MIXING OF GRANULAR MATERIAL IN A DRUM MIXER UNDERGOING ROTATIONAL ANDROCKING MOTIONS - I - UNIFORM PARTICLES

The effects of flow perturbations on the extent of mixing vs. time are examined in a cylindrical vessel partially filled with uniform-sized powder mixtures. Mixtures produced by pure rotational motion are compa red to those undergoing rotational motion supplemented by rocking. Cha racterization of the mixing experiments is conducted using solidificat ion and image analysis methods, affording visual inspection of the int ernal mixing patterns and evaluation of the composition distributions. Pure rotational motion causes slow axial mixing. When rotational moti on is supplemented by a rocking perturbation, mixing time is greatly a ccelerated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.