MACHINERY | MIXERS
Right: Farrel Pomini’s CPeX continuous mixer for laboratory applications
ment running is an obvious way to add value, which the company says means having required spare parts available when required without maintaining an excessive spare parts inventory. The large clearances, low mixing pressures,
short rotor L/D ratio, and avoidance of metal-to- metal contact in the continuous mixer keeps wear to a minimum. But by monitoring wear within the mixer, the company says it is possible to minimise repair costs and repair cycles.
Mixer configuration
Continuous mixers are versatile and can be used to process many different kinds of materials at optimum levels of efficiency through careful configuration. “When selecting a continuous mixer, the first thing to look at is what materials you want to process and what quantity you want to make,” says Slayton Altenburg, Application Specialist at Technical Process & Engineering (TPEI). TPEI’s continuous mixers range from a 1-inch
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Below: Inside the process laboratory in Farrel Pomini’s new global headquarters at Ansonia in the US
(25mm) rotor diameter lab-size mixer offering 5-50 lbs/h (2.2-22 kg/h) all the way up to a 9-inch (225mm) size that can run 9,000-12,000 lbs/h (4,080-5,450 kg/hr). The most common size variant is the 2-inch (50mm) rotor diameter that runs around 500 lbs/h (220 kg/h). For highly filled formulas, TPEI says an extended machine option with a larger feed throat is beneficial; rotors in these models include an extra flight that helps densify fillers to make the process more efficient. Extended machines also have higher horsepower drives for increased mixing torque. Selection of the optimal rotor style depends on the type of material being processed. “A style 15 rotor works well for most materials, but a style 7 rotor is best for shear- and temperature-sensitive materials, such as rigid vinyl compounds, biopoly- mers, and compounds with crosslinking or blowing agents,” says Altenburg. In TPEI’s machines, rotors are easily interchangeable. To reduce changeover
time, some processors switch out the rotor and screw and clean them off-line, he says. It is also important to consider coatings for the mixing chambers and rotors, says TPEI. The optimal coating will, of course, depend on the material formulation and the expected types of wear – abra- sion by fine particles, chemical wear, or a combina- tion of both. Some systems also benefit from slip-resistant coatings at the exit of the mixer to help prevent degradation, which can result in black specks. “We’ve worked with vendors to develop various types of coatings for different uses, and customers have seen their rebuild times go down significantly,” says Altenburg. Increased automation and integration via the Internet is making a difference in modern mixing systems, and TPEI has added automated controls and data logging capability. “We’ve integrated upstream (feeders, vacuum loaders) and down- stream (pelletiser) as much as possible, and the whole system can be controlled from a single point. In addition, maintenance or production engineers can log in remotely to the control system. If needed, TPEI can be called to log in remotely for troubleshooting,” says Altenburg, who will discuss these topics in more detail at the upcoming Compounding World Forum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US, in December.
time some processors switch out the rotor and
https://www.ami.international/events/event?Code=C856
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: ❯
www.farrel-pomini.com ❯
www.promixon.com ❯
www.bplittleford.com ❯
www.mixaco.com ❯
www.mti-mixer.de/en ❯
www.coperion.com ❯
www.plasmec.it ❯
www.tpei.com
24 COMPOUNDING WORLD | November 2017
www.compoundingworld.com
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PHOTO: FARREL POMINI
PHOTO: FARREL POMINI
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