Innovations

in
Fluid Mixing
Impeller
Technology

PMC IMPELLER SELECTION FOR PROCESS RESULTS

For most applications, one of the patented, axial-flow Philadelphia Hydrofoil impellers will be the
best selection. For various special mixer duties, other impeller types are suitable.
In addition to impeller type based on efficiency, power number is important. Lower power number
impellers must be larger in diameter than higher power numbers for a given motor horsepower
and impeller speed. Although low power number impellers are generally the most efficient, if
impeller diameter exceeds 40-50% of vessel diameter, pumping capacity falls off sharply. In such
cases, usually for high-power, high-intensity mixing requirements, a higher power number
impeller must be selected, in order to reduce impeller diameter. Finally, flow rate and direction
must be considered. For most applications, axial flow will produce the best mixing action and will
result in the highest impeller efficiency. However, occasionally radial flow is desirable, to break up
plug flow, to provide high wall velocity, or to provide high shear for dispersion applications.

PHILADELPHIA MIXERS CAN HELP

Our superior staff of factory application engineers and field sales engineers can analyze any
mixing requirements and make the best selection.
Sometimes a computer simulation or laboratory test is required. The Philadelphia Mixers
Laboratory in Palmyra, Pennsylvania is equipped with a state-of-the-art Dantec, fiber optics l
aser-Doppler fluid velocity measurement system, capable of a complete flow analysis of any
impeller or combination of impellers.
Further, Philadelphia Mixers specializes in small-scale testing of customers samples, with
guaranteed scale-up or results to full size. In 1968, we ran tests on a rapd-settling coal slurry
in 50 gallon size and scaled it up to an
8 million gallon vessel! Our scale-up
calculations were perfect, producing
identical results in 8 million gallons
to those observed in our laboratory.
Regardless of the complexity of the
problem, Philadelphia Mixers has the
right impeller for the job. A description
of our standard arsenal of impellers
follows, with application information
about each.

POWER NUMBER

IMPELLER COMBINATIONS
Multiple impellers can have interactive flow patterns
that can decrease their efficiency. Dual axial or an
axial/radial combination can produce interference flow
patterns as shown:

The power number, Np, is defined as:

Where,

INTERFERNACE FLOW

COLINEAR FLOW

P
Sg
N
D

=
=
=
=
=

impeller power (hp)

specific gravity of fluid
impeller speed (rpm)
impeller diameter (ft.)
viscosity (cp)

Power number tends to be constant for a given

impeller for Reynolds number in excess of 10,000.
It is this constant value that is referred to as the
impellers power number. However, power number
increases at low Reynolds number (small vessels
and/or high viscosity):

AXIAL FLOW
Impeller Designs
LS HYDROFOIL

HS HYDROFOIL

The Philadelphia LS (low shear) axial-flow hydrofoil is

protected by U.S. Patent No. 5,297,938. It is the
most flow-efficient impeller available for low viscosity
mixing (up to 2,500 cp). It is the impeller of choice for
most liquid blending and solids suspension applications. The 3LS39 has a 0.30 power numbr and is the
most-efficient version. The 4LS45 with a 0.55 power
number is useful when the 3LS39 would have too
large an impeller diameter.

The Philadelphia HS (high solidity) axial-flow hydrofoil

is protected by U.S. Patent No. 5,326,226.
It is characterized by a wide blade, and is the most
flow-efficient impeller available for high viscosity mixing (2,500 cp 100,000 cp) and for high head applications (e.g. gas dispersion and draft tube). The HS is
the impeller of choice for gas dispersion where bottom
flow velocities are also required (e.g. simultaneous
gas dispersion and solids suspension). The MHS
blade is a slightly narrower version, suitable for lower
gas rates and lower viscosities.

PBT

COUNTERFLOW IMPELLER

The axial-flow Pitched Blade Turbine is more flow-efficient than radial-flow impellers, and produces more
fluid shear than high-efficiency hydrofoil impellers. It is
an economical choice when both flow velocity and
fluid shear are desirable and/or when use of a lowerpower number hydrofoil would result in too large an
impeller diameter (e.g. high-intensity liquid blending).
The 4PBT45 has a 1.62 power number. The threeblade 3PBT39 has a 1.0 power number. The 4PBT32
has a 1.10 power number. The side-bladed 320 variety is more efficient than 450 blade angle for high viscosity and solids suspension applications.

Some shear-thinning high viscosity fluids are best

mixed by large-diameter dual-action impellers. The
Philadelphia Counterflow impeller has been found to
be the most efficient device for some of these very
special fluids, generally with a viscosity of 25,000 cp
75,000 cp, and a shear-thinning index of 0.1 0.5.

Laboratory testing is
recommended to
determine if the
Counterflow impeller is
beneficial to a specific
fluid.

RADIAL FLOW
Impeller Designs
CBT
The Curved Blade Turbine is the most flow-efficient
radial flow turbine. It is useful for flow velocity sensitive applications where radial flow is desirable to
break up plug flow (e.g. multi-stage alumina digester)
or where high wall velocity is needed (e.g. heat transfer). The 4CBT90 has a 2.52 power number.

SMITH TERBINE
The vertical Flat Blade Turbine can be the impeller
of choice when very high torque is desirable for
blending at the expense of efficiency, or when high
shear is required for other than gas dispersion (e.g.
liquid-liquid emulsions or high-intensity solids scrubbing). A radial flow impeller, the 4FBT90 has a 3.60
power number.

FBT
The radial-flow Smith Turbine is similar to the
Rushton, except curved pipe-sections replace the vertical flat blades, resulting in a lower power number and
increased gas dispersion efficiency. The 6DS90 Smith
turbine has the highest efficiency for gas dispersion. It
has an ungassed power number of 3.6.

RUSHTON TURBINE
The radial flow Rushton Turbine, with four or six discmounted vertical flat blades, is the traditional impeller
for gas dispersion, but has largely been supplanted by
the HS and Smith Turbine for same. The 6DR90
Rushton Turbine has a 4.75 power number, the highest of any common impeller. As such, it is useful for
very high intensity mixing where lower-power number
impellers would be too large.

Philadelphia Mixers Sales Offices

and Representatives

Ask us about ProTech Services

available exclusively
from Philadelphia Mixers

Represented by:
Consulting and Mixing Design Services
Complete Scale-Up and Testing Services
On-Site Start-Up
On-Site Employee Training Programs
Process Technology Seminars
Extended Product Warranties
Drive Exchange Program
Inspect and Repair Program

MIX-COR INDUSTRIAL, S.A. DE C.V.

CALZADA LEGARIA 249
COL. TACUBA, MEXICO, D.F.
C.P. 11410.
TEL: 5527-3838, FAX: 5399-7844
E-MAIL: info@mix-cor.com.mx
www.mix-cor.com.mx