Mixing in process vessels used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing

The use of nonbaffled vessels for mixing applications is becoming common in the biopharmaceutical industry but is not, sufficiently well studied. Orie ntation of the impellers off-centered and/or at an angle is necessary to en hance mixing and eliminate swirling that would result without a baffle in a standard tank. This study focuses on characterizing mixing in vessels with the hydrofoil axial flow impellers mounted off-center at 10 degrees to the vertical. Geometrically similar vessels ranging from 100 to 5000 L working volume were used in this study. Mixing performance was successfully correl ated to vessel geometric factors.