CHAPTER 2: Mixing &

Agitation

What is Mixing?

Two or more ingredients in separate/ roughly mixed condition are treated

so that each particle of any one ingredient is as nearly possible adjacent to
a particle of each of the other ingredients

Purposes:

a) to secure uniformity of composition: small samples withdrawn from a

bulk
material represent the overall composition of the mixture
b) to promote physical/ chemical reactions such as dissolution: natural
diffusion is supplemented by agitation

Must embrace all combination of the three states of matter

Considerations in Theory of Mixing:

a)

Type of and design of mixer (volume, shape, type of impeller)

b)

Process conditions (degree of agitation, time and power required)

What is Agitation?

The induced motion of a material in a specified way, usually in a circulatory

pattern inside some sort of container

Purposes of Agitation:

Suspending solid particles

Blending miscible liquids, for example:, methyl alcohol and water

Dispersing a gas through the liquid in the form of small bubbles

Dispersing a second liquid, immiscible with the first, to form an emulsion or

suspension of fine drops

Promoting heat transfer between the liquid and a coil or jacket

Often, one agitator serves several purposes at the same time. In a

hydrogenation vessel, the hydrogen gas is dispersed through the liquid in
which solid particles of catalyst are suspended, promoting mass transfer and
between the liquid and suspended particles. The heat of reaction is
simultaneously removed by a cooling coil or jacket.

Agitated Vessels

The vessels are usually in cylindrical

form with a vertical axis

The tank bottom is rounded, not flat

to eliminate sharp corners or regions
into which fluid currents could not
penetrate

An impeller is mounted on an
overhung shaft (connected to a
speed- reducing gearbox)

Accessories such as inlet and outlet

lines, coils, jackets and wells for
temperature measuring devices are
usually included

Impellers cause the liquid to

circulate through the vessel

Baffles are often included to reduce

tangential motion

Fluid Circulation

For a processing vessel to be effective, the volume of fluid circulated by the

impeller must be great enough to sweep out the entire vessel in a reasonable
time

The velocity of the stream leaving the impeller must be efficient to carry the
currents to the remotest parts of the tank. Turbulence results from properly
directed currents and large velocity gradients in the liquid

In general, large impellers moving at medium speed are used to promote flow
and smaller impellers operating at high speed are used where intense turbulence
is required

Positive Mixing

In given time, the systems would spontaneously and completely mix

Examples: two gases or two miscible liquids, and mixing apparatus is

used in the systems to accelerate mixing

Negative Mixing

Demonstrated by suspensions of solids in liquids

Any two- phases system, in which the phases are different in density,
will separate unless continuously agitated

Neutral Mixing

Occurs when neither mixing or demixing takes place unless the system
is acted upon by a system of forces

Examples: Mixing of solids and of solids with liquids when the

concentration of the former is high

When you pour coffee powder into a cup with hot water, what would you
observe in a period of time?

Scale of Scrutiny

Describe the minimum size of the regions of segregation in a particular

mixture (insufficiently mixed)
A
B
(0.1g
(0.1g = 0.2g (determined by the weight of the
+
tablet)
)
)
To describe the degree of unmixedness:
a) The scale of segregation (how big is the segregation area)
b) The intensity of segregation (?)

The scale of segregation: A measure of the size of the regions of unmixed

materials

A high intensity of segregation can be tolerated as long as the scale of

segregation is small

Perfect and Random Mixing

A Perfect mixture: point uniformity which is virtually impossible since no

mixing equipment can do better than producing Random mixture

Variation in the Composition of

Samples drawn from a Random Mixture

s=

s = standard deviation of the samples

p = proportion of one component
n = number of particles in the sample

The relation requires that two components are alike in particle size, shape
and density and can only be distinguished by some neutral property such as
colour.

As the proportion of an active ingredient in a mixture decreases, the number

of particles in each sample/ dose must increase and materials of smaller
particle size must be used

The Degree of Mixing

Is this material well enough mixed? allow the course of mixing to be
followed and the performance of different mixers to be compared
Measured by the statistical variation in composition of a number of
samples drawn from the mixture
The scale of scrutiny determines the size of the samples
Index of Mixing,
M = sr
s
sr = a series of samples drawn from a random mix
s = standard deviation of samples drawn from the mixture under
examination
A good read: http://www.nzifst.org.nz/unitoperations/mixing3.htm

Mechanism of Mixing & Demixing

Convective Mixing: The transfer of groups of adjacent particles from one

location in the mass to another. Predominates in machines utilizing a
mixing element moving in a stationary container.

