An

assignment on

Mixing
Submitted to- Course Instructor
Taslima Akter
Faculty,
Department of pharmacy,
Jahangirnagar university.
Submitted by- Group no : 3
 Group members
Name Roll
Jannatul ferdous 1393

Raisa tasnim 1394

Sabina 1397
Maherun nesha mary 1401

Bithe saha 1403

Md Shihab khandakar 1434

Anha bushra salam 2020
Shamima akter 2216
Elora alam 2044
Content outline-
 Definition
 Importance of mixing
 Objectives of mixing
 Types of mixer
 Rate of mixing process
 Mechanism of mixing and dimixing
 Factors of powder segregation
 Approach to minimize segregation
 Ordered mixing
 Powder mixing equipment
 Liquid mixing equipment
 Semi solid mixing equipment
 Pharmaceutical mixing

 Mixing is probably the most widely performed unit operation in

pharmaceutical manufacturing, in fact, it is difficult to find a product
where mixing is not involved in some stage of process.
 Mixing maybe defined as an “unit operation in which two or more
components in a separate or roughly mixed condition are treated so
that each particle lies as nearly as possible in contact with a particle of
each of the other components.”

 If this can be achieved it produces a theoretical ‘ideal' situation i.e. a

perfect mix
 Objectives of mixing

 To achieve a physical mixture

 To bring a physical change
 To achieve a dispersion
 To promote a physical reaction

1. Simple physical mixture :

This maybe simply the production of a blend of two or more miscible liquids
or two or more uniformly divided solids.
In pharmaceutical practice, the degree of mixing must commonly be of a
high order, as many such mixtures are dilutions of a potent substance so
consistent dosage must be ensure
2.Physical change :
 Mixing may aim at producing a change that is physical as distinct from chemical. For example, the
solution of a soluble substance.
In such cases, a lower efficiency of mixing will often be acceptable because the mixing merely
accelerates a process that could occur by diffusion, without agitation.

3.Dispersion :
 This includes the dispersion of two immiscible liquids to form an emulsion or the dispersion of a solid
in a liquid to give a suspension or paste.
Usually good mixing is required to ensure stability.

4.Promotion of reaction :
 Mixing will usually encourage (and control at the same time) a chemical reaction, so ensuring
uniform products. e.g. products or process where accurate adjustment to pH is required and the
degree of mixing will depend on the process.
 Importance of mixing

 Mixing is an important part of pharmaceutical production. Efficiency and accuracy are key
when in the mixing process to ensure dosage accuracy, stability and texture.
 There are very few pharmaceutical products than contain only one component. In most
cases, several ingredients are needed to ensure that the dosage form functions as required.
If for example, a pharmaceutical company wishes to produce a tablet dosage form
containing a drug, other components (e,g. diluent, binder, disintegrate, lubricant) will be
needed both to:

Enable the product For it to be

to be handled by the
manufactured and patient
 But when a products contain more than one component, a mixing
or blending stage will be required in the manufacturing process.
This maybe to ensure:

An even distribution of the active components,

An even appearance or that the dosage form releases the drug
at the correct site and at the desired rate
The importance of mixing is illustrated below by the list of product which
invariably utilise mixing processes of some kind:

 Tablets, capsules, sachets ,dry powder inhaler - mixtures of solid particles

 Linctuses - mixtures of miscible liquids
 Emulsions and creams - mixtures of immiscible liquids
 Pastes and suspensions – dispersions of solid particles

Mixing and its control are also important in unit operations such as -
granulation, drying and coating
TYPES OF MIXTURES:

1.Positive mixture
2.Negative mixture
3.Neutral mixture
Principle of Mixing process

A significant aspect in mixing is to define when a

particular batch is mixed. This depends on the
method used for examining the samples and its
accuracy, the number and location of the samples
and the desired properties of the mixer. Diverse
criteria like electrical conductivity of the samples ,
specific gravity of the samples , the amount of a
key constituent in the samples , the rate of
solution of a soluble solid in the samples etc.
Rate of mixing
Mixing is the process of achieving uniform randomness of the mixed
components , which on subdivision to individual doses contains the
correct proportions of each component which depends on the
amount of mixing done.
If the two powder components are represented by colored cubes,
then two and third-dimensional representation of the initial
unmixed or completely segregated state shown in this picture first.
Perfect mix or ideal mix is shown where components are as evenly
distributed as possible
Random mix is shown where the probability of selecting a particular
type of particle is the same at all positions in the mix and is equal to
the proportion of such particles in the total mix.
 Types of mixing

Mixing is an important part of pharmaceutical production.

Operations can include dissolving solids and powders, preparing emulsions, combining raw
materials, enabling chemical reactions, and milling active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs),
to name a few.
Efficiency and accuracy are key when in the mixing process to ensure dosage accuracy,
stability, appearance, and texture. There are three types of mixing are-

 Powder mixing or solid mixing

 Liquid mixing or fluid mixing
 Semi solid mixing
Mechanism of solid or powder mixing

In pharmaceutical production when the formulation contains an active ingredient, which is

toxic or is present in a concentration of about 0.5% of the total mass then the mixing of solids
becomes a critically important operation. In order that powders may be mixed, the powder
particles need to move relative to each other.
This powder mixing is generally carried out by one of the following mechanism of their
combination-

 Convective mixing
 Shear mixing
 Diffusive mixing
Convective mixing:

 Convective mixing takes place by transferring relatively the large group of

powder materials from one location to another location of the system by
means of blades or paddles of the equipment. It is also called bulk transport.
 This type of mixing contributes mainly to the macroscopic mixing of powder
mixtures and tends to produce a large degree of mixing fairly quickly
 However this powder mixing does not occur within the group of particles
moving together as a unit and thus in order to achieve a random mix, an
extended mixing time is required.
Shear mixing
This type of mixing takes place when ‘layer’ of material flows over another
‘layer’ resulting in the layers moving at different speeds and therefore
mixing at the layer interface.
occurs when-
 the removal of a mass by convective mixing creates an unstable shear/
slip plane which causes the powder bed to collapse
 the action of the mixer induces velocity gradients within the powder bed
and hence ‘shearing’ of one layer over another

In shear mixing, slip planes are set up within the mass of material
Diffusive mixing

 Diffusive mechanism occurs by random movement of particles within a powder bed and
causes them to change their relative position in relation to one another.
 When a powder bed is forced to move or ow, it will ‘dilate’, (the volume occupied by the bed
will increase). This occurs because the powder particles become less tightly packed and
there is an increase in the air spaces or voids between them.
 So there is the potential for the powder particles to pass through the void spaces created
either under gravitational forces (e.g in a tumbling mixer) or by forced movement (e.g in a
fluidized bed).

 Mixing of individual particles in this way is referred to as diffusive mixing

 This type of mixing contribute to achieve true random mix
 Liquid mixing
Liquid mixing may be divided into following two subgroups-

1.Mixing of liquids and liquids:

a)mixing of two miscible liquids
b) mixing of two immiscible liquids

2.Mixing of liquids and solids:

a)mixing of liquids and soluble solids
b)mixing of liquids and insoluble solids
 Mechanism of
liquid mixing

Bulk
transport Laminar
mixing
Molecular
diffusion
Turbulent
mixing
Bulk transport

Bulk transport is analogous to the convective mixing of powders.

• This refers to the movement of a relatively large portion of material being

mixed from one location to another in a system
• It is made effective by means of paddle, blade or shuffling of system in three
dimensions
• Does not result in efficient mixing. It tends to produce a large degree of mixing
fairly and quickly, but leaves the liquid within the moving material unmixed.
Turbulent mixing

• Turbulent mixing is the result of turbulent fluid flow ( characterized by random

fluctuation of the fluid velocity at any given point in the system)
• The churning flow characteristics of turbulences results in constantly changing
velocities, so the fluid has different instantaneous velocities at different
locations at the same instant in time
• Such temporal and spatial velocity differences produces randomization of fluid
particles that’s why turbulent mixing is highly effective mixing mechanism
• Turbulent flow can be conveniently visualized as a composite of eddies (small
groups of molecules moving together as a unit)
• Turbulent mixing will exhibit streamlined flow in areas near the container
surface leaving small unmixed areas within the eddies.
Laminar mixing

• Flow dominated by viscosity forces is called laminar flow and is characterized

by smooth and parallel line motion of the fluid.
• Applicable for viscous liquid for laminar liquids.
• When two dissimilar liquids are mixed through laminar flow , the shear that
is generated stretches the interface between them.
• In this mechanism , layers fold back upon themselves .thus the number of
layers increases . so, the mixing involves reduction of fluid layer thickness by
producing folding effect. The applied shear stresses between the interfaces
of the 2 dissimilar liquids to be mixed.
Molecular diffusion

• The mixing result from the diffusion of molecules caused by thermal

motion is referred to as molecular diffusion . this mechanism occurs at
molecular level
• This type of mixing occurs whenever there is a concentration gradient
(according to Fick’s law).

In most mixers all four mechanisms will occur, bulk transport and turbulence
arising from the movement of a stirrer or mixer paddle set at a suitable
speed.
Semi solid mixing
Mixing solids with liquids: if the solid is not too coarse , the liquid is not too viscous
and the percentage of solids is not too great, solids can be suspended in liquids by
the use of a propellers or a flat-bladed turbine in a cylindrical container.

Theory of semi solid mixing

Mixing an insoluble powder with a liquid , a number of stages can be observed as the
liquid content is increased

 Pellet and powder state: addition of a small amount of liquid to a bulk of dry
powder causes the solid to ball up and form small pellets. The pellets are
embedded in a matrix of dry powder which has a cushioning effect and makes the
pellets difficult to break up.
 Plastic state- as the liquid content is increased further, the character of the mixture
changes markedly , aggregates of the material adhere, the granular appearance is lost,
the mixture becomes more or less homogenous and of clay like consistency.

 Sticky state- continual incorporation of liquid causes the mixture to attain the sticky state,
the appearance becomes paste – like , the surface is shiny , and the mass adheres to solid
surfaces. The mass flows easily , even under low stresses, but homogeneity is attained
only slowly.

 Liquid state- eventually , the addition of liquid results in a decrease of consistency until a
fluid state is reached . in this state, the mixture flows under its own weight and will drain
off vertical surfaces.
 Segregation (De-mixing)
 Segregation is the opposite effect to mixing and arises
because powder mixes encountered practically are not
composed of mono-sized spherical particles, but contain
particles that differ in size, shape and density. These
variations mean that particles will tend to behave differently
when forced to move and hence, tend to separate.

 Particle size effects:

 Differences in the particle sizes of components of a
formulation are the main cause of segregation in powder
mixes in practice. Smaller particles tend to fall through the
voids between larger particles and Thus move to the bottom
of the mass. This is known as percolation segregation.
 Larger particles will tend to have greater kinetic energy imparted to
them (owing to their larger mass) and therefore move greater
distances than smaller particles before they come to rest.
 This may result in separation of particles of different size; an effect
referred to as trajectory segregation.
 When a material is discharged from a container, very small particles
(‘dust’) in a mix may tend to be ‘blown’ upwards by turbulent air
currents as the mass tumbles, and remain suspended in the air.

 When the mixer is stopped or material discharge is complete, these

particles will sediment and subsequently form a layer on top of the
coarser particles. This is called eluthation segregation and is also
referred to as dusting out or unitization segregation
 Particle density effects:
 If components are of different density, the more dense particles will have a
tendency to move downwards, even if their particle sizes are similar.
 Trajectory segregation may also occur with particles of the same size but different
densities due to their difference in mass.

 Particle shape effects:

 Spherical particles segregate more easily than non-spherical particles irregular or
needle-shaped particles may become interlocked, decreasing the tendency to
segregate once mixing has occurred.
 Non-spherical particles will also have a greater surface area to weight ratio (specific
surface area), which will tend to decrease segregation by increasing any cohesive
effects (greater contact surface area) but will increase the likelihood of dusting out.
Approaches To Minimize Segregation :

1. Improvement of materials property :

 Particular size fraction are selected to achieve same narrow

particle size range.
 Size reduction /milling components to reduce particle size range or
to ensure particle size is below 30 micro gram.
 Control crystallization during production to give drug/excipients of
particular crystal shape or size range
 Excipient having similar density as active ingredients are selected
 Granulation of powder mix (size enlargement) so that large
number of different particles are evenly distributed in each
segregating unit
Granulation to prevent segregation
2. Proper Control of material handling environment conditions
 Reduction of extent of vibration or movement of powder mass after mixing.
 Maintaining humidity.

3. Proper selection of handling material and operational parameters

 Lowering free fall height and employing mass flow bins
 Power residence time minimizing by using filling machine hopper.
 Multi operational equipment can be used without the need of transferring mix.
(eg. fluidized bed dryer or high speed mixer or granulator)
 “Ordered mix ‘’ – also known as adhesive or interactive mixing are to produced.
 Ordered mixing

Ordered mixing : In a mix composed of very small and much larger particles if
the smaller powder is sufficiently small (micronized) then it become adsorbed
onto ‘active sites' on the surface of the larger carrier particle and exhibit a
greater resistance to dislodge.
Two scientists Travers & white first noticed order mixing in 1971 while mixing
micronized sodium bicarbonate with sucrose crystal.
Properties :
 This have effect on minimizing segregation while maintaining good flow
property.
 The phenomenon are referred as ‘ Ordered mixing' as the particles are not
independent of each other and there is a degree to mix.
 If a carrier particle is removed some of adsorbed smaller particle will
also get removed.
 It occur if small particles exist & they have a high specific area so thus
the attracting forces holding the particles to the adsorption site
become greater than the gravitational force trying to separate the
components.

Fig. No-01 (ordered mixing)

Fig. No-02 (ordered mixing)
Importance in Pharmaceuticals

 Order mixing certainty can occur in every pharmaceuticals powder mix

due to interaction and cohesive adhesive forces Between
components.
 Pharmaceutical powder mix are partly random partly ordered
depending on components property.
 Ordered mix can achieve a degree of mixing superior to random mix
which is beneficial to potent drug
 It has importance in direct compression tablet formulation and dry
powder inhaler formulation.
 Segregation in ordered mix
Still segregation may occurs even though ordered mix can reduce segregation
 Size variation of carrier particles – Different size particles have different surface
to weight ratio and amount of adsorbed material per unit will be different. If
different size particles are separated drug rich areas will result where small
carrier particle may congregate ( ordered unit segregation)
 Competition of active site on carrier particle — if another component
competes for active site on the carrier it may dislodge the original absorbed
material which may get segregated (Displacement segregation segregation).
Example – adding lubricate magnesium stearate to tablet formulation
 Insufficient carrier particle— each carrier particle can accommodate a sufficient
amount of adsorbed materials on It’s surface. If excess unabsorbed materials
exists they quickly get separated ( saturation segregation)
 Mixing of
powders

Mixing formulations in which there is a relatively low proportion of active ingredients, a more even
distribution may be obtained by sequentially building up the amount of material in the mixer.

This may be achieved by initially mixing the active components with an

approximately equal volume of diluents

Further amounts of diluent, equal to the amounts of material in the

mixer, can then be added and mixed.

The process being continued until all material has been added.
Continue……

It may be more appropriate to pre blend the active component with a diluent in a
smaller mixer before transferring it to the main mixer.

Care must be taken to ensure that the volume of powder in mixer is appropriate.
As over and under filling may reduce mixing efficiency.

 For overfilling, sufficient bed dilation may not take place for diffusive mixing to
occur to required extent or material may not be able to flow that enables shear
mixing satisfactorily.

 Under filling mean the powder bed does not move in the required manner in
mixer or an increased number of mixing operations may be needed.
Continue……
 The mixer which is used should produce the mixing mechanism. For example:
diffusive mixing is generally preferable if potent drugs are to be mixed, high
shear is needed to break up aggregates of cohered material. The impact or
attrition forces generated if too high shear forces are used may damage
fragile material and produce fines.
 The mixer design should be
 Dust tight,
 Can be easily cleaned
 Products can be fully discharged. these reduce the risk of cross
contamination between batches and protect operation from product.
Continue……
 To determine an appropriate mixing time, the process should be
checked by removing and analyzing representative samples after
differentiate mixing intervals. This may indicate if segregation is occurring
within the mixer and problems could occur if the mixing time is
extended.

