RMS POLYTECHNIC

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

03RD
RD SEMESTER

SUBJECT NAME : MECHANICAL OPERATIONS

SUBJECT CODE : 3330502
TOPIC : AGITATION AND MIXING

PREPARED
PREPARED BY
BY :: PRIYANKA
PRIYANKA PATEL
PATEL
• DEFINE AGITATION :
• Agitation is a means whereby mixing of phases can be accomplished and
by which mass and heat transfer can be enhanced between phases or with
external surface.
• Agitation refers to forcing a fluid by mechanical means to flow in a
circulatory or other pattern inside a vessel.
• PRINCIPLE OF AGITATION:
• Agitation is to increase a heat transfer or to maintain particles in a
suspension to avoid any deposit.
• PURPOSE OF AGITATION:
• Blending miscible liquid
• Dispersing a gas through the liquid
• Dispersing a second liquid to form and emulsion or suspension
• Promoting heat transfer between the liquid in the container and a coil or
jacket surrounding the container
• Suspending or dispersing relatively lightly solid particles in the liquid to
produce uniformity required for promoting mass transfer
• DEFINE MIXING:
• It is process in which at least two separate materials are taken and forced
them to be randomly distributed through one another by some mechanical
means.
• A term mixing implies taking at least two separate phases and causing them
to distribute randomly through one another.
• A substance which is uniform through out in physical state and chemical
composition is called a homogeneous substance or a phase.
• Phase may be liquid, solid or gaseous. Therefore mixing involves gas,
liquid or solid in any possible combination of two or more component –
two different liquid, a liquid a gas, a liquid and a powdered solid or two
different or same solid.
• HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURES:
• A mixture in which its components are present in a single phase is called
homogeneous mixture.
• Ex. Liquid mixture of methanol and water, a mixture containing CO2 , N2 ,
and O2 gas.
• It made up of miscible liquid phase.
• HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURE:
• A mixture in which its components are present in distinct phase is called a
heterogeneous mixture.
• Ex. Liquid mixture of benzene and water.
• It is made up of two immiscible liquid phase.
• PRACTICAL AIMS OF MIXING:
• To promote a chemical reaction. It is the most important use of mixing in
chemical industries, since intimate contact between reacting phase is
necessary for a reaction to proceed properly.
• To produce simple physical mixture of two or more uniformly divided
solids, two or more miscible liquids.
• To carry out physical change – formation of crystals from a super saturated
solution.
• To accomplish dispersion in which a quasi homogeneous material is
produced from two or more immiscible fluid and form one or more fluid
with finely divided solids.
• CLASSIFICATION OF IMPELLERS AND BRIEF EXPLANATION:
• IMPELLER:
• An impeller is a rotor used to increase the pressure and flow of fluid.

• There are two types of impeller.

• 1. Axial flow impellers
• 2. Radial flow impellers
• AXIAL FLOW IMPELLER:
• Axial flow impellers make an angle of less than 900 with the shaft.
• They generate flow currents parallel to the axis of the shaft.
• Ex. Propeller, Axial flow impeller
• Axial impellers are set up to create effective top to bottom motion in the
tank.
• It used at high speed to promote rapid dispersion and used at low speed to
keep solid in suspension.
• RADIAL FLOW IMPELLER:
• Radial flow impellers have blades parallel to the axis of the shaft.
• They generate flow currents in tangential (tangential to the circular path) or
radial directions (perpendicular to the shaft).
• Ex. Paddles, flat blade, curved blade, disc flat blade turbine
• Radial flow impellers are used for large scale mixing of solid / liquid
suspension.
FIGURE OF AXIAL AND RADIAL FLOW IMPELLER:
• IMPELLERS ARE FURTHER CLASSIFIED INTO THREE SUB TYPES:

