Ribbon mixer maintenance

In the ribbon mixer, powder is mixed horizontally and vertically. Loading operations can be dusty. However, during the actual blending, it is enclosed, thereby limiting the amount of dust generated to the environment.

The major and potentially the most serious problem with the ribbon mixer is that there is a "dead-spot" or zone at the discharge valve in some of these mixers. To compensate for this dead-spot, manufacturers recycle the powder from this area at some point during the mixing process. Obviously, there should be adequate and specific directions and procedures for assuring that this critical step is performed. Another concern with this mixer is poor mixing at the ends of the center horizontal mixing bar and at the shell wall because of blade clearance. The level of powder placed in this mixer is normally at the top of the outer ribbon blade. and as with other mixers. care must be taken not to overfill the mixer.

Cleaning problems, particularly at the ends of the ribbon mixer where the horizontal bar enters the mixer, have been identified. if manufacturers do not disassemble and clean the seals and packing between batches, they should have data to demonstrate the absence of foreign contaminants between batches of different products processed in the mixer.

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The basic of the ribbon mixer (2)