USING FLOW PERTURBATIONS TO ENHANCE MIXING OF DRY POWDERS IN V-BLENDERS

Experiments were conducted to compare mixing performance in a conventi onal V-blender and in a V-blender that incorporates perturbations of t he particle flow by rocking the mixing vessel during rotation, Mixing was investigated using glass beads with sizes from 40 to 800 mu m in v essels of approximately one liter volume. Mixture uniformity was asses sed qualitatively using two different methods. One method used a trans parent mixing vessel to visualize particle flow patterns and assess th e state of homogeneity at the mixture's surface during the entire expe riment, The second method involved solidification of the mixture by in filtration with a binder inside disposable aluminum mixing vessels. Us ing this method, it was possible to assess the state of the entire mix ture, including its interior structure, by slicing the solidified stru cture after completion of each experiment. Mixture uniformity was also assessed quantitatively using image analysis to determine the composi tion of the solidified samples. In all cases, mixing was greatly enhan ced in the rocking V-blender compared to the conventional V-blender.