• Propellers - High speed, Low viscosity

• Turbines- Moderate viscosity
• Paddles
• PROPELLERS:
• Propeller is an axial flow, high speed impeller commonly used for low
viscosity liquid. It may be mounted centrally, off centre or at an angle to
the vessel.
• It is simple and portable. The diameter of propeller usually lies between
15-30% of the diameter of the vessel.
• A typical propeller is shown in figure. The most common propeller is a
standard three bladed marine propeller. A propeller is shaped with a
tapering blade to minimize the effect of centrifugal force and produce
maximum axial flow.
• Small propellers rotates at a full motor speed, whereas large ones rotates at
a speed of 400-800 RPM.
• Propeller may also be mounted near the bottom of the cylindrical wall of a
vessel as shown in figure for blending low viscosity fluids or suspending
slow settling sediments in a very large tanks.
• Propellers drives the liquid straight down to the bottom of the vessel, at a
bottom stream spread rapidly in all directions towards the wall, then liquid
flows upward along the wall and finally returns to the suction of impeller
from the shaft.
• Such a flow pattern shown in figure. These agitators are used in situations
where strong vertical currents are desired.
• E.g. for suspending heavy particles
PROPELLERS:
• TURBINES:
• Various types of turbine impellers are shown in figure.
• Pitch blade turbines is an axial flow impeller while curved blade turbines
are radial flow impeller.
• They are capable of creating a vigorous mixing action due to centrifugal
and rotational motion generated by them.
• A stator ring surrounding this impeller gives an efficient mixing action.
• The blade of the impeller may be attached to a central hub or to a central
disc. The diameter of the impeller is kept between one third and one sixth
of the vessel diameter. The blade length is one fourth of the impeller
diameter with a central disc. It is one eighth of impeller diameter.
• The blade angle of curved blade turbine may be between 30-600 . The
impeller speed usually ranges from 50-250 RPM.
• Turbines are very effective over a wide range of viscosities.(up to 10 4 cp)
• Turbine impellers drives the liquid radically against the wall, when the
stream divides into two portions. One of the portions flow downward to the
bottom and then returns to the centre of impeller from below, while others
flow upwards towards the surface and finally returns to the impeller from
the above.
• Turbines are specially effective in developing radial currents, but with a
baffeled vessel they also induced vertical flow currents to avoid vortexing
and swirling with turbines, baffles or diffuser ring can be used.
TURBINES:
TURBINES:
• PADDLES:
• Paddles agitator with two or four flat blades are very common. The blades
of this agitator are usually vertical and extent close to the vessel wall.
• They are simply pushers and cause the mass to rotate in laminar swirling
motion with practically no radial flow along the paddle blade or any axial
flow. (vertical motion)
• The circular is poor and the mixing action is insufficient. This rotate with
the speed ranging from 20-150 RPM.
• The total length of this impeller lies between 50-80% of the inside diameter
of the vessel. The width of the blade is one fourth to one tenth of the
paddle diameter.
• In some design, the shape of the blade is similar to the shape of the bottom
of a vessel so that they scrap the surface or pass over it with a close
clearance. Such type of paddle is known as an anchor agitator.
• Anchor are very useful for preventing deposits on a heat transfer surface as
in reaction vessel and are commonly employed for obtaining improved
heat transfer in high viscosity fluid but are poor mixers.
• Gate and anchor are used to sweep the entire peripheral area of the vessel,
both walls and bottom.
PADDLES:
• VORTEX FORMATION AND SWIRLING:
• If a low viscosity liquid is stirred in an unbaffeled tank by a centrally
mounted agitator, there is a tendency for a swirling flow pattern to develop
for the lighter fluid to be drown into form a vortex at the surface of the
liquid. This reduces the degree of agitation and mixing.
• The above said phenomenon takes place in unbaffeled tanks regardless of
the type of impeller.
• A typical flow pattern in an unbaffeled tank for either axial or radial flow
impeller is shown in figure.
• In vortexing: A typical flow pattern in an unbaffeled tank in which the
vertical velocities are low relative to the circumferential velocities in a
