Raw material mixing
Powders and liquids: why different tasks need different mixers
Blending components and breaking up lumps place different demands on equipment. How to formulate the task for a supplier.
Where lumps come from
Silverson's technical materials discuss a typical problem: when gums and thickeners are added to a liquid, particles combine into lumps. A conventional agitator is not always able to break them up effectively. A mixture that is visibly moving does not necessarily mean all components are evenly distributed.
Choose the mixing method for the product
Silverson offers high shear mixing for these tasks, including processing in a recirculation loop. This example concerns dispersing powder in liquid. It cannot automatically be applied to dry blends or taken as confirmation that any mixer in the UTAL catalog has these capabilities.
Prepare verifiable requirements
Our advice for the inquiry: list the components, batch size, loading sequence, viscosity or flowability and acceptable non-uniformity. Clarify whether particles need to remain intact or lumps need to be broken up. Agree on trial mixing and a method for assessing the result — this will provide more useful information than selecting solely by vessel volume.
Sources and materials
This overview draws on public technical publications. Practical equipment selection advice reflects editorial conclusions.
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