Whitepapers

Solids like fumed silica, calcium carbonate, gums and thickeners are difficult to wet out and often stubbornly float on the surface of a liquid during the mixing process. The newest generation of powder inductor/mixers -called the In-line Solid/Liquid Injection Manifold, or "SLIM," combines the mixing of powders and liquids simultaneously. The powders are directly injected into a specially engineered high-speed rotor/stator, where the powder is immediately dispersed into the liquid stream. In many applications, these new solid/liquid injection systems shorten mixing cycles bymore than 50%.

Since this new in-line system eliminates the need to dump solids directly into an open batch vessel, it virtually eliminates "dusting," too. This has led to a significant reduction in the volume of airborne particles in plants that have switched to the new induction system.

As with any other mixer or blender, the process of specifying a powder induction system for your application is best accomplished working closely with your mixer manufacturer, in a testing laboratory. This gives you an opportunity to systematically assess the unit's efficiency, working with your own ingredients, in a controlled setting. It also allows you to refine your mixing technique – an important step in optimizing the performance of any mixer.

The process should always involve close collaboration with the engineers who will specify your powder induction system. To make the process as smooth and efficientas possible, bring the right information to the table -and be ready to address the following key issues in system specification.