Agitators

Gate/horseshoe agitators - used for liquids of high viscosities – in the order of 10³ -10⁵ [cP]; they are low-speed agitators with rotational speed not exceeding 1.5 m/s. The diameter of gate agitators is close to that of the tank. Deployment of additional polymer scrapers permits elimination of the problem of local overheating near the heating jacket or the formation of carbon or other deposit on the bottom of the tank. For very viscous liquids, agitators may have crossbars intensifying the process of mixing. Gate and horseshoe agitators may work in tandem with vortex breakers appropriately fitted to the walls or the upper head of the tank, so that to increase the liquid turbulence and facilitate the mixing process.

In order to increase the efficiency of mixing, gate agitators may be used together with paddle or disk agitators.

Scope of application: the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry (ointments), the chemical industry

 

 

Disk agitators - used for mixing solid particles with viscous liquids in order to reduce the size of fibrous particles on account of very strong shear stress produced in the liquid. Due to the local effect of such agitators, they are used in tandem with other types of agitator (e.g. gate/horseshoe agitators), or in a system of several disks installed on the same shaft.

Scope of application: the food industry (pastes), the pharmaceutical industry (pastes, ointments), the chemical industry

Paddle agitators - used wherever there is no need to produce intensive axial and radial circulation in the liquid. In their classic variant, these agitators mainly produce circumferential circulation. In order to increase the mass flow and mixing efficiency, modified blade shapes are used and at the end of the chief blades, smaller auxiliary blades with an inverted direction of attack are added.

Scope of application: the food, pharmaceutical, chemical industries

MIG MAG agitators - a characteristic combination of classic paddle agitators. What distinguishes them is their ability to intensively mix viscous liquids such as suspensions or emulsions without excessive aeration (foam formation). They are mainly used in storage tanks or intermediate mixers (where the product is stored before its final packaging.)

Scope of application: the pharmaceutical industry, the chemical industry (household chemicals), the cosmetic industry

Propeller agitators - used wherever it is necessary to produce strong axial circulation creating a vortex which facilitating the wetting and dissolving of powders (the effect of suction towards the bottom). They are perfect for producing suspensions. In order to improve the mixing of low-wettability powders, the propellers may be perforated and for fibrous substances serrated propellers are used. Propeller agitators are high-speed agitators, in the 720 – 1420 rpm bracket, driven directly by an engine, which results in better performance of the power unit and lower investment costs.

Scope of application: the food, pharmaceutical, chemical industries

Turbine agitators - used for digesting low-wettability powders in liquids. They are technologically and structurally more advanced than propeller agitators and are characterized by better working parameters.

Homogenizing agitators - due to its capacity for intensive dispersing mixing, this type of agitator is perfect for achieving high homogeneity of the product. A homogenizing agitator is able to digest powders, fibrous substances. The turbine may be built in directly in the bottom of a tank or in an additional casing connected with the tank chamber in a closed cycle. There are also in-line systems, where the agitator is an separate device. Such a design permits reduction of investment costs wherever homogenization of the product is not required throughout the process.

Scope of application: the food industry (pastes), the pharmaceutical industry (pastes ointments), the chemical industry (lubricants)

Planetary-motion worm agitators - used for mixing powders without liquids. The power unit, comprised of two motoreducers, permits individual control of the rotational speed of the arm and the worm. This solution is applied wherever it is impossible to use tumbling mixers.

Scope of application: the food, pharmaceutical, chemical industries

For more intensive mixing, taking into account the complex nature of the process, agitators may be installed on process devices in any configuration, e.g. a gate agitator + a paddle agitator + a homogenizing or turbine agitator, etc.