Mixing solids and pastes

Jose V Parambil
S4 Apr 2017
FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing
• Unit operation that involved handling of a heterogeneous physical system
with the intent of making it homogeneous.

• Liquid-liquid
– Single-phase or multi-phase
• Gas-gas
• Solid-solid
• Liquid-solid
• Liquid-gas
• Gas-solid
• Multi-phase mixing

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing of solids
• Powder mixing – one of the oldest unit operation
– Ceramics, food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, coal, plastics, metallurgy

• Batch-to-batch consistency and product quality depends a lot on solid

mixing process.

• Significant issues during scale-up and scale-down

• Opposite of mixing – segregation

– ‘Brazil nut effect’

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Blender designs
• Mechanical blender

• Paddle blender

• Ribbon blenders

• Tumbling blenders

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Ribbon Blender

Handbook of Industrial Mixing: Science and Practice, Paul. E. L, et. Al, Wiley Interscience, 2004
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Tumble Blender

V-shaped Double cone

www.tubleblenders.com; http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/MaterialsHandling/Mixers/Mixers.html
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Internal Screw Mixers

• For free flowing particulates.

• Helical conveyor elevates and circulates the

material inside a conical vessel.

• The helical screw may be centrally

positioned or orbit around the cone along the
surface.

• Mixing is slower than ribbon blends, but less

power consuming.

Google images.
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing of pastes
• High viscosity fluid

• Turbulent mixing unobtainable and will result in increase in temperature

– Viscous and non-viscous mixing

• Pastes, puttys, chewing gum, soap, grease, some foods, etc.

• Non-viscous mixing
– Require lateral and transverse motion
– Materials are to be pulled, sheared, compressed, kneaded, and folded by the
action of rotors against vessel walls, saddles, or projecting stators.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Challenges of high viscosity mixing

• No turbulent eddies which help in component distribution.

• Low diffusion coefficients for even small molecules.

• Most high-viscous fluids are non-Newtonian.

• Viscous energy dissipation can cause increase in temperature.

– Results in temperature fluctuation within mixer.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Equipment considerations for viscous mixing

• Small clearances between impeller and vessel walls.
• High power per unit volume.
• Relatively small volume.
• Slow impeller speeds to limit heat buildup.
• Smearing blade profile if dispersion is important.
• Intermeshing blades or stators to keep the material from cylindering on the
rotating impeller.
• Special consideration for emptying.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Single-stirrer mixers
• Batch mixer using anchor blades and helical ribbons

Handbook of Industrial Mixing: Science and Practice, Paul. E. L, et. Al, Wiley Interscience, 2004
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Change Can Mixers

• Allows separation of the mixing blades from the mixing
vessel.

• Enables more accurate weighing of ingredients prior to

mixing.

• Less batch-to-batch cross-contamination, easier

cleaning.

• Agitator maybe mounted eccentrically with respect to

the can axis and the can will be moved on a turntable
in the direction opposite to that of the agitator – Pony
mixer.
Handbook of Industrial Mixing: Science and Practice, Paul. E. L, et. Al, Wiley Interscience, 2004
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Change can mixers – images

Beater Mixer

Pony Mixer
Google images
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Kneaders
• Kneading is a method used for deformable or
plastic solids.
– It involves squashing the mass flat, folding it
over itself, and squashing it further.

• Consists of two or more mixing blades

placed inside a ‘w’ shaped trough.

• The blades are placed either tangential or

overlapping.

• Blades pass the container walls and each

other in close clearance.
Handbook of Industrial Mixing: Science and Practice, Paul. E. L, et. Al, Wiley Interscience, 2004
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Kneader blades
Sigma blade

Dispersion blade

Multiwing overlap
balde

Double Naben
Overlapping Tangential
Handbook of Industrial Mixing: Science and Practice, Paul. E. L, et. Al, Wiley Interscience, 2004; Google images
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Dispersers and Masticators

• Type of kneading mixers.

• Dispersers are often heavier than kneaders and use more energy.
– Commonly used for additives, coloring agents, etc.

• Mastication = ‘chewing’

• Still heavier and more energy consuming than dispersers.

– Can disintegrate scrap rubber and compound the toughest plastic masses.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Continuous Kneaders
• Contains a horizontal shaft with a helical / spiral element that pushes the
mixture along the axial direction.

• Kneader blades shears in radial direction while shaft shears in longitudinal /

axial direction.

• Feed typically enters near

the driven end of the rotor
and discharge is from the
other end.

Google images
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixer Extruders

Google images;
www.mas-austria.com J V Parambil 18
FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixer Extruders
• Provides the output of a mixer into a extruder.

• The pitched blade of the rotor builds up considerable pressure for extrusion
through die.

• Pressure can be built up by reducing the pitch of the helix near the
discharge, reducing the diameter of the mixing chamber, or both.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing Rolls
• Subjecting pastes and deformable solids to intense shear by passing
between smooth metal rolls at different speeds.

