The mixing process is the heart of any manufacturing process. A high quality mixer produces not only better mixtures, emulsions, solutions and dispersions, but also greater ROI for the company.
High shear mixers have gone a long way in manufacturing industries, serving the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and chemical companies with quality products. With the advent of newer mixing technologies, traditional propellers and turbines are now becoming obsolete. Mixing operations can not be as effective as using high shear mixers for most chemicals, plastics, adhesives, coatings, and other materials.
Today, in-line high shear homogenizers and batch mixers are earning the most popular seats in this competitive mixing arena. These high shear mixers process products more efficiently and, what’s even more appealing, is they cater to the requirements of clean manufacturing. With high shear mixers, mixing times are shorter, more uniform and more effective in gelling, solubilizing and attaining optimum features.
Ginhong has a variety of high shear mixers to suit different mixing requirements. We are an industrial mixer manufacturer for many years and we are happy to share our collective technical experience with you. If it is your first time to buy high shear mixers, you will learn in this guide some of the most basic and important aspects to consider before buying and choosing the right mixer.
Contents:
A Mixing Equipment is a huge investment that determines the success of your manufacturing process. If you’re thinking about buying a high shear mixer now, you should ask yourself the following questions first. These questions will guide you on choosing the right type of high shear mixer for your specific application.
Normally, products with viscosities ranging from 1-10,000 cps are processed using a High Shear Mixer. These industrial mixers handles large volumes of materials for the chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and beverage industries.
High Shear Mixers are typically used for production of:
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Industries served by Ginhong includes:
Today, most products requires a single mixer to perform blending, emulsifying, homogenizing and disintegration in one unit. The advantage of Ginhong mixers is that they manufacture these industrial mixers to adopt with global needs to perform multiple operations in one mixer. This versatility allows Ginhong high shear mixer to perform a wide variety of applications:
Product stratification is eliminated and a homogenous mix is produced through the blending operation of a Ginhong mixer, even if viscosities vary per material.
Gums are dispersed rapidly resulting in a uniform mixture free from agglomerates.
High shear rotor/stator assemblies can disperse different materials with varying viscosities in one unit operation.
A Ginhong high shear head can emulsify two or three unlike products (water+oil) from 0.5 to 5 microns.
High Shear disintegrator can mill solid products to a uniform mixture.
Knowing your desired throughput a day gives you an idea what high shear mixer capacity you should buy and how many equipment you need for your manufacturing plant.
For instance you need to produce 300,000 – 320,000 bottles of 300 mL lotion per day. Your plant would operate for 16 hours a day (2 shifts, 8 hours per shift).
For example, if you want to product hand sanitizer
No. of bottles per hour =320,000 bottles/hr16 hours= 20,000 bottles/hr
Volume per hour = 20,000 bottles/hr x 0.3L/bottle = 6,000 L/hr = 100 L/min
Volume per batch = 100 L/min x 10 min/batch = 1,000 L/batch
There are many factors to weigh-in such as the efficiency of each machine, allowance for downtimes, duration of mixing and material transport and supply. The example presented above is for you to have a tip on how you can size your machine after weighing all the factors. You may have a meeting with your financial team and engineer on how you can account for other factors.
There are instances that you would need a custom-made high shear mixer to suit your needs. We can do this for you depending on what you specifically need for your products.
Special installations can be accomodated to perform specific tasks such as extra heating, cooling or milling operations. Determination of what needs to be done for your product can be determined by test results from our lab mixers.
There are also cases that our clients requests for customized control panels. Other times, customers only want a heating phase tank without the water phase. We also get a lot of requests for size and shape customization.
Like any capital costs, buying a high shear mixing unit will mostly depend on your processing needs and application. When you purchase a high shear mixer from a quality manufacturer in China, you can expect a reasonable price but the returns are overwhelming.
These advantages may reflect over the years of using Ginhong mixers as our company produces high quality high shear mixers that shortens mixing time, improves yield, increases capacities and promotes less energy consumption which reduces maintenance costs.
You may also expect that since our main factory is located in China, materials and manufacturing process are lower in cost so we can produce excellent, international standard high shear mixers with high-grade, sanitary stainless steel. This is one of our main advantages over global competitors.
When choosing the best industrial mixer for your application, you have to consider a lot of technical and financial items. This can be a daunting task, but the end results for your business is rewarding. A good advice is: do not rely on instinct. Moreover, you cannot solely depend on the recommendation of your industrial mixer supplier no matter how sincere the motive is. You have to know if your investment for a mixer is worth its underlying features.
Below you will find some of the essential things you need to consider when selecting a high shear mixer:
And you should also ask these questions:
The most effective application of High-shear mixers is producing emulsified and homogenized mixtures of two or more immiscible liquids. Powder-liquid mixing or producing suspension is also a great way of utilizing your high shear mixer. You can also utilize this type of mixer in creating dispersions of gas and liquid to form lyosols. A high shear action can also produce fine granules.
One of the advantages of picking Ginhong as your High Shear Mixer supplier is you can choose from a variety of well-engineered and intricately designed mixer mounting assemblies and modules. Each of the mixing units are manufactured to cater varying mixing needs and processes. Some are designed for high viscous mixing while others are made for simple processes.
For high viscosity mixing applications, we designed a line of multi-shaft mixers equipped with a high shear rotor/stator homogenizer in addition to the anchor agitator and disperser. This set of assembly completes mixing, emulsification, dispersion and homogenization in just one unit and is used in the production of very viscous products such as adhesives, sealants, clays, slurries, toothpaste and many more.
Impeller Assembly | Viscosity limit | Speed range |
Anchor Agitator | 750,000-1,000,000 cps | 3-200 RPM |
Disperser Impeller | 50,000 cps limit | 600-1200 RPM |
High Shear rotor/stator homogenizer | 1-10,000 cps limit | 4000-18000 RPM |
In-line homogenizers are installed directly in the production line allowing continuous flow of batches. It is usually found in industrial manufacturing plants or large-scale production systems. Our In-line mixing assembly is sized according to Ginhong Lab High Shear Mixer. The assembly consists of a top-entry tank and an in-line homogenizer that can be easily installed near the vessel.
In-line homogenizers performs like a positive displacement pump, wherein the materials are continuously processed by centrifugal action of the rotor/stator assembly. One of the best things about an in-line mixer is that it requires less effort in mixing large volumes of materials as compared with batch mixers. It can easily handle a 10,000 L tank like how it handles a 1,000 L batch. Installation is also much easier as valves are simple and you can instantly change one tank to another.
Our High Shear Bottom Entry mixers are designed to be installed at the bottom of the mixing vessel. This type of high shear mixer is more commonly utilized for viscous materials. The mixer is equipped with a slow speed anchor stirrer with scraper that facilitates mixing and proper distribution of ingredients. The scraper prevents materials from sticking to the walls.
Industries with high viscosity requirements for pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic products are ideal for high shear bottom entry mixers. These mixers can also be used on low-viscous products and for wetting powders. Bottom Entry mixers can also be used by themselves on low viscosity products and to wet out powders.
High shear powder-liquid mixer is an inline rotor/stator mixer designed for powder induction. You can easily mix bulk powders with liquid semi-continuously for 1.5m³/h to 130m³/h. Powder incorporation is made convenient with its vacuum pump and funnel hopper and its floor-level configuration.
A batch high shear mixer is used to mix, emulsify, homogenize and dissolve products in a per batch case. The homogenizer shaft is mounted vertically at the center of the mixing vessel. This type of high speed mixer can have a shorter processing time than the In-line mixer. That is why batch mixers are used in large manufacturing plants to process bulk materials at a shorter time.
Ginhong has laboratory scale high shear homogenizers with capacities from 0.5L to 15L and a speed of 6000 RPM. These laboratory high shear mixers are the exact industrial high shear mixer, scaled down to meet R&D, testing, QA analysis and small scale production needs. Lab mixers are used to emulsify, disintegrate, homogenize and deagglomerate products on a smaller scale.
In this section, we will discuss the most suitable materials for manufacturing high quality high shear homogenizers.
A high quality mixer is constructed with a stainless steel tank material and all the parts are compliant with cGMP regulations. One of the greatest things about Stainless steel is that it has a high strength-to-weight ratio which makes it light for its high strength capability. It is also notable for being resistive to corrosion so highly acidic ingredients will not affect the properties of the metal.
If you desire a clean and rust-free operation for many years with less equipment maintenance and downtimes, choose a stainless steel rotor-stator high shear mixer. You may opt other metal options such as iron but it simply can’t compete with the overwhelming advantages of stainless steel.
For highly abrasive ingredients, Ginhong adds a wear-protective coating on the tank and contact parts to further enhance its resistance.
You can also request the manufacturer to custom-make your mixer according to what your product needs.
A high shear mixer facilitates high fluid shear inside the vessel to emulsify and homogenize materials. Materials undergo hydraulic shear when there is a difference in velocity of one area to another. To put it simply, the rotary action of the homogenizer imparts energy to the products. As the product passes through the stator, it undergoes high shear stress.
Fluid shear or hydraulic shear is a function of the tip speed of the rotor and space between a stator and rotor such as shown in the following equation:
Rotor Speed (m/s)=RPM x x rotor diameter60
This illustrates that doubling the size of the rotor means that the mixer should run at half of its speed. This principle can be used when sizing a laboratory scale mixer to an industrial mixer.
As far as high shear mixers go, it can only accommodate mixtures with typical fluid viscosities of up to only 10,000 cps. This also depends on the mixtures’ ability to decrease in viscosity as shear increases like in non-newtonian fluids. When you use an auxiliary pump, you can process ingredients with higher viscosities than 10,000cps.
With that being said, fluid viscosity is an important parameter to consider when it comes to selecting the right type of mixer. Certain types of fluids perform differently when you mix it. Some fluids would thicken as you mix, while others remain at the same viscosity. You need to determine the behavior of the fluid you will use.
Here are some of the most common kinds of liquids.
Pseudoplastic Liquids: increase in shear rate, viscosity also increases. Some examples would include latex, paints and gels.
Dilatant Liquids: Increase in shear rate increases viscosity of dilatant liquids. Candies, slurries and clays are examples of dilatant liquids.
Newtonian Liquids: Viscosity of the fluid remains as mixing increases. Water and mineral oils are perfect examples.
Thixotropic Liquids: This type of liquid decreases in viscosity as you agitate it. Some examples include peanut butter and tars.
This type of mixer can run up to 3000 RPM to facilitate turbulent flow, high shearing action for efficient homogenization and emulsification of products.
This is the force needed to drive the ingredients through the rotation of the shaft of the motor. The torque depends on the viscosity of the material and its behavior so you need to determine them first.
This is the actual power rating of the motor in which the high shear mixer needs and is determined by the Torque (N-m) capacity and Speed (RPM) of the shaft.
HP = 4.687TN60
Motor
It is common that agitator motors are electric motors but some use hydraulic motors for small batch capacity applications.
To solve overhung loads and stresses that may break off the shaft, heavy-duty bearings can be used.
Ginhong manufactures a complete range of rotor-stator workheads for high shear mixers. Choosing which type of workhead performs best with your product can do better with the mixing, dissolving, dispersing and particle size reduction.
ZX in-line high shear mixer or in-line pump is Ginhong’s line of in-line rotor-stator mixing equipment. This mixing device is the heart of our RB Vacuum Emulsifier Mixer used in continuous mixing of creams, ointments, lotions and many emulsions in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food and cosmetic industries.
One of the most popular configurations of an inline mixer is through the recirculation method. Here the product is continuously processed from top to bottom at an efficient way.
Ginhong carries two types of sanitary pumps you can choose from to cover industrial, scientific and sanitary applications. They are capable of metering, processing and delivering products such as food, colloids, powders and agricultural materials in a mixing system with utmost cleanliness and reliability.
JX batch high shear homogenizer is a top entry high shear mixer for the production of viscous cream and emulsions in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries. It’s usually used in a multi shaft mixer for homogenization.
This high shear mixer is composed of a four-blade rotor which rotates at a high speed with a stationary stator. It effectively shears particles with optimum particle size reduction and easy dissolution of products are produced.
Ginhong’s bottom entry mixer is designed to be installed at the bottom of the mixing tank. This type of high shear mixer is more commonly utilized for viscous materials. The mixer is equipped with a slow speed anchor stirrer with scraper that facilitates mixing and proper distribution of ingredients. The scraper prevents materials from sticking to the walls.
SF power liquid mixer is a powder induction system for the mixing and dispersion of powder in liquid in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries. It’s similar as other inline homogenizers which are usually used in RB vacuum emulsifier mixers.
Process
Understanding the Difference Between High Shear Mixer Manufacturers
Asking for a quotation for a high shear mixer price and feature is not simple and quick. Simply picking a mixer model in a catalogue is not a good way to purchase a mixer immediately. It is better to have a conversation with your high shear mixer manufacturer to tailor the unique specifications that you need for your mixing process.
Therefore, you may expect the following questions from your high shear mixer manufacturer before they hand you a proposal and suggestions.
Calculating the Return on Investment from capital expenditure lets you forecast how long it’s going to take for your investment to pay off. Here are five steps to calculate your ROI.
This determines how much time it will take to recoup the initial investment.
Payback period=Total new equipment costTotal Periodic benefit realized from new equipment
For example, a batch high-shear mixer costs $3,000 and a cosmetic company has a net annual benefit of $2,500
Payback period=$3,000$2,500= 0.5 years or half a year
ROI is the ratio of a benefit or loss made in a fiscal year expressed in terms of an investment and shown as a percentage.
Return of Investment (ROI)=Net Benefit or loss generated by new equipmentTotal new equipment cost
Using the same example as above, if you are purchasing a mixing unit for $3,000 and forecast a net annual benefit of $2,500 (reduced energy consumption, eliminating additional deaeration units, shorter mixing cycle, heating time, or discharge time, smaller footprint, etc), your return on investment will be:
Return of Investment (ROI)=$2,500$3,000x 100 = 83.33%
Thorough understanding of all the financial and technical information to see your potential return on investment in a new industrial mixer will muster enough confidence in you to decide and take a course of action. It takes a lot of hard work but once you completely evaluate all your aspects, you can be able to capitalize smartly on your investment.
You can partner with Ginhong, and together, we can discuss and plan out the optimum mixer specifications and features you need that would bring your company manufacturing success.
AGGLOMERATE | The process of contact and adhesion whereby the particles of a dispersion form larger-size clusters |
BATCH MIXERS | Large mixers that are meant to process a predetermined volume of materials. |
BLADES | Also called impellers such as in disperser blades. |
BLENDERS | Equipment or device which mixes powders or liquids together. Blenders process products by dispersing and kneading dry materials and medium to viscous pastes. |
BLENDING | A process carried out by blenders, mixing two or more materials together. |
CENTIPOISE | Standard unit of viscosity. |
CRITICAL SPEED | Rotational speed of a mechanical component or shaft that is computed and must be known to prevent noise and vibration. |
DISPERSION | A process where bulk solids break apart or undergoes particle size reduction by the shearing action and high speed rotation of a saw-tooth disperser blade or impeller. |
EMULSION | The process by which two or more immiscible liquids are mixed together through an emulsifier. |
FLASH MIXER | An agitator used to mix a small amount of additive into a continuous stream where the residence time is extremely short (usually less than one minute). It most often refers to addition of chemicals, which cause or aid flocculation in water or waste treatment operations |
HIGH SHEAR MIXER GRANULATOR | A mixing equipment used in the pharmaceutical industry for process granulation of ingredients. |
HOMOGENIZER | Homogenizers are industrial equipment that are used for the homogenization of materials with various viscosities. These machines have impellers that subject high shearing effect to facilitate uniform blend. |
IMMISCIBILITY | Immiscibility means that two ingredients are incapable of being dissolved or mixed together to form a homogenous product. |
IMPELLER | An impeller is a rotor of a mixer which transfers energy from a motor to the mixture being blended. |
LAMINAR FLOW | A characteristic of fluid flow in which the fluid runs in a smooth, undisturbed layer. |
PUMP | a mechanical device used to displace fluids with the use of pressure |
ROTOR | the rotating assembly in a mechanical device, such as motors, and turbines. |
ROTOR – STATOR MIXERS | A high shear mixer and disperser device or equipment that carries fluid towards a mixing head and where the intense action of the rotor breaks down materials into pieces. |
RPM | Rotations per minute, or Revolutions per minute |
SHAFT | A long and narrow part of equipment which rotates and transmits power from a source. |
STATOR | the stationary portion of the motor. |
TURBULENT FLOW | A type of fluid flow contrary to the movement of laminar flow wherein fluid runs in a disturbed and irregular path. |
VACUUM EMULSIFER HOMOGENIZER | a special vacuum-filled mixer equipped with an emulsifier and a homogenizer for manufacturing viscous emulsion, dispersion and suspension in either small-scale or large-scale cosmetic, pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries. |
VORTEX | In fluid dynamics, a vortex is an area in a fluid that forms a twirling action around an axis and usually forms in fluids being stirred. |
VORTEX MIXER | An equipment usually used in laboratories to mix small volumes of liquid. |
Buying a high shear mixing unit requires invaluable time and effort. We hope that this guide has helped you run-down the intricate process on how to choose and buy your first high shear mixer for the success of your business.
If you are having any doubts and need more assistance, do not hesitate to contact us. Ginhong can provide you with the latest technologies and trends on high shear mixers. We strive to give customers the best they can get.
1 Comment
Dear sir ,
We are interested in high shear mixer multi function to process creamy rice pudding .
Please advise if you can help us and offer ?