 When particles rub each other they can move within the mixer, static
changes will be produced. These results in ‘clumping’ and a reduction in
diffusive mixing and cause material to adhere to machine. To avoid this,
mixer should be earthed to dissipate the static charge and process should
be carried out at relative humidity greater than approximately 40%.
 Classification of several mixing equipment
Serial Type of mixing Name of the Uses
no mixer
1. Liquid –liquid mixing • Shaker mixers • Used in the preparation of
• Propeller mixers emulsions, antacid suspensions, mixtures such
• Paddle mixers as anti- diarrhoeal bismuth-kaolin mixtures
etc.
• Turbine mixers
• Sonic and ultrasonic • Rapisonic homonizer is particularly used in
devices such as the mixing of immiscible liquids i.e,
Rapisonic homonizer preparation of emulsions

2. Solid – solid • Agitator mixers

mixing • Tumbling mixers
• Double cone mixers Used for mixing of dry powders
• V-blenders

3. Semi-solid • Agitator mixers like • These mixers are used for wet
mixing sigma mixers and granulation process in the
planetary mixers manufacture of tablets, in the
• Shear mixers like production of ointments.
colloidal mills and • Sigma mixers can also be used for
triple roller mills solid –solid mixing
Mixing vessels
All of the mixers used in solid, liquid and semi solid mixing consists of a
container ( tank ) and a mixing device termed as mixing vessels.
The general construction of the mixing vessels-
 Impeller , a mixing device, mounted with the help of a shaft , which is
driven by a motor.
 The tank is made up of stainless steel, the top of the tank may be open
or closed.
 The size of the tank depends on the nature of agitation method
 The tank bottom is round (not flat) to eliminate sharp corners into
which the fluid can accumulate
 It also carries on outlet , coils, jacket, temperature measuring device
etc. wherever necessary
 There are different types od powder mixing
equipment to mix powders

Powder mixing
equipment

High speed Agitator

Tumbling mixer mixers
mixers/benders granulators

Fluidized
bed mixers
 Tumbling mixers/blenders
 In this type of mixer, movement of whole mixer is responsible for mixing action of solid.
 Tumbling mixers are commonly used for mixing or blending granules or free flowing powders.
There are many designs of tumbling mixer, e.g.

-Double cone,
-Twin shell,
-Y cone and
-Drum mixers.
Working principles
 The main principles of tumbling mixers are mainly bulk transport and shear forces.
 The material to be mixed is loaded into mixing vessels which is rotated at low speed
by electric motor.
 Due to slow of rotation the powder is raised along the sides of the vessels until the
angle of repose is exceeded.
 The powder then tumbles down and mixing of compound occurs.
 The rotation of vessel is important in this case.
 If the speed of rotation is too slow, it will cause sliding only, so proper mixing will
not occurs.
 If it is rotated at high speed, the material will adhere to the walls due to centrifugal
force.
 The optimum speed required 30-100 rmp.
 Continue…….
 Mixing mostly occurs by convective mechanism.
 Shear mixing will occur as a velocity gradient is produced, ( the top layer moving with high
velocity and the velocity decreased as the distance from the surface increased).
 When the bed tumbles it dilates, allowing the particles to move downward under gravitational
force, so diffusive mixing occurs.
 Addition of ‘prongs’, baffles or rotating bars will cause convective mixing.
 The product mixing rate will depend in the mixer geometry and rotation speed.
Advantages:
I. If fragile granule are to be blended, it is suitable to because of minimum attrition.
II. They handle large capacity. Tumbling mixers are available to mix from approximately 50g to over
100kg at a production scale.
III. Easy to clean, load or reload.
IV. Require minimum maintenance.
V. Used in blending of lubricants, glidants or external disintegrants with granule prior to tableting.

Disadvantages:
VI. Less effective for cohesive/poor flowing powder, because shear forces generated are usually
insufficient to brake up any aggregates.
VII. The process is often slow in ordered mixes because of cohesiveness of the absorbing particles.
VIII. Care should be needed if there are differences in particle size.
 High Speed Mixer-granulator
It is so called because mixing mainly occurs by shear mixing mechanism and
at same time granulation is carried out

Construction:
 It consist of a vessel having propeller with long blades
 The clearance (distance b/w propeller blades and walls of vessel) is low.
 There is a closing lid that closes the vessel after material to be mixed is
added.
 For introduction of material/granulating agent funnel is used.
 For the purposes of granulation a chopper is present on side wall
 Working Principle:

The material is to mixed id introduced to the mixer.

The centrally mounted propeller blade at the bottom of the mixer rotates at high speed, throwing
material towards the mixture bowl wall by centrifugal force.

The material is then forced upward before dropping back down towards the Centre of the mixer.

The particulate movement within the bowl tends to mix the components quickly owing to high shear
forces (arising from the high velocity) and expansion in the bed volume that allows diffusive mixing

After mixing the granulating agent (water or alcohol) is then added through funnel.

