Fermentation

Laminar mixing involves the reorientation and redistribution of the viscous material. Laminar mixing occurs when the impeller Reynolds number is below 10, primarily due to high viscous fluid. This results in a formation of a cavern around the impeller. Good mixing takes place inside the cavern but poor mixing outside which diminish the blending quality. If an additional phase exists, (e.g. dispersion & reactions) the mixing process can be very difflcult.

Often the fluid rheology may change during the mixing process which would require a variable speed impeller mixer to optimize the power input. A number of rotary mixers are required for high viscous fluids to allow planetary mixers to expose the viscous material to the impeller.

The working principle of the VLM mixer eliminates the cavern formation since this mixing is not rotational.

Animation – Tracer Distribution

Animation – Solids Suspension