Vertical mixer amixon® powder mixer with vertical or inclined mixer axis
Amixon manufactures a range of vertical mixers, including single-shaft, inclined, conical, twin-shaft and hollow-sphere mixers. These mixers utilise helical mixing elements. They are suitable for almost all bulk materials. Capacities range from one litre to 70 cubic metres. Cone mixers offer the greatest flexibility in terms of fill level and, through the use of cutting rotors, enable effective wetting and deagglomeration, even with very small batches. The hollow sphere mixer is particularly easy to clean, pressure-resistant and is also suitable for use as a vacuum mixer or dryer. The twin-shaft mixer blends fragile, heterogeneous or needle-shaped particles particularly gently. Amixon has all its vertical mixers available for testing at its technical centre in Paderborn.
Five vertical mixing systems from amixon®.
Dynamic powder mixers are operated with rotating mixing tools. These have either a vertical or a horizontal axis of rotation. Occasionally, there are also powder mixers where the axis of rotation is inclined. In this blog post, we will go over the different designs that are available on the market. The outstanding features and characteristics are reviewed. This allows individual advantages and disadvantages to be derived, which are important for operational practice.
amixon® is a recognized synonym for a wide variety of vertical mixer designs.
Powder mixer with hollow sphere mixing chamber
Single-shaft mixers from amixon®, basically have rotationally symmetrical mixing chambers. These can be cylindrical, conical or spherical. The mixing chambers can even be designed as paraboloids or hyperboloids.
The hollow sphere mixer, also known as a ‘sphere mixer’, combines an elegant, enclosed design with outstanding hygienic properties. Amixon designs and manufactures hollow sphere mixers for batches ranging from 10 to 14,000 litres of usable volume. The mixing tool axis is inclined at an angle of between 20° and 30°. Spherical mixers guarantee efficient and gentle mixing and consistently ensure optimum mixing quality.
Single-shaft mixers from amixon®, basically have rotationally symmetrical mixing chambers. These can be cylindrical, conical or spherical. The mixing chambers can even be designed as paraboloids or hyperboloids.
The hollow sphere mixer, also known as a ‘sphere mixer’, combines an elegant, enclosed design with outstanding hygienic properties. Amixon designs and manufactures hollow sphere mixers for batches ranging from 10 to 14,000 litres of usable volume. The mixing tool axis is inclined at an angle of between 20° and 30°. Spherical mixers guarantee efficient and gentle mixing and consistently ensure optimum mixing quality.
Dimensions Sheet: Table for the Ball Blender with Approximate Values
These are approximate dimensions. For detailed planning, please request a comprehensive dimension sheet from us.
These are approximate dimensions. For detailed planning, please request a comprehensive dimension sheet from us.
Cutting rotors (deagglomerators) in ball mixers
In hollow ball mixers, cutting rotors can be arranged in two positions:
- - coaxially with the mixing tool axis, or
- perpendicular to the mixing tool axis.
The coaxial arrangement is particularly effective and is especially suitable for the aggressive deagglomeration of powder particles. In this case, liquids are usually poured from above into the turbulent mixture.
The transverse arrangement is equally effective. It is preferred when liquids are to be sprayed or injected directly into the cutting rotor’s working area via a lance.
Regardless of the position chosen, deagglomerators can only operate effectively if the level of the mixture is sufficiently high – in other words, the mixer must be filled to at least the minimum level.
In hollow ball mixers, cutting rotors can be arranged in two positions:
- - coaxially with the mixing tool axis, or
- perpendicular to the mixing tool axis.
The coaxial arrangement is particularly effective and is especially suitable for the aggressive deagglomeration of powder particles. In this case, liquids are usually poured from above into the turbulent mixture.
The transverse arrangement is equally effective. It is preferred when liquids are to be sprayed or injected directly into the cutting rotor’s working area via a lance.
Regardless of the position chosen, deagglomerators can only operate effectively if the level of the mixture is sufficiently high – in other words, the mixer must be filled to at least the minimum level.
Desagglomerators and filling levels
In many cases, lumps in the powder have to be dissolved during the mixing process. High-speed rotating choppers are used for this purpose. They are installed on the side of the mixing chamber and driven by a separate motor. They should only be operated for as long as required to dissolve all agglomerates; never longer. They can change the particle structure and particle size distribution adversely. High-speed rotating choppers (also called knife heads, mixing accelerators, cutting rotors, fluidisers or shear dispersers) are also valuable when liquid materials need to be homogeneously dispersed into powder. More information can be found in this blog post.
