MIXERS | MACHINERY


Whether for pre- blending or final compound production, today’s mixers need to offer flexible and efficient operation. Jennifer


Markarian finds reports on the latest developments


Mixer makers target flexibility


Flexibility and efficiency are of critical importance for mixing equipment used in the compounding industry. And, whether the application is for pre-blending bulk powders or pellets prior to twin-screw compounding or production of com- pounds or masterbatches with a batch internal or continuous mixer, choosing the right equipment for the job is key. Quality—accuracy of loading, dispersion of


materials, and minimising thermal degradation of the base polymer—is the first requirement for any powder or pellet mixing system, says Paul Lloyd, Business Unit Director at Farrel Pomini, while flexibility allows processors to adapt to customer or market changes. In addition, the system must be cost effective. “In a highly competitive market, conversion costs are a significant differentiator. Efficiency in operation, processing energy and maintenance can significantly reduce total running costs and therefore increase margins for the processor,” he says. Mixer design is critical to achieve good disper- sion and distribution, as well as for overall mixing efficiency. In Promixon’s X Series machines, introduced at K2016 last year, the company introduced a new mixing tool design. According to company CEO Marco Marinello, the new design features an increased angle of incidence on the thickened blades to improve lift of the product up to the upper stage. “In this way, it is possible to mix at a lower speed, reducing the wear and tear on the vessel and the mixing tool itself,” he says. Automation of the mixing process is said to


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minimise downtime and ensure constant output. Whatever technology is employed, selection of


a mixer that is optimally suited to the task is critical. The best way to do that is to run the product on the equipment, according to Alan Malott, Product Manager for Mixing Systems at B&P LittleFord. The company – which was formed on 1 January this year through the merger of B&P Process Equip- ment and B&P Littleford Day following B&P’s acquisition of Littleford Day in 2015 – houses a wide range of equipment for customer demonstra- tion at its Technical Excellence Centre in Saginaw, Michigan, US, as well as offering rental equipment that can be taken to a customer’s facility. The company completed a comprehensive reno-


vation of the Saginaw centre in 2016, adding five jacketed plough mixers from the Littleford facility in Kentucky. Plough mixers are versatile systems that can be used for pre-blending, coating and drying, or as a pressure vessel for performing reactions, says Malott. As part of the renovation, the largest unit in the centre – a KM150 continuous mixer – was converted from volumetric to gravimetric control to optimise testing. Farrel Pomini included a customer demonstration


and processing laboratory within its new corporate headquarters at Ansonia, in Connecticut in the US, which it officially opened in May this year. The laboratory contains FCM continuous mixers; a CP550 (compact processor) for evaluation of various rotor configurations, geometry, and L/D ratios; and a new CPeX laboratory-sized Compact Processor. Automated upstream materials handling and


November 2017 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 19


Main image: Easy cleaning, fast mixing, and simplified plant integra- tion are features of Coperion’s MIX-A-LOT system


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