amixon®

Agglomeration

In powder processing, agglomeration is defined as a process of accumulating fine material into cohesive units such as pellets or granules. In simple terms, powder agglomeration shifts fine, powdery particles to a coarser size range that facilitates handling and storage.

Ball mixer

Powdery bulk materials can be mixed in a spherical container. The sphere is usually installed in a fixed position. At least one mixing tool rotates in the sphere.

CIP cleaning-in-place

CIP (Cleaning In Place) is a process for the automated cleaning of process equipment. The definition and objective of CIP can be described as follows: Creating clean internal surfaces of a production unit without significantly changing the internal elements required for production. Depending on the water pressure during cleaning, a distinction is made between low-pressure cleaning (up to 3 bar), medium-pressure cleaning (up to 10 bar) and high-pressure cleaning (25-65 bar). The process is sometimes also referred to as "washing in place" (WIP).

Coating

The coating process for powder processing is based on the principle of particle agglomeration as a side operation of the powder mixing or fluid bed process. Interparticle adhesion effects of small particles can be particularly large. They result from Van der Vals forces and electromagnetic forces. If the particles are only a few nanometers in size, they can coat active ingredient particles particularly well. Coating attempts to enlarge the mixture particles in a shell-like manner. In short, coating processes optimize properties of a bulk material in terms of shelf life, optical appearance, solubility, dust binding, flow behavior, durability, chemical reaction and much more.

Continuous mixer, flow through mixer, online mixer

Flow mixer, continuous mixer, continual mixer for bulk materials:

a) The mixing process takes place in static mixers in which the individual components flow into each other in free fall.

b) Dynamically moving mixing tools mix and convey the components continuously.

Dispersing and Deagglomerating of Powder

Dispersing: Definition and importance of the process in mixing technology. A homogeneous dispersion is a bulk material in which the porosity is homogeneously distributed. If agglomerates are present, then they must be broken up until the primary particles are present.

Drying vacuum Mixing drying

Contact drying, convection drying, reaction control, stripping, separation of fluids under pressure-, vacuum excitation and temperature control

Fluidisation, Fluidise, loosening powder by air injection

A powder is fluidised when all particles are surrounded by a gas. The powder particles no longer touch each other. The friction between them is eliminated. Fluidised powder behaves like a low-viscosity liquid. The smallest openings in the vessel (such as an incomplete weld seam, leaky fitting) lead to unwanted dust leakage. Fluidisation occurs more easily the smaller the particles are.

Granulation, Granulators

The correct term is ‘agglomeration’ or ‘agglomerate granulation’. The term granulation can also describe a comminution process, e.g. when a solid is comminuted into a collection of particles / granules. Please read our detailed glossary article ‘Agglomerating’ and our blog post on ‘Agglomerating’.

Homogenization

Homogenization/ blending/ mixing of bulk materials means the uniform distribution of particle size, moisture, color and temperature of an existing mixture or bulk material.

Homogenizer

Homogenizer or mixer?

In solids process engineering, the terms "homogenizing, homogenizer" and "mixing, mixer" are used synonymously. This refers to the dispersion of one substance in another with the aim of achieving as uniform a distribution of all particles as possible. The result is a homogeneous powder mixture. Homogeneity is equated here with the ideal mixing quality of a homogeneous bulk material.

Instantisation

Instantising makes powdery substances quickly wettable, dispersible and soluble on contact with a liquid.

Mixing

Mixing

Mixing is the distribution of one or more substances in another substance. The substances differ from each other in at least one property. The substances can be solid, liquid or gaseous.

Particle size distribution

The particle size distribution describes the size and number of particles. A dispersed solid system, a suspension or an emulsion can be considered. Sometimes it is also referred to as a grain size distribution. What is meant is the same thing, namely the particle size distribution.

Powder Drying

Powder drying removes liquid components from a bulk material. Liquids can adhere very firmly, especially if the powder particles have small pores. These are called capillaries. Capillary-bound liquid is evaporated by thermokinetics.

Qualifying

Consumer rights are generally monitored at national level. This is to ensure that only products that do not pose a risk are placed on the market.

Vacuum Mixer

This article on the subject of vacuum relates to mixers, vacuum mixers/dryers and synthesis reactors as used in plants in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries.