Selecting the Right Mixer and Blender For Your Process
When it comes to mixing solutions, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best type of mixer for your application will depend on a number of factors, including the materials you are mixing, the desired mixing speed and uniformity, and the size of your batch.
Inline mixers, in-tank mixers, and powder induction systems are all viable options for mixing solutions. Each type of mixer has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the right one for your specific needs.
Ampco Applied Products engineers mixing and blending options
The following is a high-level overview to give you a closer look at the different mixing and blending solutions available.
Powder Induction Systems
Powder induction systems — overall are a versatile and effective solution for mixing powders into liquids for food and beverage applications. They offer a number of advantages, including faster mixing times, improved safety, better product quality, and easy cleaning. Power induction systems are frequently used in food and beverage applications for adding sugars, gums, flavors, colors and more. This is because they can mix powders into liquids quickly and uniformly, without leaving any clumps or agglomerates. They are also useful in dispersing solids evenly into liquids such as beverages and cosmetics. Ampco Applied Products offers several different portable powder induction systems that can be customized to suit any application.
The DRY-blend system offers efficient and thorough blending of wet and dry ingredients through its tube within a tube design powered by the AC+ centrifugal pump.
The SIMPLE-blend is designed to induce powders at a highly efficient rate with minimal shear using the SP Series self-priming pump to induce easily dissolved products.
The SHEAR-blend table top hopper system uses the SBI shear pump and custom induction elbow to create vacuum generating powder induction to efficiently induce and blend dry and wet ingredients.
The POWDER-max is highly customizable and utilizes a choice of feeder pump and mixing pump to reduce processing time and provide optimal product consistency with no batch size limitations.
Inline Mixers & Blenders
Inline mixers — are connected to a pipeline and the materials to be mixed are pumped by and/or through the mixer. Inline mixers are very efficient and are typically used for mixing liquids or slurries. They are often used for continuous mixing applications in the food and beverage industry, as well as in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Ampco offers a variety of inline mixers to fit the specific application need and efficiency.
The SBI shear pump offers the best of both worlds for pumping and blending because of it’s hybrid impeller and two rows of rectangular shear teeth.
The SBH shear blender supplies greater mixing abilities and is designed with a large number rectangular-shaped teeth in expanded rows with radial slots for the higher shear rates.
The SHEAR-max high shear mixer with it’s curved wedge rotor and stator design will disperse, dissolve, emulsify, de-agglomerate, homogenize, or simply blend. Available with single or dual stage rotor/stator combinations.
In-Tank Mixers
In-tank mixers — are installed inside a tank and mix materials by rotating impellers that include a variety of shear blade options. They can be used in a wide variety of applications, including batch mixing and large scale mixing. In-tank mixers are commonly used for applications in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. They can be used directly in open and closed tanks, drums or totes.
The Ampco Applied Products JET-shear has multiple work head options to fit the intend process and result. It is designed for high shear in-tank mixing to hydrate, dissolve, homogenize, disperse and emulsify products consistently and efficiently. A variety of sizes are available for processing 5 gallons / 19 liters up to 5000 gallons / 22730 liters.
Custom tank mounting solutions or stands are available for all models.
Powder Induction Systems — Comparison
| Specifications | POWDER-max | SIMPLE-blend | DRY-blend | SHEAR-blend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal operating flow rate
(low viscosity) |
30 – 350 GPM
7 – 79 M 3 /HR |
30 – 350 GPM
7 – 79 M 3 /HR |
40 – 150 GPM
9 – 34 M 3 /HR |
50 – 510 GPM
11 – 116 M 3 /HR |
| Powder feed rates
(highly soluable) |
UP TO 700#/MIN
318 KG/MIN |
UP TO 700#/MIN
318 KG/MIN |
UP TO 350#/MIN
159 KG/MIN |
UP TO 700#/MIN
318 KG/MIN |
| Maximum viscosity | 2500 CPS | 2500 CPS | 2500 CPS* | 1000 CPS |
| Dynamic shearing teeth | YES | NO | NO | YES |
* May require a supply or take-away pump
Find the most efficient way to mix or blend your product
Ampco Applied Products offers product process testing available to customers on request. Our engineers can perform mixing and blending tests using customers’ provided product or ingredient samples to ensure the desired results are met.
Customers can also utilize Ampco Applied Products Trial/Rental/Leasing program to test a piece of equipment in their own facility to see if the integration is the right solution for their process.