vessel, due to this the surface of the liquid takes roughly U shaped and
efficient mixing no longer takes place. It is produced by the centrifugal
force produced by the rotating liquid.
• There is a limit to the rotational speed that may be used since once the
vortex reaches the impeller, severe air entrainment may occur.
• In addition to this effect, the swirling mass of the liquid generates an
oscillating surge in the vessel which when coupled with the deep vortex
may create a large fluctuating force acting on the agitator shaft.
VORTEX FORMATION & SWIRLING:
• PREVENTION OF SWIRLING AND VORTEX FORMATION:
• There are three methods for the prevention of swirling and vortex
formation.
• 1. off centre mounting of the impeller
• 2. use of baffles
• 3. use of diffuser ring with turbines
• In small vessels, the impeller can be mounted off centre as shown in figure, in
large vessels the agitator may be mounted in the side of the tank with a shaft in
horizontal plane nut an angle with radius as shown in figure.
• In large vessels with vertical agitators, the most common method of reducing
swirling is to install baffles along the side of the vessel, which binder rotational
flow without disturbing radial or longitudinal flow.
• In an unbaffeled vessel, there are strong tangential flow currents and vortex
formations at moderate speed but in the presence of baffles, the vertical flow
currents are increased and there is more rapid mixing of the liquid.
• With side entering, inclined and off centre propellers, baffles are not needed.
• In case of turbines, the principal currents are radial and tangential. The
tangential components induce swirling and vortexing that must be stopped by
the baffles or by the use of diffuser ring for impeller to be most effective.
• BAFFLING:
• Use of baffles in a vertical vessel is essential for the efficient mixing action
and minimization of vortex formation.
• Baffles are flat vertical strips that are mounted against the wall of the
vessel as shown in figure. It is common practice to use four baffles. They
are mounted vertically on the vessel wall, projecting radially from the wall
and located 90 degree apart. The width of the baffle should be one tenth to
one twelfth of the vessel diameter.
• The baffle height should be at least twice the diameter of the impeller and
approximately centered on the impeller.
• If the solids are to be kept in suspension, baffles should be set out from the
wall with a gap of about one fifth of the baffle width between baffle and
vessel to minimize the accumulation of solids on or behind them.
• The flow pattern in both figure are quit different, but in both the cases of
baffles there is a large top to bottom circulation without vortexting. Baffles
convert swirling motion into a preferred flow pattern to accomplish process
objectives.
• The addition of baffles in a vessel considerably increases the power
requirement for the mixing.
PREVANTION OF VORTEX FORMATION & SWIRLING:
PREVANTION OF VORTEX FORMATION & SWIRLING:
• CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OF AGITATED VESSEL:
• An agitator is a device or mechanism to put something into motion by
shaking or stirring.
• In a agitated vessel, the process fluid is filled in the vessel and agitated
using an impeller mounted on an overhung shaft driven by a motor.
• A propeller or a turbine in a tank is most commonly used equipment for
operation involving liquid-liquid and to some extent liquid-solid mixing.
• In liquid-liquid mixing, a system may contain liquid with or without solids
that are not viscous (light oils) liquid with or without solids that are viscous
but pourable (paints, heavy oils) and liquid with solids that form stiff
pastes (oil bound distempers)
• In usual form of equipments is a vertical vessel fitted with an agitator (e.g.
agitated vessel)
• The height of the vessel ranges from 1.5 to 2 times the diameter. The
impeller diameter is usually one third of the tank diameter.
• An agitated vessel is a vertical, cylindrical vessel fitted with an agitator.
The agitator is driven by an electrical motor directly or through a speed
reducing gear box. It is provided with inlet and outlet connections coils,
jacket etc.
• In the agitated vessel, the impeller creates a flow pattern causing the liquid
to circulate through the vessel and return ultimately to the impeller.
• An agitator is a combination of the impeller and shaft, i.e. impeller attached
to the shaft. There are various types of impeller and so the agitator types.

