materials, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers. The products we use every day have at least one mixing process in the production.
There are many types of powder mixing equipment. This article mainly analyzes the commonly used equipment in the Chinese market in mechanical mixing equipment.
1&#;Three-dimensional Mixing Machine
The mixing principle of the Three-dimensional Mixing Machine is gravity convection-diffusion mixing.
Advantages&#;
&#;Multi-dimensional space movement can make the material fully mixed and uniform macroscopically.
&#;No centrifugal force during mixing.
&#;Free of dead corner.
Disadvantages&#;
&#;Microscopically, it is not easy to achieve refined mixing.
&#;The kinetic energy of the powder is too large, and the ultra-light powder and ultra-fine powder are easy to float and not easily mixed into the main powder.
&#;Long mixing time, high power consumption, low loading rate.
&#;The operating acceleration is large, and there are bad records of broken shafts, and the equipment is not easy to expand due to safety issues.
&#;It is not easy to make large equipment with more than liters.
2&#;V series Mixing Machine
The mixing principle of the V series Mixing Machine is gravity convection and diffusion mixing.
Advantages&#;
&#;No dead corners of materials during mixing.
&#;When the mixed powder has good fluidity and similar physical properties, a better mixing effect can be obtained.
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Disadvantages&#;
&#;Microscopically, the powder is not easy to mix well.
&#;Ultra-fine powder and ultra-light powder are not easy to mix into the main powder.
&#;There is gravity lifting movement, so power consumption is high.
&#;There is a throwing motion, which will destroy the shape of the powder.
3&#;Dual Cone Mixing Machine
The mixing principle of the Dual Cone Mixing Machine is gravity convection diffusion mixing.
Advantages&#;
&#;The dual cone cylinder adapts to the mixing requirements of the mixed materials without dead angles.
&#;The gentle running speed will not cause damage to fragile materials.
&#;It can meet the production of large batches of batch mixing.
Disadvantages&#;
&#;Refined mixing cannot be achieved.
&#;Low mixing efficiency and long mixing time.
4&#;Horizontal Ribbon-spiral Mixing Machine
The mixing principle of the Horizontal Ribbon-spiral Mixing Machine is forced shear mixing.
Advantages&#;
&#;Large loading factor, small occupied area.
&#;There are shearing blades inside to achieve uniform mixing at the microscopic level.
&#;According to the output demand, the equipment can be made into a mainframe, and the price is relatively cheaper than other mixers.
Disadvantages&#;
&#;If the bucket is fixed, there will be dead corners of the material.
&#;The starting load of the equipment is extremely large, and it is difficult to start at full load, which is time-consuming and electricity-consuming.
&#;There are residues in the discharge.
The selection of mixing equipment is based on as follows:
First, select targeted mixing equipment according to the basic characteristics of the materials to be mixed;
Second, choose mixing equipment with different mixing capabilities according to the requirements of mixing uniformity.
&#;&#;For powders with poor fluidity, you can select a forced shear mixing mixer
1&#;Cause Analysis
Powders with poor fluidity often occurs in food industry. Because of poor fluidity, the particles inside the powder move slowly, which affects the mixing effect, the impeller with stirring needs to be forced to shear and stir inside the powder, so as to overcome the mixing difficulties caused by poor fluidity.
2&#;Representative models
Ribbon-spiral Mixing Machine
Advantages&#;High mixing efficiency; the powder particles are relatively uniform on the microscopic level.
Disadvantages&#;Mixed with dead angles; equipment energy consumption is high
For powders, the equipment is required to have: good mixing uniformity, no dead angles, high mixing effect, low power consumption, etc.
The mixing equipment is required to not destroy the physical indicators of the powder, such as the specific gravity, average particle size and particle surface shape of the powder, etc.
It is also required that the mixing equipment is safe and easy to operate, energy-saving, and labor-saving.
&#;&#;For powders with good fluidity, you can select a gravity convection-diffusion mixer
1&#;Cause Analysis
When mixing metal powders with good fluidity, V series machines, Three-dimensional machines, etc. are often used. This is because the powder has good fluidity, and its convection diffusion speed will be fast and efficient. Using a convection diffusion mixer can take advantage of the high mixing efficiency of the mixer.
2&#;Representative models
Three-dimensional Mixing Machine and V series Mixing Machine
Advantages: mixing without dead angles; macroscopically, the powder in each part of the container is uniform.
Disadvantages: Microscopically, the mixing uniformity of powder particles is insufficient; the mixing effect is low.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of spice blending machine supplier. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
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