Facts At Your Fingertips
Blending
Department Editor: Scott Jenkins
B
lending is a fundamental
chemical unit operation, and
there are a handful of common
ways to implement it. Blending appli-
cations can be either manual or auto-
mated, and can be carried out either
as a batch or continuous process.
There are advantages and drawbacks
to each blending approach, and the
information provided in this one-page
reference can offer direction in select-
ing from among them.
Table 1 outlines the key pros and
cons for the different types of blend-
ing systems.
Batch blending
Manual batch blending (Figure 1) is
the most flexible option and has the
lowest capital cost. It is possible to
make a wide array of mixtures and
conduct a large number of reactions
in the same tank using this approach.
The main downsides are that manual
batch blending is relatively slow and
labor-intensive. Additionally, because
operators weigh the raw materials,
human error and variability are factors.
To speed up the process and mitigate
the risk of human error, automating a
blending system is an option.
Automating a batch blending sys-
tem involves higher capital costs,
FIGURE 1. Manual batch blending offers the most flexibility, but also has the highest operating expense
28
TABLE 1. PROS AND CONS OF BLENDING APPROACHES
Manual batch blending
Highest degree of flexibility
Pros Lowest up front capital
Will work for almost any
product
Slowest cycle times
Cons
Highest operating expense
More prone to human error
due to the added instrumentation,
automated valves, programming and
required bulk storage. Advantages
include significantly reduced cycle
times and manpower requirements,
thereby increasing throughput and
reducing operating expense. Chang-
ing a blending formulation can be
straightforward if no new ingredients
are required. Automated blending can
offer a sweet spot between manual
batch and continuous inline blending,
in terms of costs and throughput.
Continuous blending
Continuous inline blending is almost
always a fully automated process. It
has major advantages over the pre-
viously mentioned methods, but is
more restrictive with regard to the
types of applications in which it can
be employed. If properly sized, con-
tinuous blending equipment does not
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Automated batch blending Continuous inline blending
Preferred method for batch- Highest throughput
wise reactions
Highest degree of repeatability Lowest in process inventory
Faster cycle time Best repeatability and
efficiency
Raw materials require bulk Raw materials require bulk
storage storage
Large plant footprint Will not work for all products
Least flexible
require mix tanks or final product stor-
age. This allows for less in-process in-
ventory, reduced working capital and
plant footprint.
Continuous inline blending is also
the least flexible of these options
when it comes to recipe changes.
Making small adjustments to the
ratio of the ingredients is easy, but
major changes cannot be made
without hardware and software ad-
justments. This being said, with a
clear vision of the desired end result,
it is possible for a single inline blend-
ing system to be capable of making
many different mixtures of coloring,
fragrance or flavor as easily as se-
lecting a new recipe.
Questions to consider
Each blending application has its
own specific challenges to consider.
Is there a minimum amount of time
required for an additive to dissolve?
Is the viscosity of the material too
high for some methods? Is the heat
of dissolution or reaction negligible
or high enough that it must be care-
fully accounted for? Many factors
must be considered and balanced
for each individual application, and
in many cases, it may be useful to
consult an expert before settling on
a solution. Hopefully, this informa-
tion has your project headed in the
right direction. n
Editors note: Content for this Facts at your Fingertips
column was provided by Stephen Benbrook, process de-
velopment engineer at EPIC Modular Process Systems, Inc.
(4242 Meramec Bottom Rd., St. Louis, Mo.; Phone: 314-
272-4149; Website: www.epicmodularprocess.com; Email:
sbenbrook@epicsysinc.com).
Disclaimer: Although the information and recommen-
dations set forth herein are presented in good faith, EPIC
Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries make no representations
or warranties as to the completeness or accuracy thereof.
No representations or warranties, either express or implied,
or merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or of any
other nature are made hereunder.
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM AUGUST 2017