Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Top Ten Tips when Selecting Mixers for Powder Blending

The mixing or blending of powder ingredients is a common industrial process practiced in many industries including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, minerals and food.

The choice of Mixer can be complicated but the following Top Ten Tips may help you make your final decision.

1.     Batch or Continuous?
One of the first questions to ask is whether a batch or continuous mixer is required. Here we look at considerations for selecting the right equipment for batch mixing. In batch mixing the whole batch can be identified and is traceable to help with overall quality control. Batch operations are very versatile and one Blender can be used for blending several ingredients together and for multipurpose operations.

2.     Batch Size
Don’t assume that biggest is best! Some mixer types may not achieve a full homogeneous mix when the mixing time is extended or when the volume is large.

3.     Mixing Time
The shorter the mixing time to achieve a homogeneous mix then the lower the costs will be and there will be less product degradation with sensitive materials. Look for efficiency in blending operations with gentle actions. Perry Process Equipment Ltd has a wide range of quality used mixers that meet this requirement.

4.     Power Consumption
With over increasing energy costs, it is important to consider not just the installed motor power but the actual power used in blending. Some mixers, such as the iconic Vrieco Nauta Conical Blender, only mix small portions at a time while the mixing arm rotates throughout the mass. These have very much lower power loads.

5.     Ease of Discharge
The discharge of a batch blender is one of the most critical functions. Here it is necessary to ensure that the blender empties fully and smoothly with no residual “heel” or bridging. Check the discharge opening size, as many blended powder products can have poor flow properties and can be a little sticky.

6.     Mixer Internal Finish
Smooth internal finishes to the mixer are usually best in most applications, as this aids discharge. In the food and pharmaceutical industries stainless steel vessels with an internal mirror finish are commonly used.

7.     Ease of Cleaning and Cross Contamination
This is very important particularly when one mixer is to be used for different products. If cleaning is highly critical, for example in the food and chemical field, then ‘cleaning in place’ (CIP) or even ‘sterilization in place (SIP) can be installed.

8.     Know your target result
It is important to know a clear end result specification so that equipment specialists can advise on the type of mixer best suited to your requirements.

9.     Factory Space
This is a fairly obvious point but it is something that needs to be considered carefully. It is not just the actual footprint of the mixer that you need to think about but any access requirements for loading, discharge, cleaning and maintenance. Height restrictions can often make the selection of a mixer a little more difficult.

10.             System Design
It is never too early to consider the design of the total system when making your mixer selection. For example, there would be no point in opting for high accuracy blending equipment if you are then planning on blowing discharged product a large distance across the factory thereby allowing it to disaggregate en route.

When selecting a mixer, it pays to talk to our experts to prevent costly mistakes impacting on subsequent stages of the process and final product quality. The Sales Managers at Perry Process Equipment Ltd can help you find the right specification mixer for your needs. 

Need help choosing the right mixer for your process? Contact one of our equipment specialist Sales Managers today! We have 100s of mixers ready in stock for immediate delivery.

Tel: +44 (0)1325 315111 | Email: info@perryprocess.co.uk

No comments:

Post a Comment