Cutting rotors in the amixon® mixer: on the left, a conical mixer; on the right, a flat-bottomed mixer.
In many cases, lumps in the powder have to be dissolved during the mixing process. High-speed rotating choppers are used for this purpose. They are installed on the side of the mixing chamber and driven by a separate motor. They should only be operated for as long as required to dissolve all agglomerates; never longer. They can change the particle structure and particle size distribution adversely. High-speed rotating choppers (also called knife heads, mixing accelerators, cutting rotors, fluidisers or shear dispersers) are also valuable when liquid materials need to be homogeneously dispersed into powder. More information can be found in this blog post.
Cutting rotors in the amixon® mixer: on the left, a conical mixer; on the right, a flat-bottomed mixer.
Deagglomeration and minimum fill level
The curves in the diagrams show the fill level at various fill levels. The red markers indicate the position of the cutting rotor shafts. If a cutting rotor is required to deliver its full performance even at very low fill levels, the AM cone mixer from amixon® is the best choicet. The flexibility of using a conical mixer is described in a separate blog post.
All the mixers shown here are vertical mixers with a maximum usable volume of 2,000 litres. Their mixing shafts are only inclined in rare cases. Spherical mixers, on the other hand, almost always have mixing shafts mounted at an angle. Nevertheless, they are classified as vertical precision mixers. They consistently achieve excellent mixing results, regardless of whether the angle is 20°, 22.5° or 25°.
The curves in the diagrams show the fill level at various fill levels. The red markers indicate the position of the cutting rotor shafts. If a cutting rotor is required to deliver its full performance even at very low fill levels, the AM cone mixer from amixon® is the best choicet. The flexibility of using a conical mixer is described in a separate blog post.
All the mixers shown here are vertical mixers with a maximum usable volume of 2,000 litres. Their mixing shafts are only inclined in rare cases. Spherical mixers, on the other hand, almost always have mixing shafts mounted at an angle. Nevertheless, they are classified as vertical precision mixers. They consistently achieve excellent mixing results, regardless of whether the angle is 20°, 22.5° or 25°.
In terms of variable filling levels, conical mixers are unsurpassed.
When it comes to varying batch sizes, the conical mixer offers the greatest flexibility. It can produce ideal mix quality even at a fill rate of 10 to 15 percent. Low fill rates, on the other hand, can pose a problem when cutting rotors are involved in the mixing process. However, even in this case, the conical mixer offers the highest flexibility.
The topic of "Flexible adaptation to different batch sizes" is covered in a separate blog post.
When it comes to varying batch sizes, the conical mixer offers the greatest flexibility. It can produce ideal mix quality even at a fill rate of 10 to 15 percent. Low fill rates, on the other hand, can pose a problem when cutting rotors are involved in the mixing process. However, even in this case, the conical mixer offers the highest flexibility.
The topic of "Flexible adaptation to different batch sizes" is covered in a separate blog post.
Come and carry out tests at the amixon® Technical Centre in Paderborn!
Visit us on site and watch a demonstration of the mixing process using a wide variety of vertical mixers — we can assure you of excellent mixing results right from the start. More than 30 test mixers are available at the amixon® Technical Centre.
In addition to units with a 400-litre working capacity, there are also large mixers with a working capacity of up to 3 m³ — enabling you to reliably validate scale-up projections for your production scale. We warmly invite you to visit us and promise you will gain a wealth of valuable insights.
amixon® pilot mixer, sphere mixer type, with a 400-litre working capacity.
amixon® test mixer type KoneSlid® with 400 litres usable capacity.
Visit us on site and watch a demonstration of the mixing process using a wide variety of vertical mixers — we can assure you of excellent mixing results right from the start. More than 30 test mixers are available at the amixon® Technical Centre.
In addition to units with a 400-litre working capacity, there are also large mixers with a working capacity of up to 3 m³ — enabling you to reliably validate scale-up projections for your production scale. We warmly invite you to visit us and promise you will gain a wealth of valuable insights.
amixon® pilot mixer, sphere mixer type, with a 400-litre working capacity.
amixon® test mixer type KoneSlid® with 400 litres usable capacity.
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