At first glance, mixing ingredients together doesn’t seem too complicated. But, when you want to mix ingredients together that simply don’t want to mix, or if you want to mix hundreds of tons of materials together to ramp up production, mixing quickly becomes more complicated.
Industrial mixers have revolutionized many different industries as they play an important role in large-scale production of all types.
A mixer could include any device that’s designed to mix raw materials or ingredients together. For the purposes of this blog post, an industrial mixer refers to a piece of equipment that is designed to mix materials or ingredients together as a part of a larger production process. This might include mixers involved in food processing, chemical processing, pharmaceutical products, plastic processing, and much more.
Industrial Mixer Categories
Categorizing different industrial mixers and agitators can also be more complicated than it may seem. Some mixers that are similar in appearance may use very different forces or designs to mix materials. Or, some commercial mixers use similar forces to mix materials, but look and operate very differently.
In this post, we categorized mixers mostly based on their design. Some other ways of categorizing mixers may include:
- Industry: Mixers are used in a wide variety of industries, and each could be categorized this way.
- Matter: Some mixers are designed to mix gasses, liquids, solids, or any combination thereof.
- Force: Different mixers use different types of force to blend materials together, like gravity, rotation, pressure, shear, and more.
- Function: some mixers are meant to mix two substances that don’t normally combine, others to create a completely homogeneous mixture, others to mix materials within a certain coefficient of variation.
Keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list. For this blog post, we’ll look at some of the most common types of industrial mixers and blenders, how they work, and some of the industries and products they may be used for.
1. Horizontal Ribbon Mixer
A ribbon mixer—or ribbon blender mixer—uses two intertwined metal strips, similar in shape to a double helix, to move material from one side of the mixer to the other. As the material passes in each direction, it mixes together. Horizontal ribbon mixers are used in a variety of industries, including food processing and chemical processing, and are often used in mixing powders and other solids.
Learn more about the horizontal ribbon mixer >
2. Paddle Mixer
A paddle mixer is similar to a horizontal ribbon mixer, except the mixing action is gentler. As the paddles move the material through the mixer, it creates a cohesive mix. This type of industrial or commercial mixer is often used with thick or viscous semi-solids, like salad dressing or salsa.
3. Tumbler Mixer
A tumbler mixer rotates and uses gravitational force with rotational force to mix together materials (usually liquids). There are many different types of tumbler mixers, including a v-shaped mixer, double-cone mixer, and slant mixer. A tumbler mixer doesn’t require an agitator or impeller, which can be ideal for particularly sensitive liquids.
4. Emulsifier
An emulsifier is designed to mix substances which are immiscible, or unable to naturally blend. This often includes different types of oils. An emulsifier uses high amounts of pressure to force liquids through small filters and tubes, which breaks down their structure and allows the liquids to mix effectively.
5. Drum Mixers
Drum mixers are highly versatile. There are many different types and configurations, but drum mixers tend to share the same general design. They are made from large tanks (drums) and they may be used for storage as well as mixing. These are usually used for materials with a low or medium viscosity, like slurries and cement.
6. Static Mixers
Static mixers are most often used to mix gasses, or liquids and gasses together. The static mixer may use a series of blockages that force the materials together and break down the substances so they mix, similar to an emulsifier.
7. Planetary Mixer
A planetary mixer uses agitators moving in a circular pattern to mix materials in a bowl or tank. The mixing vessel may be stationary, or it might also rotate to aid the mixing action. The agitator may use paddles, whisks or beaters to blend the materials. This type of commercial food mixer is often used in blending dough and similar foods.
Which Industrial Mixer is Right for You?
There are many different types of industrial and commercial mixers. If you have any questions about which type of mixer may be ideal for your system, contact us today. Our experts can answer your questions and help you find the right mixer from APEC, an industrial mixer manufacturer.
