Many people say, “A conical mixer is so slow.” But is it?

– Many people say: “A conical mixer is so slow.” But is that really the case?

–  Heilig Mixing Technology is convinced of the opposite.

A conical mixer is known for producing a very product-friendly and consistently good mixture. It really is not slow!

At the end of 2020, Heilig Mixing Technology put a V-Mix 28,000 PLW into use for a customer. The mixer has a capacity (filled with water) of 28,000 liters and a usable volume of approximately 25,000 liters. All parts that come into contact with the material to be mixed, such as the container including cover elements, mixing screw, lower screw tube bearings and the outlet, are made of stainless steel. The other parts such as the swing arm, gearbox and crossmember are made of steel, which are primed and painted.

In order for the customer to start the project, the mixer had to meet the following requirements:

1. To produce a good, homogeneous mix in a short time
2. To be able to add liquids during the mixing process
3. To have all parts of the mixer fit through a small door and narrow aisles.

#1: to produce a good, homogenous mix in a short time span

Anyone who knows our conical mixer knows that this type of mixer is known for achieving a high mixing accuracy of more than 1: 500,000 (depending on the product), while at the same time it is very product-friendly and energy-saving. A conical mixer requires an average of approximately
2W/kg of energy. This is only a fraction compared to other mixing types, such as a vertical ribbon mixer, which uses about
20W/kg.
Our customer’s specific request: mix a batch of 25,000 liters of product homogeneously within 12 minutes.

Our engineers have been able to meet this requirement by adjusting the individual components such as the size of the mixing screw and the drive unit (consisting of swing arm, main gear unit and drive motors). The mixing screw has a diameter of
Ø 600 mm. The high torque forces could be utilized optimally with our ZKX650 drive and the PL650 swing arm. This gave us arithmetically 12 minutes for a homogeneous mix and 17 minutes for a good mix of greater than 1: 500,000.

We think the mixing time for a product volume of about 25,000 liters in 12 minutes is anything but slow.

#2: to be able to add liquid during the process

There are several options for adding liquid during the mixing process. One way is to add liquid through openings in the lid, this is a point addition. The disadvantage is for example that the liquid will be added at the same point, even if the agitator is in a completely different position in the mixer. Also, when the agitator is in a different position, puddles and lumps may form because the product will not be removed at this point. And finally, the swing arm, which rotates in the mixing container, moves through the liquid jet and the product will not be refined.

The liquid will be evenly added by using 1 or more adjustable nozzles

This is the way we prefer, since it ensures an even addition throughout the product.

The addition of liquid is guided through the vertical axis of the mixer and mounted under the swing arm. By applying the liquid evenly during the mixing process, the product is optimally refined (see example). The liquid is applied via 3 flat nozzles, with all nozzles adjustable in the application angle. The nozzles can be adjusted at any time and be replaced for liquids of different viscosity. In addition, a slip clutch is mounted above the drive, which enables the rotational movement on the stationary liquid.

#3: all parts of the mixer have to fit through a small door and narrow aisles

As the conical mixer was installed in an existing building, we had to build the mixer to fit through a gate and aisles with a maximum width of 3.0 m. The mixer has a total dimension of Ø 5.50 m and is 7.55 m high. A special solution for that is that the container has been divided twice horizontally and twice vertically. The difficulty in building a multi-part container is to make the transitions at the partitions so that the container is evenly round. A uniform radius is especially important because a constant distance between the container and the mixing screw is essential for product transport during the mixing process. If the distance deviates too much, the product transport can stop and the mixer cannot operate properly. Furthermore, there is a crossbar on top of the mixer on which the drive unit (consisting of main gear, 2 gear motors and swing arm) is mounted. The traverse measures
5.50 mx 5.50 m and the sides are designed as a flange. A positive side-effect of the division is that the complete mixer with a small overwidth can be transported as simple special transport without additional guidance vehicles.

After completion and test run of the Heilig V-Mix 28,000 PLW, the mixer must be checked and approved by our customer in our factory in Heerhugowaard (the Netherlands) for quality and correct execution. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, our client has refrained from visiting. We sent our customer detailed images and video material of the test run. All requirements could be registered as completed to the full satisfaction of our customer. The mixer was then disassembled into its parts and prepared for transport. The assembly of the mixer was carried out by our customer under the guidance of a supervisor from Heilig Mixing Technology and completed without any problems.

As a specialist in mixing technology, Heilig Mixing Technology can look back on more than 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of conical mixers.

Our delivery program includes not only new mixers from 3 L to 100,000 L mixing volume, but also used machines that have been fully or partially overhauled.

In addition, we are always available to optimize existing mixers (including V-mix, Nauta-Vrieco mixers, etc.) and to supply an extensive package of services and spare parts. Our team of qualified, motivated and committed employees is ready for your request.

Why choose Heilig Mixing Technology:

• Short delivery times: availability of spare parts – suitable for different mixing systems, including V-Mix, Nauta, Vrieco-Mischer, etc. (stocks) with consistently high quality
• Own, modern production workshop
• Short-term execution of maintenance and service work outside regular working hours by specialized personnel with fully equipped service vehicles.
• Process optimization
• Complete solutions – from idea to implementation and maintenance.

As an experienced and skilled company, our core values are reliability and flexibility. Reliability of our employees and machines. Flexibility as our second nature, we partner with our clients and if necessary, are very fast in our response.

More information can be found at www.heiligmixers.com.

If you would like to know more about the application of a conical mixer in your industry, please do not hesitate to contact our office for further information.