• Repeated passes ensure thorough mixing of solid additives.

• May contain 3-5 sets of rolls in a vertical stack; paste passes from the
slower rolls to faster ones.

• Require long mixing time and continuous supervision.

• Used for rubbers, thick polymers, etc.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Muller Mixer
• Results in smearing or rubbing action similar to that in
a mortar and pestle.

• Heavy wheels roll in a circular path over a layer of

solids on pan floor.
– May rotate wheels, pan, or both.
– Results in rubbing and crushing action.
– Plows guide the solids under the muller wheels.
– May keep the wheels eccentric.

Google images
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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Power Requirements
• Large power requirement for mixing solids and pastes.

• Energy required to shear the elements, move them relative to each other,
fold over, recombine, and re-divide them.
– Continuous mixers also need to move the material from inlet to outlet.
– Only a part of this entire energy is useful in mixing.

• Generally, intensive mixers working on small batches are more effective

than large mixers working slowly on a large batch.

• Energy loss in terms of heat is unavoidable in almost all situations.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing Index
• Mixing index is used to analyse the effectiveness of mixing process.

• Samples are first analysed from different places inside the mixer.

• The standard deviation (S) of the analysis about their average value (𝑥) is given
by,
𝑁 2 𝑁 2 𝑁
𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥 𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖−𝑥 𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖
𝑆= =
𝑁−1 𝑁−1

• The value of S gives a relative measure of mixing, valid for a specific material in
a specific mixer.

• As mixing proceeds, the standard deviation decreases.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing Index for Solids (1)

• For a fully blended mixture, the standard deviation will be;
– Zero for pastes.
– Non-zero for granular solids.

• For a fully blended mixture of particulate solids, if samples are taken from N
spots and the fraction of components are expressed in terms of number of
individual particles, the measure fraction (xi) will not be same always if the
total number of particles (n) in the sample is small (say about 100).

• i.e., there is always a chance that the sample of the random mixture will
contain a larger (or smaller) fraction of one kind of particle than the
population from which it was taken.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing Index for Solids (2)

• If the overall fraction (in terms of number of particles) is given by μp, the
theoretical standard deviation for a sample taken from any spot for a
completely random mixture is given by the equation;

𝜇𝑝 1 − 𝜇𝑝
𝜎𝑒 =
𝑛
• For granular solids, the Mixing Index is defined as,

𝜎𝑒 𝜇𝑝 1 − 𝜇𝑝 (𝑁 − 1)
𝐼𝑠 = =
𝑆 𝑛 𝑁 𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥
2

• The equilibrium value of IS = 1

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing Index for Pastes (1)

• In case of pastes, analysis similar to that of particulate solids is used;
sampling from N random spots and analysing the fraction in each sample
(here, the fraction is measured in terms of concentration).
• If the paste were to be perfectly mixed, every measured value of xi would
equal the average value. If mixing is not complete, the measured values will
differ from the average and their standard deviation will provide a measure
of the quality of mixing.

• The measured standard deviation is given by the relation,

𝑁 2 𝑁 2 𝑁
𝑖=1𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥 𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖−𝑥 𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖
𝑆= =
𝑁−1 𝑁−1

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing Index for Pastes (2)

• The theoretical standard deviation at the start of the mixing process is given
by the relation,
𝜎0 = 𝜇(1 − 𝜇)

where μ is the overall concentration of the tracer in the mixture.

• The Mixing Index for pastes is then given by,

𝜎0 𝜇 1 − 𝜇 (𝑁 − 1)
𝐼𝑃 = = 𝑁 2
𝑆 𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Mixing Index for Pastes (3)

• In theory, IP will become infinite at long mixing times; in reality, that does not
happen since:
– Mixing is never quite complete, and,
– Measured values of xi never agree exactly with each other and with the average,
unless the measurements are so precise.

• Hence, IP is finite even for perfectly mixed material. The limiting value is
determined by,
– Consistency of the materials being processed, effectiveness of mixing, and
precision of the analytical method.

• Typical values of IP are in the range of 10 to 150.

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FPM 2 – S4 Apr 2017 Module 6 – Mixing Solids and Pastes

Rate of Mixing (particulate solids)

• For short mixing times, the rate of change of mixing index is found to be
proportional to (1 – IS). When k is the proportionality constant,
𝑑𝐼𝑠
= 𝑘 1 − 𝐼𝑠
𝑑𝑡
• Integrating between the limits,
𝑡 𝐼𝑆
1 𝑑𝐼𝑆 1 1 − 𝐼𝑆0
𝑑𝑡 = ⇒ 𝑡 = ln
0 𝑘 𝐼𝑆,0 1 − 𝐼𝑆 𝑘 1 − 𝐼𝑆
• Mixing index at time 0 is give by,
1 1 − 1/ 𝑛
𝜎𝑒 1 𝑡 = ln
𝐼𝑆0 = = 𝑘 1 − 𝐼𝑆
𝜎0 𝑛
Time required for the
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