• FLOW PATTERNS:
• In agitated vessels, the fluid flow pattern depends on the types of the
impeller, properties of the fluid, bottom clearance and size of the vessel,
impeller, baffles etc.
AGITATED VESSEL
• FACTORS AFFECTING AGITATION :
• The measurement of the tank in which the agitation to be carried out,
diameter, baffles size, numbers of baffles and width of baffles. If baffle
designs are not proper it creates swirling and vortexting.
• The physical properties of the liquid like viscosity, density and specific
density to be learned. It is useful to design impeller types and the rotation
of the impellers.
• There are three types of impellers like propeller, turbine and paddle. Which
one is suitable for the process is depends on the physical properties of the
liquid.
• The tank size, impeller design and the distance between top to bottom of
the tank also affects on the agitation.
• Impellers are used to remove the deposit from the wall of the tank
generated during the heat transfer. Here turbine and propellers are not
suitable for this but paddles are suitable as they rotates very closely to the
wall of tank. And hence it is used to removed deposits from the tank.
• If agitation is not designed properly by using above factors, the power
consumption becomes high.
• FLOW NUMBER:
• NQ = q / nDa3
• The ratio of these two quantities is defined as flow number.
• Here NQ is constant for each type of impeller for standard flat blade turbine
in a baffled vessel.
• FACTOR AFFECTING SELECTION OF MIXING EQUIPMENT:
• There is not necessarily any direct relation between power consumed and
amount or degree of mixing. When a low viscosity liquid is swirled about
in an unbaffled vessel, the particles may follow parallel circular paths
almost indefinitely and mix almost not at all.
• Little of the energy supplied is used for mixing. If baffled are added,
mixings becomes rapid, a larger fraction of the energy is used for mixing
and relatively less for circulation.
• When the mixing time is critical, the best mixer is the one that mixes in the
required time with the smallest amount of power.
• In many cases a short mixing time is desirable but not essential and the
mixing time is a compromise arrived at by considering the energy cost for
mixing and the capital cost of mixer.
• For mixing reagent in a feed tank or blending product from different
batches in a storage tank, a relatively small size mixer might be used even
if several minutes are required for complete mixing.
• MIXING OF SOLID WITH LIQUID:
• In situations where solids are not to coarse, the liquid is not viscous and the
amount of solids per unit volume of liquid is not too great, the solids can
be suspended in liquids with the help of a flat blade turbine type of agitator.
• If any of the above cited conditions do not hold, then for carrying out
mixings one has to look for a kneading machine or some equipment
primarily used for mixing solids with solids.
• MIXING OF VISCOUS AND PLASTIC MASSES:
• In machines used for viscous and plastic masses, either the material must
be brought to the agitator or the agitator must visits all parts of mix.
• The mixing action in these machines is described as a combination of low
speed shear, smearing, wiping, folding, stretching, and compressing.
• These machines must be raggedly build because the forces generated in
these mixers are large.
• The power consumption with these mixers are high. Mixers described in
these parts are double arm kneaders, banbury mixers and mullers.
• MIXING EQUIPMENTS :
• (1) RIBBON BLENDER :
• Ribbon blenders mix solids by mechanical shuffling and are used to handle
dry powder.
• CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING :
• A ribbon blender consists of a horizontal semi cylindrical trough
incorporating a central shaft and helical ribbon agitator.
• A typical ribbon blender is shown in figure. In this mixer, two
counteracting ribbons are mounted on the same shaft.
• One of the ribbon moves the solids slowly in one direction, while the other
one moves the solids quickly in the other direction.
• The ribbon may be continuous or discontinuous.mixing take place due to the
turbulence generated by counteracting ribbons and not only by motion of the
solids through the trough.
• Ribbon blenders are used for batch or continuous mixing. In batch operated
ribbons blenders, the solids are charged and mix untill satisfactory and discharged
from the bottom.
• In continuously operated units, the solids are fed from one end of the trough and
discharged from the other end. In the path from the feed to discharged end, solids
are mixed.
• For light duty, the trough may be open or lightly covered, while for operation
under pressure or vacuum, the trough is closed and heavy-walled. Ribbon
