Are there single-shaft mixers that can take standard drums directly and mix in them?
Yes. There are single-shaft mixers with direct standard drum reception which use standardised 200-litre drums as the mixing vessel. This is particularly interesting for small batches, premixes, frequent product changes and applications with a high cleaning or containment requirement, because no transfer is necessary.
Basic constructional principle
The standard drum is positioned securely by means of a reception and centring device.
The mixing tool is guided into the drum from above and works directly in the container.
Depending on the product, gentle or more intensive tools are used.
For low-dust or closed processes, lid and sealing solutions can be added.
Advantages of mixing directly in the standard drum
- No transfer, and therefore fewer product losses and less handling.
- Less cross-contamination, because no separate mixing vessel has to be cleaned.
- Faster batch changes and simple logistics.
- Well suited to small and medium lot sizes and frequently changing recipes.
Important limits
Standard drums make sense above all where flexibility and cleanliness are more important than maximum dispersing performance.
With very high viscosities, precise temperature control or very high shear intensity, drum solutions reach their limits more quickly than stationary special mixers.
The drum geometry also limits flow management, heat removal and the mechanical power that can be introduced.
Typical fields of application
Such systems are frequently found in the pharmaceutical, baby food, nutraceutical, chemical and cosmetics industries as well as with other products involving small batches and high requirements for purity and reproducibility.
The amixon® single-shaft mixer EM: flexible development and pilot batches in the standard drum
Advantages of a single-shaft mixer with a standard drum for premixes and triturations
The amixon® single-shaft mixer EM is particularly suitable for premixes, triturations and small production orders. It works with standard lidded drums as the process vessel and enables filling, mixing and discharging free of dust, ergonomically and without transfer.
How the process works
The standard drum is docked by hand pallet truck.
The overall system is swivelled so that the drum contents pass into the mixing chamber.
Mixing takes place in variable inclined positions.
Depending on the product, the mixer can homogenise gently or deagglomerate intensively.
After mixing, the process is discharged in reverse order.
For cleaning, the mixer is swivelled into the horizontal position; access is ergonomic and readily available.
What makes amixon® special
The EM can be used for dry, moist and suspended materials and, depending on the recipe, can work very gently or with strong processing action.
Particularly relevant is the wide fill level range of approximately 10 to 100 % (of the usable content = type designation in litres), which allows the mixer to adapt well to different lot sizes.
That is important above all with products in which highly concentrated active substances or micro-dosages have to be distributed evenly.
Why premixes and triturations are important
Premixes are indispensable where trace elements, vitamins, probiotics, prebiotics or other small components occur in the recipe. These include, for example, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium or chromium.
In the pharmaceutical industry these are often referred to as triturations. The aim is to deagglomerate the small components completely and microfinely before they enter the final mixture.
Advantage over the container mixer
With the standard drum mixer EM, the drum remains the actual process vessel for small batches and premixes.
With the container mixer, by contrast, the bulk material container serves as the mixing vessel; the container remains upright or slightly inclined and is not inverted.
The EM is therefore particularly interesting where small, flexible and hygienically well-controlled batches are called for. In addition, the upper mounting of the mixing tool is a constructional advantage: the critical lower shaft passage is eliminated, which makes the plant durable, cleaning-friendly and low-maintenance.
Typical fields of use
The EM is used above all in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and baby food, that is, wherever small quantities, purity and reproducibility are decisive.
It is particularly advantageous with recipes involving liquid flavourings, oils, lecithin, functional active substances or sensitive dry constituents, because the mixing sequence and energy introduction can be adapted flexibly.