Types of Impeller Use in Mixing

Prepared Bu

Muhammad Zubair SCME-NUST

April 6, 2013

[TYPES OF IMPELLER USE IN MIXING]

Types of impellers
Introduction:
In process engineering, mixing is a process in which a heterogeneous physical system changes in to homogeneous system with the help of different types of mixers. It is a unite operation which involves the movement of molecules of component A in the molecules of the component B to form the homogeneous system. In the mixing process we cannot achieve the 100 % homogeneity. In this way molecule of component A and B does not appear in alternative manners at all. To find the mixing efficiency of the system we generally use the spot sampling method. In this method we take the number of spot sample from the system and calculate the mixing index by calculating the Standard deviation. The mixing index tells us the homogeneity of the entire batch. In the mixing, three mixing phenomena are employed. 1: Convective Mixing In convective mixing, a group of particles move from one place to other place in the system. It is mostly use in large scale mixing when we have a large quantity of both the components that are being mixed. 2: Diffusion Mixing In the phenomena, the partials are moved over a newly formed interface. In the binging of the mixing when we have two components separately, we have two faces at this stage the mixing will occur due to diffusion.

April 6, 2013

[TYPES OF IMPELLER USE IN MIXING]

3: Shear Mixing When slipping plane is formed in the mixing, then the mixing will occur by the shear mixing. According to our purpose of mixing of particles, powder and solids, we select the mixers and impellers on base of these properties, Particle size, density of the solid(bulk density ),density of the particle(true density),viscosity, surface tension, moisture content, flow pattern, etc. In the mixing technology different types of impellers are used. The main types of impellers are given below

Anchor impeller:
These types of the impellers are mostly use for mixing those components which have high viscosity. These impellers can be used if the viscosity rang of liquid is between the 5000 to 50000 cp. The dia of the impeller is generally 90 % of the total size of the mixer vessel. Due to this reason there is a very clearance between the impeller and the vessel which lead to a good mixing. This type of impeller is required when we required the heat transfer as well as good mixing. The speed of the anchor impeller is between the 5 to 50 rpm.

April 6, 2013

[TYPES OF IMPELLER USE IN MIXING]

Pitched Blade Turbine:

These impellers are axial flow and mostly use in that agitator which have top entering feed input. This impeller consists of a hub that hub contains the even number of blades ranging from 10 to 80.The mostly common impeller is the four blades at 45 degree. The blades of these impellers are fabricated and directly welded to the shaft. These types of impellers are also mostly use for the non-viscous and non- cohesive material.

Marine Propellers:
It can be used for mixing. In these day this type of impellers are not use because of cost and weight to size ratio, which require the larger the power to rotate the impeller. Most of the marine impellers consist of three blades and pitch to dia ratio is of the range of 1 to 1.5.The maxing and sharing action is on its peak when the speed of the impeller is maximum. These types of the impellers are used for mixing of low viscosity components. Speed range of these impellers is 400 to 1800 rpm depending on the size and dia of the impeller.

April 6, 2013

[TYPES OF IMPELLER USE IN MIXING]

High Efficiency Impeller:

Hydro impellers are also called High Efficiency Impeller. These impellers are designed in such a way that they increase the fluid flow and decrease the shear rate. These impellers are used in the many mixers in the industry. These mixers are used to mix the high viscosity material and gases. There are further four types of this impellers depends on the solidity ratio. The impellers with low solidity ratio are good for liquid mixing and solid suspensions and high solidity ratio impellers are use for high viscosity materials.

April 6, 2013

[TYPES OF IMPELLER USE IN MIXING]

Helical Impellers:
These mixers are also use to deal the viscous materials. Its shape is like the spiral and usually moves nearer to the wall of the vessel. The blade of the impeller moves the material up and town and mix the material to our requirements. One, two or more spiral can be used in a single vessel to attain the best homogeneity.

Helical Ribbon Impellers:

These types of impellers are designed for the axial flow of the material. These types of impellers consist of many helixes in different direction to gain the best mixing. The impellers are used for the high viscosity material up to 25000000 cps. This is mostly use in the polymer industry, food industry plant and for mixing of lotions and creams.

April 6, 2013

[TYPES OF IMPELLER USE IN MIXING]

UZ type Impellers:
These types of impellers are types of the Pitch Blades impellers. It uses in the blinding purposes. The size of the impeller is selected with respect to the size of tank and viscosity. These types of impellers are use to deal the low to medium viscosity material. It is used in the dairy applications, Beverages Industry and in the sugar industry.

Radial Impeller:
It consists of the blades in the vertical plane and parallel to the shaft of the mixer. It contains 2 or more blades. The flow pattern of the material is radial and separated in to two paths. The operation of this impeller does not depend on the viscosity until we have the laminar flow. Mostly use in the liquid emulsion applications.

April 6, 2013

[TYPES OF IMPELLER USE IN MIXING]

Sigma Blade Impeller:

It works on the high shearing force and kneading action. It is mostly wet granulation process and making of tablets. It is used for the solid liquid as well as solid mixing. It creates the very loss dead space time .It operates on a fixed speed.

Double Naben Blade;

These types of blades are mostly use for the heavy plastic material. It is mostly use for solid mixing. It is suitable for mixing cellulose materials and highly viscous products such as gum.

Disperser Blade:
It is design in such a way that is creating the large shear force. This share force is use to disperse power and liquid in the plastic or rubber like material. It is used for the mixing of very high viscosity material.