Mixing, Drying and Cooling
We work with manufacturers on a case to case basis selecting the correct bulk mixing and thermal processing technologies to meet their unique application requirements.
Rotary and Tumble Blenders
Tumble blenders encourage product to do just what the name of the blender suggests – tumble. Diffusion is therefore the main mechanism for mixing as particles roll, cascade and fall over each exposed surface as the vessel rotates on a horizontal axis. As tumble blending is low shear, it’s especially well-suited to mixing dense powders, fragile solids and abrasive materials. It’s also regularly used when blends contain trace components or when using ingredients that are different in size and density.
Rotary Blenders
The MUNSON® Rotary Batch Mixer delivers uniform particle distribution, uniform liquid additions, cycle times under 3 minutes, gentle product handling, the lowest energy consumption, and complete discharge with no segregation. It also cleans and sanitizes quickly and easily preventing cross-contamination. Munson’s unique, four-way mixing action gently folds, tumbles, cuts and turns the material, producing a thorough blend in only 1 to 3 minutes, while imparting minimal energy and intensity to the product. The same blending action prevents segregation regardless of particle sizes, shapes or bulk densities, and provides an ideal fluid bed for liquid additions.
Vee Cone Blenders
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IBC Blenders
The Matcon IBC blender offers full manufacturing flexibility to its customers. Because the IBC itself becomes the blending vessel there is no product contact with the blender so recipe changeovers can be instantaneous. Simply load on the next IBC without worrying about cleaning and cross-contamination. Ingredients can be prepared within the IBC off-line, moved to the industrial mixer and blended in-bin before being transported, within the same IBC, to the packing line. This makes for the leanest and most efficient production process available.
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Ribbon, Paddle and Plow Blenders
Carbon or stainless, batch or continuous, with finishes from mill to 3A dairy, each mixer is individually handcrafted to meet our customer’s specific application. Working capacities range from 0.25 cubic feet to over 800 cubic feet. These systems an an economical choice for a wide range of applications including plastic pellets, bakery mixes, tobacco, fertilizers, chemicals, coffee, pigments, and much more.
Ribbon Blenders
Ribbon blenders can perform a variety of mixing operations. These agitators are excellent for free-flowing materials that are of like size, shape, and density. In mixes with small agglomerates, the greater shearing action of a ribbon mixer can also be beneficial. Ribbon mixers are designed for thorough end-to-end mixing with inner spirals pushing product away from the discharge, while the outer flights pull material back toward the discharge opening. Ribbon agitators are most commonly used in the food industry where bulk products are repeatedly blended.
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Paddle Blenders
Paddle-style agitators are specially designed to scoop, lift and tumble in a gentle but thorough mixing action, and are ideal for mixing solids or liquids of various particle size, density, and viscosity. While being mixed, the material travels in a three-dimensional figure-8 pattern. The material is constantly being pulled from the ends of the mixer to the middle, where the most aggressive mixing action is taking place. Paddle agitators are fitted with tighter clearances with the trough than ribbons to allow more efficient clean-out at the end of each batch.
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Plow Blenders
MUNSON® Ribbon, Paddle and Plow Blenders feature stationary U-shaped vessels with flat cover sections on top and a discharge valve on the bottom, and a single, horizontally-oriented shaft rotating on external bearings, with radial arms supporting ribbon, paddle or plow agitator elements, each of which offers distinct benefits across a diverse range of applications. These blenders force agitators through stationary material, which accelerates the dispersion of individual particles into liquids. As a result, they can blend solids with solids, as well as solids with low or high percentages of liquids to produce smooth pastes or slurries.
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Dryers and Coolers
Thermal processing is unique to every material and application and relies on direct or indirect heating methods to change the temperature of a material and alter its state in some way. Our cooling and drying technologies are suitable for food, pharma, chemical, biomass, cannabis, hemp, and mineral applications.
Fluid Bed Dryers and Coolers
Kason Corporation’s circular vibratory fluid bed batch and continuous dryers, coolers, heaters, and moisturizers provide cost-effective processing solutions. The innovative designs take up a smaller space without compromising processing performance. Designs range from pilot and lab size operations to full-scale production. Fluid bed dryers are ideal for processing powders, granules and pelletized materials.
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Heat Transfer Screws
KWS Heat Transfer Screw Processors indirectly transfer heat to or from bulk materials by introducing a heat transfer medium such as cool water, hot oil or steam through a special trough jacket and/or center pipe and hollow flights. Cooling or heating a bulk material to a desired exit temperature is accomplished by the surface area of the screw processor and designing the system flow to match the heat load requirements of the application. KWS Heat Transfer Screw Processors are very cost-effective when compared to other methods of heat transfer
Jacketed Mixers
Our custom designed batch or continuous blenders can be jacketed by circulating air, water, or oil through the outer coil system. Optional pressure and vacuum vessels enhance performance to your specific needs. We can provide atomized spray manifolds for coating or agglomeration, and high intensity choppers for controlled high shear mixing.
Vertical Mixers
NBE dry bulk material mixing systems are engineered and manufactured specifically for industrial and commercial applications where processing operations require thorough and homogeneous mixing of dry materials. From batch mixing systems, to full-scales continuous mixing operations, the NBE line of mixers delivers fast and complete mixing of powders, pellets, granules, and other dry solids. This line of mixing equipment is most common in the plastics industry.
Jumbo Whirlwind Mixers
NBE bottom-loading Whirlwind mixing systems are designed for batch mixing applications where a high level of homogeneity is required, or where materials from multiple input sources, such as a vacuum system and bulk container, are being introduced simultaneously. By introducing material to the bottom of the mixing vessel, Jumbo Whirlwind mixers achieve a quick and thorough integration of even challenging materials like powders and other dry additives.
Jumbo Quick Mixers
NBE Jumbo top-loading bulk material mixing systems are specially constructed for high-volume batch mixing applications where the mixing process must completely cycle in just minutes. A vertical solid-core auger pre-mixes material as it is drawn up and out of the center mixing tube. Top-mount, broad-throw dispersion paddles ensure a homogeneous mix. For processing operations handling up to 25,000lbs, NBE Jumbo mixers supply dry bulk material mixes that are thoroughly and repeatedly prepared for downstream processing.
Quick Mixers
Quick Mix top-loading bulk material mixing systems use a vertical-auger mixing method to draw materials from the bottom of the mixing hopper, up through the center mixing tube, to the auger-top dispersing paddle where material blending continues; accelerating the homogeneity and cycle time of the process. Dry bulk material mixing and blending occurs quickly and accurately; material integrity is protected and finished product is thoroughly and homogeneously mixed for further processing or packaging.
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Mixing, Drying, and Cooling Resources
Mixing, Drying, and Cooling Videos
White Papers, Application Notes, & Spec Sheets
- Factory Layout For Sports Nutrition Manufacturing
- IBC Solutions in Lithium-Ion Battery Production
- IBC Solutions for Tablet Handling
- Rotary Batch Mixer Facilitates Proprietary Nutraceutical Processes
- Mixer Keeps Hot-Melt Adhesives Cool
- Material for One Million Glass Containers Per Day Blended by Same Mixer Since 1980
- Ribbon Blender Keeps Essential Oils of Spices Intact
- Five Minute Blending of Compounds Going on Four Decades
- Rotary Batch Mixer Blends Wood Powders for Plywood Adhesives