It will produce wet mass that will go to the side wall of mixer because of propeller.

On sides, chopper with vertical, short and sharp blades, is present that is rotating at speed higher than that
of the propeller and will broke the wet mass so as to produce granules.
Advantages:
 Can be used for both wet and dry mixing
 For granulation purposes

Disadvantage:
 Materials being mixed can fracture easily due to high speed
movement
 Cannot be used for blending lubricants
Fluidized bed mixing
Fluidized bed granulator is one of the commonly used processing equipment in the
pharmaceutical industry. It is a multi-purpose equipment in that mixing , granulation and drying
are all carried out in the same equipment .

Principle
The air movement is used for mixing powders . Air is admitted at its base at an angle which gives
tumbling action and spiral movements to the powder . Thus mixing is achieved .

Parts of fluidized bed granulator

The main parts of any fluidized bed granulator which may have different design options ,
following the direction of fluidization gas flow includes :
 Gas plenum ( gas inlet chamber ) which screws as the receiver for inlet fluidization air .
 Gas distribution .
 Product container .
 An expanded chamber containing a set of filter bag in the
expansion chamber .
 Binders spray system which is usually characterized by one of
four nozzle designs .

Advantages of fluidized bed mixer :

 Reduce mixing time
 Mixing is intimate and efficient
 Useful for drying and wet massing
 Also useful for coating with some modifications .

Fluidized mixer
 Agitator Mixer
 Agitator mixer depends on the motion of a blade or paddle through
the product, and hence the main mixing mechanism is convection.

 Well known mixer of this type include the following:

1. The ribbon blender/mixer
2. Planetary mixer
3. Nauta mixer
 Ribbon Mixture
 In this mixer , mixing is achieved by the
rotation of two helical blades in a
hemispherical trough.
 Blades have both right & left hand twists.
 Connected to fixed speed drive.
 It can be loaded by top and emptying
is done through bottom port
 Working Principle:

 Shear is transferred by moving blades. High shear rates are effective in breaking
lumps and aggregates.
 Convective mixing also occurs as the powder bed is lifted and allowed to
cascade to the bottom of the container. an equilibrium state of mixing can be
achieved.

Uses
 Finely divided solids, wet solid mass and plastic solid.
 Uniform size and density materials can be easily mixed.
 Used for solid-solid and liquid-solid mixing.
Advantages
 High shear can be applied by using perforated baffles, which bring
about a rubbing and breakdown of aggregates.
 Headroom requires less space.

Disadvantages
 It is poor mixer, because movement of particles is two dimensional.
 Shearing action is less than in planetary mixer.
 It has fixed speed drive.
 Dead spots are observed in the mixer
 Not suitable for fragile crystals and sensitive materials.
 Planetary Mixer
The name “planetary mixer” comes from the system used in the
equipment that mixes the dough in the planets rotation direction.
It consists of
 Vertical cylinder shell for ingredients placement which can be
removed.
 Mixing element (whisk, hook, flat beater, scrapper)
 A rod that rotates in its own axis and also moves forward .
 The blade is mounted from the top of the bowl.
 Mixing shaft is driven by planetary gear and it is
normally built with variable speed drive.
Planetary Mixer
 Principle
Mechanism of mixing is shear. Shear is applied between moving blade and stationary
wall.

Mixing arm moves around its own axis and around the central axis so that it reaches
every spot of the vessel.

The plates in the blades are sloped so that powder makes an upward movement to
achieved tumbling action also.

Uses
 Break down agglomerates rapidly.
 Low speeds are used for dry blending and fast for wet granulation.
Advantages
 Speed of rotation can be varied at will.
 Avoid dead zones and vortex formation.
 More useful for wet granulation process.

Disadvantages
 Mechanical heat is buildup within the powder mix.
 It requires high power.
 It has limited size and is useful for batch work only.
 Nauta Mixer
It is a vertical screw mixer Originally designed as a powder and semi-solid mixer but now-a-days
also used as a mixer- granulator.

Construction
 It consists of conical vessel fitted at the base with a rotating screw, which is fastened to the end
of rotating arm.
 Accessory equipment's include,
i) Lump breaker, attached at the bottom of the conical chamber
ii)Temperature monitor
iii) A nuclear non-contact density gauge
iv)Infrared moisture analyzer
v)Sampling system
 Working principle

Material is added (powder to be mixed, liquid granulating agent)

The screw is moving in a planetary motion and also lifting the material to be
blended from bottom to the near the top, where it cascades backs into the
mass.

