High Shear Mixers in the UK: Everything You Need to Know
In UK mixing processes, High shear mixers have a crucial position to fill, especially in laboratories or even industrial settings. They are employed in resorts, food chain industries, and chemists because of their unrivaled ability to break down large particles and prepare fine emulsions. The following guide indicates high shear mixers with their usages, disadvantages, and a few things to keep in mind while purchasing an appropriate one.
What is So Unique About High Shear Mixers?
A high shear mixer’s function allows for turbulent mixing to take place and makes it possible to end with a consistent and homogeneous product. It is interesting to note that these mixers tend to work by use of an impeller or rotor-stator, which continuously applies turbulence and shear.
What Are the Typical Uses for High Shear Mixers?
High viscosity products, emulsions, and fine dispersers’ locker are a goal for many industries and businesses. Making high shear mixers favorable for most sectors, including:
Pharmacy:
In the production of ointments, gels, and suspensions, these mixers ensure that the end output is both stable and uniform.
Food and Beverages:
For products such as can mayonnaise, sauces, and sash dressings, these mixers offer exceptional emulsions.
Cosmetics:
High shear mixers assist in achieving a homogeneous mix in creams, lotions and make up products.
Chemicals:
Used to aid in the mixing of polymers, resins and other chemical compounds to ensure uniform material properties.
Benefits of High Shear Mixers in UK
High shear mixers provide several benefits when adopted, which includes;
- Efficiency: Mixing times and results are considerably enhanced as high shear mixers operate within strict timestamps, which helps in mixing the overall production better.
- Versatility: Can be used to mix, emulsify, homogenize, and disperse varieties of substances.
- Scalability: High shear mixers are available in different sizes, so they can be converted from lab scale models to industrial production models.
- Improved Product Quality: Having a fine particle size and uniform distribution increases the product effectiveness and stability.
Considerations to Make While Picking a High Shear Mixer
The selection of a high shear mixer requires an assessment of several key aspects, which includes:
- Product Viscosity: Mixers with stronger shear capabilities are required for materials with higher viscosity.
- Batch Size: The proportions of your production batches would help in determining the desired mixer power.
- Desired Particle Size: With the increase in desired particle size, the shear rate goes down as the required rate goes up.
- Material Compatibility: Ensure the materials of the mixer do not react with the chemical properties of your product to avoid contamination.
Types of High Shear Mixers
High Shear Mixers come in several varieties tailored to specific applications each in the UK market, namely:
Inline High Shear Mixers:
Best suited for application in a continuous technique where there is an assurance of quality and consistency, these are placed inline on the production chain.
Batch High Shear Mixers:
Preferably, better suited for mixing distinct batches, these are far more efficient and easier to clean between cycles.
Laboratory High Shear Mixers:
These are usually placed on smaller items and designed specifically for product development and testing before moving up to larger industrial mixers.
Leading Manufacturers of High Shear Mixers in the United Kingdom
It is stainless that while looking for high shear mixers, it is crucial to look for reputed manufacturers, such as, SILVERSON and IKA in the United Kingdom.
SILVERSON:
A manufacturer who is renowned for their high efficiency mixers, boasting an extensive variety in size and application offered set out by their company.
IKA:
Has a variety of innovative solutions for Precision Laboratory and Industrial Use, which offers out a range of mixing solutions tailored to fit the needs.
Ross:
Offers our durable equipment made for mixing and a large variety of mixing tools.
Common Questions About High Shear Mixers
As it is sometimes puzzling, here are some of the frequently asked questions for a better understanding of high shear mixers.
1. What service does high shear mixer need?
If placed under heavy use, high shear mixers need to be serviced once a month, and mostly this includes routine maintenance such as cleaning or checking for damages or wear.
2. Is it true that a high shear mixer can process heat sensitive materials?
Yes, there are many products that can be processed using high shear mixers that are specially designed to reduce heat generation.
3. What impact does a rotor-stator device have in regard to mixing in general?
The rotor-stator design greatly impacts the shear rate and mixing efficiency. The speed and gap of these components determine the ultimate size and uniformity of the particles to be produced.
4. Are high shear mixers cost-effective in terms of energy use?
Yes and no are both correct as high shear mixers do use excessive amounts of energy and considering the fact that high shear mixers do cut down mixing times significantly there is no need for lowering the energy costs.
Conclusion
High shear mixers are essential machinery as they serve various functions such as making emulsions, minimizing the size of raw materials and ensuring the quality of the product is pristine even in most advanced modernized manufacturing. Therefore, high shear mixers are generally of great use and performing the relevant research on the mixer type will surely assist anyone from a researcher making new formulations
