Pneumatic Blending Systems
Pneumatic blending is one of the quickest, cleanest, and most efficient methods of obtaining homogenous batches of powdered, granular, or abrasive materials in transporters, atmospheric bins, and storage silos. Model 244 and Model 277 pneumatic blenders are equipped with 6 or 12 wear-resistant aerators mounted around a housing cone. When the aeration valves are pulsed, gentle blasts of compressed air are injected into the batch at various angles to gently and continuously lift the materials upward and outward until the blending target is achieved. Built with few moving parts, the blenders have long service lives and require minimal maintenance.
NOL-TEC Systems Inc., Lino Lakes, MN 651-780-8600 www.nol-tec.com

Double Planetary Mixer
The DPM, a new double planetary mixer, is available in many sizes with working capacities from ½ pt to 750 gal. It is typically used for vacuum mixing high-viscosity materials up to approximately 8 million cP. The mixer has two high-viscosity mixing blades that revolve on their own axis and on a common axis within the mix vessel. Optional features include three separate mix-blade designs, jackets for heating or cooling, variable-speed drives, sanitary construction, and discharge systems to assist in the unloading of highly viscous materials.
Charles Ross and Son Co., Hauppauge, NY 631-234-0500 www.mixers.com

Benchtop Lab Homogenizers
The BT series is a benchtop product line that expands the company’s high-shear mixing equipment offering into laboratory processing. The homogenizers feature a quick-connect generator design and tighter rotor-stator clearances. Quick-connect generators save time on setup and cleaning with easy quarter-turn installation, while close-fitting clearances produce higher shear rates and improved particle size reduction. The units also feature fine-adjustment digital speed control with a separate control box for handheld models, along with an exclusive motorized benchtop stand for smooth, effortless, and accurate homogenizer positioning.
Quadro Inc., Millburn, NJ 973-376-1266 www.quadro.com

Sanitary Rotary Continuous Mixer
The Model 16-4SS sanitary rotary continuous mixer blends ingredients in ratios as extreme as one part per million with 100% uniformity regardless
of disparities in the bulk densities, particle sizes, or flow characteristics of the ingredients, which may include liquid additions. The mixer’s capacity ranges from 85 cu ft/hr at 1-minute residence time to 42 cu ft/hr at 2-minute residence time. The slowly rotating 16 in. × 4 ft cylinder contains proprietary mixing flights that impart a forward- and reverse-pitch back-flow mixing action, distributing bulk ingredients thoroughly and gently in short residence times while eliminating internal restrictions where material can plug or accumulate.
Munson Machinery Company, Inc., Utica, NY 800-944-6644 www.munsonmachinery.com

Laboratory Blender
The LM 40 laboratory scale blender is a mobile system that includes a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer integrated into the lid of the blending bin. The unit uses specially adapted 21 CFR Part 11–compliant software. The NIR system operates at wavelengths of 2200 ns and is housed with the light source in a single GMP stainless-steel box that rotates with the bin. Continuous 24-V-dc power through slip-ring technology eliminates the need for batteries. Data are transferred using a wire cable instead of radio signals, eliminating possible data interference. The blender is integrated into a frame with lock casters. A Plexiglas cover protects the Type MC blending containers during rotation, ensuring worker safety.
L. B. Bohle LLC, Warminster, PA 215-957-1240 www.lbbohle.com

Tumble Blending
By utilizing tumble blending, a rigid IBC becomes a detachable blending vessel. By means of this approach, formulating (filling), emptying, and cleaning the blending vessel are performed separately from the actual blender. When a batch is blended, the IBC containing that batch is removed and replaced with another IBC filled with unblended material. The new batch can be mixed almost immediately.
Matcon USA, Sewell, NJ 856-256-1330 www.matconibc.com

Horizontal Mixer
The newly designed horizontal Ploughshare mixer is easy to clean. The full-access door across the front of the mixer provides greater access to perform frequent cleaning operations. The easy-clean design is available on batch or continuous mixers, providing a benefit to manufacturers that are concerned with cross-contamination from batch to batch resulting from allergens, flavors, colors, and formula changes.
Littleford Day Inc., Florence KY 800-365-8555 www.littleford.com