Thus imparts 3 dimensional mixing.

The mixer thus combine-

 Convective mixing.
 Shear. Nauta Mixer

 Diffusive mixing
Advantages
When compared to horizontal blenders this design has several advantages-
 The blending action of the slow turning screw is far gentler than that taking
place within the horizontal blenders.
 Since the active blending volume at any given time is a lot lesser than the
horizontal blenders, it results in a lower power requirement.
 The large handling capacity coupled with low power requirement makes it one
of most effective and efficient Blender within the family.
 Mixers for miscible liquids and
suspensions
 Mobile liquids with a low viscosity are easily mixed with each other.
Similarly, solid particles are readily suspended in mobile liquids though the
particles are likely to settle rapidly when mixing is discontinued. Viscous
liquids are more difficult to stir and mix but they reduce the sedimentation
rate of suspended particle.
 Liquids are mixed usually by impellers, which produce shear forces for
inducing the necessary flow pattern in the mixing container.

Impeller

Propeller Turbine
 PROPELLER MIXER
 Consists of angle blades attached at the end
of the shaft, rotated by means of motor.
 Any number of blades may be used but three
blades design is most common.
 Propeller is quiet small as compare to size of
vessel (ratio of diameter between propeller
and container is 1:20)but its operational speed
8000 rpm compensate for the size and produce
efficient mixing in case of low viscosity fluids.

PROPELLER MIXER
 Working principle

The material to be mixed is taken in a vessel & the propeller bearing shaft is inserted.

The angle blades of the propeller cause circulation of the liquid in both axial and radial
direction ensuring good bulk transport but low shearing force.

The propeller may be installed in a number of ways.

The centrally mounted vertical propeller is however not considered good as it produces
vortex.

Example
 Multivitamin elixirs, disinfectant solutions are prepared using propellers.
 Advantages
 Used when high mixing capacity is required.
 Effective for liquids which have maximum viscosity of 2.0 pascals- Sec or
slurries up to 10% solids of fine mesh size.
 Effective gas-liquid dispersion is possible at laboratory scale.

Disadvantages
 Propellers are not normally effective with liquids of viscosity greater than 5
pascal-sec, such as glycerin, castor oil etc.
 The centrally mounted vertical propeller produces vortex.
Vortex

 Vortex is a powerful circular moving mass of

water or wind that can draw object into its
hollow which may result in air entrapped
and bubbles formation.
 If a low viscosity liquid is stirred in an
un-baffled tank by an axially mounted agitator,
tangential flow follows a circular path around the
shaft and a swirling flow pattern is developed is
called vortex.
Vortex
 How is it formed ??

In an un-baffled tank, a vortex is produced

due to the centrifugal force on the rotating
liquid. This creates a swirling motion in the
liquid & the surface tends to go upward near
the vessel rim & downward near the shaft.
So a V-shaped surface is formed which is the
vortex.
Reasons
 If the shaft is placed symmetrically in the tank.
 If the blades of the turbines are arranged perpendicular to the central shaft.
 At high impeller speeds.
 In un-baffled tank.

Prevention
1.Impeller should be in any one of the following positions that can avoid symmetry such as:
off central
inclined
side entering
and should be deep in liquid.
2.Baffled containers should be used. In such case impeller can be mounted vertically at the
center.
3.Pull Push Propeller
 Two or more propeller of opposite angles
or pitch are mounted on the same shaft
so that the rotary effects are in opposite
direction, cancel each other effect. So
vortex will not produced.
 The bottom impeller is placed about one
impeller diameter above the bottom of
the tank. It creates zone of high turbulence.
Fig: pull push
propeller
 Turbine mixer
Construction:
 A turbine consists of a circular disc impeller to which a number of short vertical
blades are attached . Blades may be straight or curved .
 The blades are surrounded by perforated inner and outer diffusing rings .
 The diameter of the turbine ranges from 30 – 50 % of the diameter of the
vessel .

Working principle:
• Used in similar manner as t6hat of impeller , however it is rotated at somewhat
small speed than impeller ( 50 – 200 rpm ) .

