MECHANICALLY

AGITATED VESSEL
The mixing apparatus consists of a container (tank) and a
mixing device.
• The general construction of the mixing
tank:

Impeller, a mixing device, mounted with the

help of a shaft, which is driven by a motor.
The tank is made up of stainless steel. The
top of the tank may be open or closed.
The size of the tank depends on the nature of
the agitation method.
The tank bottom is round (not flat) to eliminate
sharp corners into which the fluid can
accumulate.
It also carries an outlet, coils, jacket,
temperature measuring device etc. wherever
necessary.
Flow pattern during mixing
Liquids are mixed usually by impellers, which produce shear
forces for inducing the necessary flow pattern in the mixing
container.

Mixing occurs due to the resultant effect of 3 components

acting on liquid:
1. Tangential / Circular component
2. Radial component
3. Axial / Longitudinal component

The type of flow depends on

1. Type of impeller
2. Characteristic of fluid
3. Size proportion of tank, baffle & impellers
Flow pattern during mixing
1. Tangential component:
• Direction: acts in the direction tangent to the
circle of rotation around the impeller shaft.
• Effect: if shaft is placed vertically & centrally,
tangential flow follows a circular path around the
shaft & creates a vortex in the liquid.

2. Radial component:
• Direction: acts in the direction perpendicular to
the impeller shaft.
• Effect: excessive radial flow takes the material to
the container wall, then the material falls to the
bottom and rotates as a mass beneath the
impeller.
Flow pattern during mixing
3. Axial component:
• Direction: acts in the direction parallel to the impeller shaft.
• Effect: inadequate longitudinal component causes the liquid
and solid to rotate in layers without mixing. Adequate
longitudinal pattern is best used to generate strong vertical
currents particularly while suspending solids are present.
Mixing device
Impellers
Based on shape and pitch, they are classified into 3 types:
• Propellers
• Turbines
• Paddles

Impeller Type Flow Component

Propellers Axial

Turbines Axial or tangential or both

Paddles Radial and tangential

Paddles with pitch Radial, tangential and axial

Propellers
• It consists of number of blades, generally 3 bladed
design. Blades may be right or left handed depending
upon the slant of their blades.
• Two or more propellers are used for deep tank.
• Size of propeller is usually small (Ratio of diameter
between propeller and container is 1:20) and may
increased up to a max. of 0.5m for large tanks.
• They are used in the speed range of 400 to 1750rpm
and produce longitudinal movement.
• Lower speeds are used for high viscosities and lower
volumes.
• Higher speeds are suitable for low viscosities and larger
volume.
• Small size propellers can rotate up to 8000 rpm and
produce axial / longitudinal movement.
Propellers
• Advantages
i. Used when high mixing capacity is required.
ii. Effective for liquids which have maximum viscosity of 2.0
pascals.sec or slurries up to 10% solids of fine mesh size.
iii. Effective gas-liquid dispersion is possible at laboratory scale.
iv. All sides of mixing are possible.
v. Example: Multivitamin elixirs, Disinfectant solutions are
prepared using propellers

• Disadvantages
i. Propellers are not normally effective with liquids of viscosity
greater than 5000pc, such as glycerin castor oil.
ii. The propeller mixer is high cost.
iii. The propeller mixer is not used for rapid settling suspensions
Turbines
• A turbine consists of a circular disc to which a number of short
blades are attached. Blades may be straight or curved.
• The diameter of the turbine ranges from 30-50% of the diameter
of the vessel.
• Turbines rotate at a lower speed than the propellers ( rpm).
• Flat blade turbines produce radial and tangential flow but as the
speed increases radial flow dominates. Pitched blade turbine
produces axial flow.
• Near the impeller zone of rapid currents, high turbulence and
intense shear is observed. Shear produced by turbines can be
further enhanced using a diffuser ring (stationary perforated ring
which surrounds the turbine).
• Diffuser ring increase the shear forces and liquid passes through
the perforations reducing rotational swirling and vortexing.
Types of blades in turbines
The different types of blades used in this mixer are

• Flat blades Pitched blades

• Disk type flat blades

• Curved blades
Turbines
• Advantages
i. Turbines give greater shearing forces than propellers though
the pumping rate is less. Therefore suitable for emulsification.
ii. Effective for high viscous solutions.
iii. In low viscous materials of large volumes turbine create a
strong currents which spread throughout the tank destroying
stagnant pockets.
iv. They can handle slurries with 60% solids.
v. Turbines are suitable for liquids of large volume and high
viscosity, if the tank is baffled.

• Disadvantages
i. High cost
ii. Sensitivity in operation of vessel geometry and in location
within the tank.
iii. Not used for rapid settling suspensions.