For example: Horizontal ribbon mixer groups of adjacent particles are

moved from one position to another, giving a steady decrease in the
scale of segregation

Mechanism of Mixing & Demixing

Diffusive Mixing: The distribution of particles over a freshly developing

surface.

For example: Tumbler mixers . Occurs as the material is lifted past its
angle of repose. Mixing occurs when a particle changes its path of
circulation through a collision or by being trapped in voids presented by
another layer of particles

Mechanism of Mixing & Demixing

Shear Mixing: The setting up of slip planes within the mass. Occurs
when a system of forces acting on the particles to induce the formation
of a slip pace which gives relative displacement of two regions.
For example: The rearrangement of shape as the main charge falls from
end to end in a double cone mixer

Mechanism of Mixing & Demixing

The mild forces involved may be insufficient to adequately disperse

materials that tend to aggregate

The more energetic processes of milling may then be used size

reduction and mixing are carried out simultaneously

Hammer mills?

Ball mills?

The Rate of Mixing

The
rate of mixing is proportional to the amount of mixing still to be done.

If, at the start of mixing, a particle changes its path of circulation, it is most likely
to find itself in different environment Fast rate of mixing

At the end of the process, the particle is likely to find a different environment
Leads to fewer mixing and the rate of mixing finally reaches zero
= k(1-M)

M = index of mixing
k = rate constant, depends on the physical nature of the materials being mixed and
on the geometry and operation of the mixer

M = 1 e-kt

The Mixing of Liquids

Miscible liquids are classified as positive and would mix completely without
external help at given time

The time required for mixing is reduced by agitation during which the scale of
segregation is reduced, allowing a fast decay in the intensity of segregation
by natural diffusion

Miscible liquids are commonly mixed by impellers rotating in tanks. These are
classified as:
1. Paddles
2. Propellers
3. Turbines

In conjunction with the design of the containing vessel, these provide:

A region of intense shear in the vicinity of the impeller with the induction of highvelocity gradients and turbulence within the liquid

The projection of the disturbance as a flow pattern extending throughout the

volume of the container (depending on the type and position of the impeller, design
of the tank and flow properties of the material)

The Mixing of Liquids

All the material should pass through the impeller zone at frequent
intervals of time, the design of the mixer preventing the formation of
dead zones

The turbulent, high- velocity flow of liquid from the impeller causes
mixing by projecting eddies into and entraining liquid from the
neighboring zones

The flow pattern may be analyzed in three components:

1. Radial flow: In a direction perpendicular to the impeller shaft
2. Longitudinal or axial flow: In a direction parallel to the shaft
3. Tangential flow: The liquid follows a circular path around the shaft

Tanks with vertical agitators may be baffled by one or more strips

mounted vertically on or just away from the vessel wall (Baffle). These
reduce tangential flow thus produce additional turbulence.

Paddle Mixers

Rotate at low speeds (10- 100 rpm)

Simple paddle (with upper and lower blades), suitable for mixing miscible liquids
of low viscosity [A]

The gate paddle [Figure B] is suitable for mixing liquids of higher viscosity

The anchor paddle [Figure D] with low clearance between pan and blade is useful
for working across heat transfer surface

Stationary paddles intermeshing with the moving element suppress swirling in the
mixer. Baffles are necessary.

Propeller Mixers

Commonly used for mixing miscible and immiscible liquids of low viscosity

Marine propeller is the typical one

High speed rotation ( 400- 1500 rpm) of the relatively small element provides
high shear rates in the vicinity of the impeller and a flow pattern with mainly axial
and tangential components

May be used in unbaffled tanks when mounted in an off- center position or are
inclined from the vertical

Horizontal mounting in the side of the vessel is frequently used when the scale of
the operation is large

Turbines

Designs are intermediates between paddles and propellers

Are effective mixers over a wide viscosity range and provide a very
versatile mixing tool

The ratio of radial flow to tangential flow increases as the operating

speed increases

Baffles must be used to limit swirling unless a shrouded turbine is used