• Flat blade turbines produce radial and tangential flow but as the speed
increases radial flow dominates . Pitched blade turbine produces axial flow .
 Near the impeller zone of rapid currents , high turbulence and internal shear is observed .

Shear produced by turbines can be further enhanced using a diffuser ring ( stationary perforated
ring which surrounds the turbine ) .

Diffuser ring increase the shear forces and liquid passes through the perforations reducing
rotational swirling and vortexing .

Advantages
• Turbines give greater shearing forces than propellers though the pumping rate is low . Therefore
suitable for emulsification .
• Effective for high viscous solutions with a wide range of viscosities up to 7.0 pascal-second .
• They can handle slurries with 60% solids .
• Turbines are suitable for liquids of large volume and high viscosity , if the tank is baffled .
Mixing of semi-solids
The problems that arise during the mixing of semisolids (ointments and pastes) stem from
the fact that, unlike liquids, semi-solids will not ow easily. Material that finds its way to a
‘dead spot’ will remain there. For this reason, suitable mixers must have rotating elements
with narrow clearances between themselves and the mixing vessel wall, and they must
produce a high degree of shear mixing since diffusion mixing cannot occur.

Mixers for semi-

solids

Planetary mixer Triple roller

(already explained)
mill
Sigma bade
mixer
 Sigma-blade/Arm Mixer
 Used for semi-solid of plastic consistency

Principle:
 Shear (Inter meshing of sigma blades creates high shear and kneading action.

Construction and working-

1. It consists of double tough shaped stationary bowl.
2. Two sigma shaped blades are fitted horizontally in each trough of the bowl.
3. These blades have very low clearance and are connected to a fixed speed
drive. Sigma-blade/Arm Mixer
4. Mixer is loaded from top and unloaded by tilting the entire bowl.
Sigma-blade/Arm Mixer
5. The material also moves top to downwards and gets sheared between the blades and
the wall of the tough resulting cascading action.
6. Perforated blades can be used to break lumps and aggregates which create high shear
forces.
7. The final stage of mix represents an equilibrium state
8. The final stage of mix represents an equilibrium state.

Uses-
 Used in the wet granulation process in the manufacture of tablets, pill masses and
ointments.
 It is primarily used for liquid-solid mixing, although it can be used for solid-solid mixing.
 This mixer is well suited to high viscosity materials like grease, putty, toffee and bubble
gum.
Sigma-blade/Arm
Mixer
 With its strong construction and high power, the sigma blade mixer can handle the
heaviest plastic materials and products like tablet granules, and ointments that are
mixed readily.
 Sigma blade mixer is used in chemical and pharmaceutical industries, to make food
products, adhesives, rubber.

Advantages:
1. Sigma blade mixer creates a minimum dead space during mixing.
2. It has close tolerances between the blades and the sidewalls as well as bottom of the
mixer shell.
Disadvantages:
3. Sigma blade mixer works at a fixed speed.
4. Problems of entrainment of the air and therefore lead to decomposition of oxidisable
materials.
 Triple Roller Mill
Principle-
 High shear, which causes crushing to aggregates, particles and
also distributes the drug uniformity throughout the semi solid
base. It consists of 3 parallel rollers of equal diameters made up of
stainless steel.
 These are mounted on rigid frame work horizontally
 The gap between the first 2 rollers is more than that of the gap
between the last two
 A hopper is placed in between the first two rollers
 A scrapper is attached to the last roller
 First roller rotates at lower speed compared to the 2nd similarly 2nd
roller speed is less than the 3ed roller. Triple roller mill
Advantages Of Triple Roller Mill

From the small to the large batch- three roll mills are ideally suited for
processing the smallest and also very large quantities.
• Excellent temperature control – three roll mills enable excellent
control of the product temperature ,since the product is processed
as a thin film on the roller. this way, the product can be warmed or
cooled off depending on requirements
• Avoid contamination- it is possible to avoid product contamination
due to metal abrasion.
• Extremely uniform dispersion is obtained
• Low material loss
• Easy cleaning Triple roller mill
References:

Aulton's
Pharmaceutics_ The Design and Manufacture of Medicines (
PDFDrive ).pdf
https://slideplayer.com/slide/14220920/
https://www.slideshare.net/amjadanwar77/mixing-9185556
8
https://www.slideshare.net/annisahayatunnufus/power-
point-mixing-pharmaceutical-engineering
Thank you…..
stay safe