Gravimetric Blender
The ProRate gravimetric blender handles pellets, regrind, and raw materials. Consisting of one to eight feeders and a central micro­processor-based controller, it is designed to continuously meter raw materials accurately into a central station hopper. Each feeder operates in an independent, continuous loss-in-weight scaling mode to ensure the accuracy of each ingredient. The desired feed rate for each material can be entered as pounds or kilograms per hour, as a percent of the total rate, or as a percent of the virgin material. The controller continuously monitors the weight signals of each feeder and adjusts the auger speed to match the recipe feed rate for each feeder. Augers are available in five interchangeable sizes. The microprocessor controller runs from one to eight feeders simultaneously, providing a capacity range from 1 to 80,000 lb/hr.
Premier Pneumatics Inc., Salina, KS 785-825-1611 [email protected]

Mixers and Blenders
Gardner mixers and blenders feature an easy-clean cantilever shaft. Available in various designs with a choice of plough, paddle, or interrupted spiral agitator, the large top and end door allow for trouble-free cleaning and inspection. Completely contained mixing media provide a hygienic environment for dry, semidry, or moist powder applications.
Kemutec Powder Technologies, Bristol, PA 215-788-8013 www.kemutec.com

Blender Conveyors
Stationary and portable CB-series blender conveyors combine bulk carrier unloading, transfer, and blending capabilities in one vacuum-pressure unit. They are sized for 5 to 20-plus tn/hr and can handle powdered, granular, or pelletized friable abrasive materials. Equipped with automated controls and load cells, these machines blend products from multiple sources and convey them to one or more destinations using a single 15-psig positive-displacement blower. A proprietary semidense design results in low line velocities and high material-to-air ratios that reduce wear and product degradation.
Cyclonaire Corp., York, NE 888-593-6241 www.cyclonaire.com

Counterrotating Sweep Agitator
Tri-mix turbo-shear agitation combines scrape-surface motion with high shear. The counterrotating scrape-surface agitator can be designed for up to 2 million–cP products, while the turbo-shear head has been modified to accept several disperser designs for 10,000-cP products alone or up to 50,000-cP products with the aid of the counterrotating agitator. This agitator, combined with the vessel’s vacuum/pressure rating, gives the unit versatility. Application engineers can design a lab unit for specific process requirements.
Process Systems & Equipment, Div. of Lee Industries Inc., Philipsburg, PA 814-342-0470 www.leeind.com

Powder Induction System
Mixing powders into liquids, the Fastfeed powder induction system offers consistent powder delivery even as viscosity and solids levels increase, ensuring that the system will never plug or foul. It offers the benefits of an in-line, skid-mounted dispersion system that feeds powders and disperses them instantly. The unit can deliver powder in-line at controlled feed rates from 3 to 200 lb/min. It allows processors to add dry ingredients to mix vessels in a more ergonomic fashion than other systems, reducing operator injuries and providing the shear required for ever-changing and ever-tougher ingredients.
Admix, Manchester, NH 800-466-2369 www.admix.com

Fluidized Zone Mixer
The Bella fluidized zone mixer achieves fast, high-capacity, low-shear, precision mixing of either dry bulk solids or liquids with solids. Regardless of particle size, shape, or density, materials are mixed with a fast, efficient, and gentle action, with typical mixing times of 60 seconds or less. A weightless zone created by low-speed counter rotating shafts generates low friction without shear, making the mixer ideal for fragile products that cannot tolerate rough handling. Even flakes or spray-dried bodies remain intact. The Bella XN mixer includes twin bomb-bay door openings for fast, efficient discharging and for minimizing segregation during discharge. The Bella mixer is available in stainless steel for sanitary applications. Custom sizes, finishes, and construction materials are available.
Dynamic Air Inc., St. Paul, MN 651-484-2900 www.dynamicair.com