Laboratory equipment Purpose Application

Mixer
Ribbon blender

Consist of a horizontal
trough containing a
central shaft and a
helical ribbon agitator


It contains two counter
acting ribbons: one
moving the solids slowly
in one direction and the
other moving it quickly


For thin paste and for
powder that do not flow
readily
Internal screw mixer

Consist of a vertical tank
containing a helical
conveyor that elevates
and circulates materials


The double-motion helix
obits about the central
axis of a conical vessel
visiting all parts of the mix


For free flowing grains
and other light solids
Kneader It involves squashing the
mass flat, folding it over
on itself and squashing it
once more
Used primarily in the
plastics and rubber
industries. They are
commonly used for
resins, adhesives, putty,
baking dough, and
cellulose additives.
Specific applications
involving kneaders
include: mixing of wood
flour and linseed oil in
linoleum manufacture;
incorporation of fillers,
softeners, and
accelerators into rubber
stock
Extruders

used to mix liquid-solid
systems and to extrude
molten or plasticized
polymers to semifinal and
final product forms


The feed to an extruder
usually contains the base
polymer in granular or
powder form, together
with additives such as
stabilizers, plasticizers,
and coloring pigments


Extruders are found
primarily in the plastics
industry, where they are
used in the preparation
of additives such as
pigments, and resins
Tumbler

consists of a totally


provide "gentle" blending


used in processes which
enclosed vessel rotated
about an axis, causing
the particles within the
mixer to "tumble" over
each other onto the
mixture surface
as material tumbles
about a horizontal axis in
an enclosed rotating unit
involve the mixing of free
flowing powders and
pastes
Mullers

are liquid-solid system
mixers consisting of a
circular pan and a turret,
with large rollers


The material to be mixed
is moved from the
outside to the inside of
the pan and is crushed
and rolled over by the
mullers. The rollers
sometimes skid, resulting
in shearing and coarse-
scale mixing, which is
aided by the plows and
scrapers

Static mixers, also called
motionless mixers

are in-line mixing devices
which consist of mixing
elements inserted in a
length of pipe


The design of static
mixers allows for
continuous operation
and a small working
volume, and are typically
used for short residence
time applications


Includes food and
beverages, petroleum,
plastic and fiber industry
and chemical processes
Mechanically mixed
tanks

use impellers to move
material


consist of a tank,
impellers to agitate the
material, and baffles to
prevent dropping of the
liquid level near the
impeller


used in processes which
involve: suspension of
solid particles, blending
of miscible liquids,
dispersion of a gas
through the liquid in the
form of bubbles,
dispersion of a second
liquid, immiscible with the
first, to form an emulsion
or suspension of fine
drops, promotion of heat
transfer between the
liquid and a coil or
heating jacket

Jet Mixers used to mix low viscosity
fluids within a vessel. Jet
mixers provide a simple
mixing and agitation
technique without using
in-tank moving parts
adaptable for use in
either tanks or tubes, and
can be used to mix
certain multiphase
systems. These systems
include liquid-gas
systems, miscible liquids
or liquids containing slow-
settling sediments
Solids handling
equipment

Screw or helical flight
conveyor

Consist of a steel shaft
having a spiral or helical
fin fastened to the shaft
and a rotating in a
trough without touching
the trough, so that the
helical fin pushes the
material along the
trough
Use to handle wide
range of materials
For grain asphalt,
crushed coal, ashes,
gravel and sand
Flight conveyor

Consist of one or two
endless chain passing
through a trough or set of
guides
Use on inclines up to 45
degrees but preferably
the inclined should be
limited with 30 degrees
For loose material such
as grain, food waste,
garbage and coal
Belt conveyor

Consist of endless belts
suitable supported and
driven
Carry or transport solids
from place to place
Adapted to wide
varieties and quantities
of materials and can
transport solids for long
distances
Drag Chain Conveyor type of mechanical
conveyor that can
transport solids
horizontally, vertically, or
on an incline
used to convey pieces of
particle board in a wood
processing facility. They
are also used to convey
wet and dry solids in the
chemical and food
industry
Vibratory Conveyor used when the material
has a high friction factor
on steel
used in a variety of
industries. In the
chemical industry, they
are used to transport
fertilizer, detergent
powders, and plastic
pellets or powders. In the
food industry, they are
used to convey corn
kernels, instant coffee,
and cereal flakes. The
video below shows a
vibratory conveyor used
to handle scrap
aluminum
Bucket Elevator usually used when there
is not enough space for a
horizontal conveyor

Pneumatic Conveyor uses a gas to convey
solid material
used to transport metal
chips for processing


References:
Geankoplis, Christie J. Transport Processes and Unit Operations. Englewood Cliffs,
N.J.:Prentice-Hall, 1993.
Harnby, N., M.F. Edwards, and A. W. Nienaw. Mixing in the Process Industries. 2nd
ed. Boston:Butterworth-Heinemann, 1992
McCabe, Warren L., Juliane Smith, and Peter Harriott. Unit Operations of
Chemical Engineering, 5th ed. New York: McGraw- Hill, 1993
Perry, Robert H., and Don W. Green. Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook. 7th
ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997
Shamlou, P. A., Handling of Bulk Solids: Theory and Practice. Boston: Butterworth
& Co. Ltd., 1988