Ross has introduced a new Planetary Disperser and Discharge System Turnkey Package designed for high-viscosity, multi-stage mixing requirements. The Ross PowerMix (US Patent No. 4,697,929) consists of a stirrer blade and a saw-tooth disperser, both of which rotate on their respective axes at different speeds while orbiting the mix vessel. The high speed disperser quickly incorporates powders, fibers, pellets and other solids into a liquid batch while the planetary blade continuously sweeps the vessel walls and bottom. The stirrer also functions to help move viscous material toward the saw-tooth blade and ensure uniform heat distribution. Because each agitator is independently controlled, flow patterns and shear rates can be fine-tuned at any point during the mixing cycle.

Used in conjunction with a Ross Discharge System, the PowerMix is exceptionally capable of high-throughput production of viscous dispersions up to around 2 million centipoise. This turnkey solution is utilized in a wide range of applications including adhesives, sealants, molding and potting compounds, fiber-filled composites, plastisols, conductive inks, specialty coatings, medical pastes and gels, bone cements, pharmaceutical and cosmetic creams, thermal greases, lubricants, ceramic dispersions and even foods such as cheese spreads and starch pastes.

The new turnkey package features a PowerMix and Discharge System installed on a common raised base. The 40-gallon mixer shown is equipped with a helical High Viscosity “HV” blade and an 8” diameter disperser. After the mixing cycle, the vessel is simply rolled over to the discharge station. A precisely-machined platen is lowered hydraulically into the vessel, forcing the finished product out of the bottom valve. The Discharge System is activated by a self-contained hydraulic power unit and designed for up to 50 psi under the platen. The raised base allows for product to be discharged directly into 5-gallon pails positioned underneath the vessel.