blenders are very effective for handling thin pastes and dry powder that do not
flow easily.
RIBBON BLENDER:
• KNEADINF MACHINE/SIGMA MIXER/DOUBLE ARM KNEADER
• In kneading machines, the mixing action is a combination of bulk
movement, searing, stretching, folding, dividing, and recombining as the
material is pulled and squeezed against the blades, saddle, and the walls of
trough.
• A kneading machine consists of a short rectangular trough with a saddle
shaped bottom. Two counter rotating blades are incorporated in the trough.
The blades are so placed and so shaped that the material turned up by one
blade is immediately turned the adjacent one. The blades are driven
through a gear mechanism provided at either or both ends. The trough may
be opened or closed and may be jacketed for heating or cooling. The
machine is operated in a batchwise fashion.
• The machine can be emptied through a bottom valve where 100% discharge
or trough cleaning, between batches, is not as essential. More commonly,
double arm kneaders are tilted for discharge by power operated jacks. Fig
shows double arm kneader/sigma mixer employing sigma blades.
• The material to be kneaded is dropped into the trough and mixed for a period
of about 5 to 20 minutes longer. The trough is then unloaded by tilting it.
• Various designs of mixing blades are shown in fig. the sigma blade is most
widely used. The mixer employing sigma blades is capable of starting and
operating with either liquids or solids or a combination of both. The sigma
blade has good mixing action and is relatively easy to clean when sticky
materials are being handled.
• The dispersion blade builds up higher shear forces required to disperse
powder or liquids into plastic or to rubbery masses. The double naben
blade is useful for heavy plastic materials.
KNEDING MACHINE/SIGMA MIXER
• BANBURY MIXER
• A banbury mixer is the most common internal mixer (shown in fig.). It is a
heavy duty machine with two blades each rotating in a cylindrical sheet,
but these cylinders partly intersect with each other. In this mixer, the blade
is pear shaped, but the projection is spiral along the axis and the two spirals
interlock.
• The machine operates at the speed of 40 r.p.m. or lower. The clearance
between the blades and the walls is extremely small, and it is here that the
mixing action take place. The material is fed from above and held in the
trough during mixing by an air-operated piston under a pressure of 1 to 0
khg/cm2.
• Mixed material is discharged through a heavy sliding door which is
provided at the bottom of the trough. The heat generated is taken out by
spraying cooling water on the walls of the mixing chamber and circulating
it through the hollow agitator shafts during operation.
• The banbury mixer is used mainly in plastic and rubber industries.
BANBURY MIXER
• MULLER MIXERS
• Mulling is smearing or rubbing similar to that in a mortar and pestle.
• A Muller mixture consists of a pan incorporating muller wheels.
• In one of the design of muller mixer, the pan is stationary and wheels rotate,
while in the other design, the pan is rotated and the axis of the wheels is held
stationary. In the stationary pan muller mixer, the central vertical shaft is
driven, causing the muller wheels to roll in a circular path over a layer of
solids on the pan floor. Plows direct the solids under the muller wheels
during mixing or to an opening in the pan floors for the discharge of the
mixer at the end of the cycle.
• The muller wheels crush the material, breaking down lumps and
agglomerates.
• Capacity of the muller mixer ranges from a fraction of cubic meter to more
than 1.6m3 and the corresponding power requirement ranges from 1/3 to
75 hp.
• Mullers are used for handling batches of heavy solids and pastes. These are
also effective in uniformly coating the particles or granular solids with a
amount of liquid.
MULLER MIXER
• PUG MILL :
• In a pug mill the mixing is done by blades or knives set in a helical pattern
on a horizontal shaft turning in an open trough or closed cylinder.
• Solids continuously enter one end of the mixing chamber and discharge
from the other. While in the chamber they are cut, mix and moved forward
to be acted upon by each succeeding blade.
• Single shaft mills are utilized and enclosed mixing chamber, open trough
double shaft mills are used where more rapid or more thorough mixing is
required. The chamber of most enclosed mills is cylindrical, but in some it
is polygonal in cross section to prevent sticky solids from being carried
around with the shaft.
• Pug mills blend and homogenize clays, break up agglomerates in a plastic
solids, and a mix liquid with solids to form thick, heavy slurries. Some
times they operates under vacuum to remove air from clay or other
materials. They are built with jackets for heating or cooling.
PUG MILL