MIXING

By Lalitha Priyanka .D Research Scholar Department of Pharmaceutics

Definition of Mixing
Textbook definition: The term mixing refers to all those operations that tend to reduce nonuniformity in one or more of the properties of a material in bulk (e.g., concentration, temperature) Mixing through diffusion of constituent elements. Agitation induced motion of the material in a specified way, usually in circulatory pattern inside the container.
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Mixing Objective
To obtain a uniform, random mixture of solid and liquid ingredients in the formula without nutrient destruction in a minimum amount of time.

The nature of liquid mainly determines the ease of mixing. 1.Miscible liquids: Miscibility of alcohol with water After shave lotions, elixirs less shear 2.Partially miscible liquids : p-Cresol & Water, temp & pressure 3.Immiscible liquids: vegetable oils & Water, high shear

Solids: Cohesive Materials: Grains, Dry sand and Plastic chips Non Cohesive Materials: Wet Clay Types:

Liquid Mixing
Flow Currents are responsible Homogeneous liquid phase Small sample size Low power

Solid Mixing
No Two phases Large sample size High power

Application of solid mixing: Wet mixing production of tablets and capsules Dry mixing Direct compression of tablets Dry blending- capsules, dry syrups and compound preparations Productions of pellets for capsules.

Application of liquid mixing:

Preparations Suspensions Emulsions Solutions

Phase mixing S-L L-L SS-L SL-L

EG CALAMINE LOTION BENZYL BENZOATE EMULSION B-COMPLEX ELIXIR ALCOHOL-WATER ELIXIR SALBUTAMOL INHALER

Aerosols

L-G

Mechanisms of Mixing
Bulk Transport Turbulent Mixing Laminar Mixing Molecular diffusion Bulk Transport
-Movement of large portion of material from one location to another in a given system -Rotating blades, Paddles

Turbulent Mixing
- mixing due to turbulent flow - random fluctuation of velocity at any given point with in a system - Effective mechanism of mixing

Laminar Mixing
-Mixing of two dissimilar liquids through laminar flow -Applied shear stretches the interface b/w them

Molecular diffusion
-Mixing at molecular level in which molecules diffuse due to thermal motion - Ficks law. Conc gradient with time o when mixing is completed

Mixing Vessels or Tank

Inlet
Motor Gearbox

lid
Jacket

Shaft Baffle

Impeller

Piero M. Armenante

ChE702

Baffles
Baffles are typically introduced to prevent vortex formation and convert tangential (rotational) flow into axial (vertical) flow Baffles are always used in turbulent flow systems (low viscosity fluids) Baffles are not used in laminar flow (high viscosity fluids)

Piero M. Armenante

ChE702

Baffles
Typically four baffles are used (occasionally three) in fully baffled tanks In glass-lined tanks a single baffle placed midway between the tank wall and the impeller may be used A gap between the baffles and the wall is introduced to prevent stagnation behind the baffles and accumulation of material (e.g., solids)

Piero M. Armenante

ChE702

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Typical Baffle Arrangement in a Stirred Tank

Baffle

Piero M. Armenante

ChE702

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Typical Baffle Arrangement in a GlassLined Tank

Single Baffle
Piero M. Armenante ChE702

De Dietrich Vessel
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Mixing Vessels Impellers

After Oldshue, 1984

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PropellarTypes
Impeller can be classified as follows: radial propellars(e.g, Rushton turbines, paddles, flat-blade turbines, Smith impellers) axial propellars (e.g., marine propellers, pitched-blade turbines, fluidfoil impellers such as HE-3s, A-310s) close-clearance propellars (e.g., anchors, helical ribbons, gates)
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Radial Impellers
Common types include:
Rushton turbine (6-blade disk turbine) paddle flat-blade turbines curve-blade turbine retreat-blade turbine Smith impeller
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Examples of Radial Flow propellars

Disk Turbine (Rushton Turbine)

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Flow Generated by a Radial propellars in a Stirred Tank

After Tatterson, 1991

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Axial propellars
Axial propellars pump primarily (but not exclusively) vertically, either upwards or downwards. They are used mainly with low-viscosity liquids in baffled tanks. They are typically used in a downpumping mode. High-solidity propellars are used with gas.
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Examples of Axial Flow propellars

After Tatterson, 1991

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Examples of Axial Flow propellars

Pitched-Blade Turbine
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 Pitched-blade turbine (A-200). Very common, simple, usually 45, effective for solid suspension; mixed flow; medium power consumption, good pumping rate

45 Pitched-Blade Turbine

Piero M. Armenante

ChE702

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Rushton Turbine
L/D=1/4 w/D=1/5 Disk diameter= 3/4D or 2/3 D

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ChE702

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Paddles. Simple and inexpensive, medium-tostrong radial flow and shear, intermediate power consumption, good for simple applications at small-to-medium scales

Propellers
Contains a number of blades Three bladed liquids Marine type propeller ceiling fan Right handed or left handed Produces axial movement of liquid Uses: High mixing capacity is needed Maximum viscosity liquids Effective gas liquid dispersion Multivitamin elixir, Disinfectant solutions Disadvantages: Not effective with liquids of viscosity 5 pascal sec glycerine, Castor oil

Axial flow

Vertical curved blade

Pitched blade

Turbines
Consist of circular disc to which a number of short blades are attached. (30-50% diameter of vessel Rotations 50-200 rpm Blades- straight, vertical, curved and pitched Flat blade- radial & tangential Pitched blade axial flow

Adv: Greater shearing forces than propellers Suitable for emulsification

Uses: viscosities up to 700 pascal sec syrups, glycerine and liq paraffins 60% slurries, large volume, high viscosity

Paddles
Consist of hub centrally with two long flat blades attached vertically. Types Pitched, Dished or hemispherical Uses: Antacid suspensions Al (OH) gel Mg (OH), Agar and pectin related purgatives, Antidiarroheal mix bismuth Koalin Adv: Vertex formation is not possible because of low speed mixing Dis Adv: Mixing is poor therefore baffled tanks are required

Flow Pattern during mixing

Tangential Component (circular): It acts in a direction tangent to the circle of rotation around the impeller shaft, follows circular path Radial Component: direction vertical to the impeller Axial Component: direction parallel to the impeller shaft. Impeller type propeller turbine paddles Paddles with pitch Flow component axial Axial, tangential or both Radial, tangential Radial, tangential and axial

Vortex Formation
A strong circulatory flow pattern sometimes manifests into formation of a vortex near the impeller shaft

Vortex can be formed:

Shaft inducing tangential flow Blades are arranged perpendicular to the central shaft High impeller speeds In unbaffled tanks

Disadvantages:
Reduces mixing intensity Difficult to remove air bubbles Entrapped air causes oxidation Air bubbles uneven loading of impeller blades

Vertex prevention
Impeller should be mounted in positions to avoid symmetry Baffled containers should be used Two or more impellers are mounted on same shaft in a tank where greater depth is desired Tanks other than cylindrical shape are used

Draft tubes
Draft tubes are placed to control the direction and velocity of the flow to the impeller. USES: Manufacture of emulsions Air jet mixers DISADVANTAGES: Add to the fluid friction in the system Reduce the rate of flow

Equipment & Factors influencing mixing

Material related factors
Physical properties of materials density, viscosity (Newtonian & non newtonian) and miscibility (intermolecular attractions)

Equipment related
Shape of the impeller, position of the impeller, size and shape of container, cost of equipment and maintenance

Process related
speed of rotation of the impeller, Time required for mixing, amount of power that can be expended, ease of operation, batch size