Side entry mixing in

Edible Oil

GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE X PROCESS EQUIPMENT X DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Good Mixing = Not Just the Mixer!

The Process
Vessel Result is the
combination of
Vessel, Mixer
and Process
design working
together.

Process Mixer

Mixing Goal: To achieve a “Desired Process Result”

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 6
Mixing – Often a Visual Observation

Portable Mixer Mixing Paint

But you can’t judge results

simply by observing surface
motion. Our purpose is to
quantify mixing and make
decisions based on
engineering relationships
and measurements.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 7
What is Application Engineering for Mixing?

Having an assortment of impellers is only the start…..you need to

know how to use them properly.
Being able to break down the application into the fundamental mixing
processes is key (i.e. liquid-liquid blending, solid-liquid mixing, gas-
liquid-solid mass transfer).
Application engineering is 50% sizing rules and 50% using your brain
/ experience
υ 0.1d 0.2 X 0.13 ( g∆ρ / ρ) 0.45
N JS = s
D 0.85

+ =

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Mixing Processes

Regardless of the market or process, there are five basic

mixing processes.
• LIQUID – SOLID (Hydrogenation – nickel catalyst with oil)
• LIQUID – GAS (Hydrogenation – dispersing H2 in Oil)
• LIQUID – LIQUID (miscible liquids e.g. Blending RBDPO,
RBDPOlein, RBDPStearin
• LIQUID – LIQUID (immiscible liquids e.g. oil/water or salad
dressing)
• FLUID MOTION (Oil Storage)
Each mixing process can be carried out on either a
physical basis or chemical basis.
Often an application is a combination of several basic
processes with one being the limiting factor.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 10
Power, Flow and Head

P∝ QH
All the power goes to
Flow
and Head (Shear, Pressure)

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Application vs. Requirement

HIGH FLOW
FLOCCULATION
HEAT TRANSFER
SOLID SUSPENSION
BLENDING
SOLID DISSOLVING
GAS-LIQUID CONTACTING
LIQUID-LIQUID CONTACTING
SOLID DISPERSION
HIGH SHEAR

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Impellers Pre-1960

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 14
Current Impeller Spectrum

A6000
Flow
A310
A510
A200

C100
C110
A320 Shear

A315

R100

R500

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 15
Evolution of Blending Impeller Technology

Pitch Bladed Turbine

1960’s Hydrofoil Family
1980’s into 1990’s

Flat Bladed Turbine Natural progression towards more efficient impellers

and Marine Propeller
(Pre 1950) More efficiency = lower capital and operating costs
• more profit for your Customer
Development of impeller technology occurred
through laboratory testing.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL May 15, 2015 16

A310 & A312 Hydrofoil –Flow Number & Power Number

A310 A312
May 15, 2015 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
 Power, Flow & Head

P∝ QH
All the power generated by the mixer goes to Flow and Head (Shear, Pressure)

Flow Controlled Applications: Blending & Solid Suspension

• Mixer power is directed to produce the greatest amount of flow for least amount of
power

Where,
P is Shaft Power, Q is Flow, H is Head

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 18
 Important Fluid Mixing Relationships

P ∝Q⋅H
P∝N ⋅D 3 5

Q∝ N⋅D 3

Where,
P is Shaft Power, Q is Flow, H is Head, N is Rotational Speed,
D is Impeller Diameter

Understand the effects of changing diameter and speed

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 19
Impeller Power Draw

P ∝ N ⋅ D ⋅ N P ⋅ TF 3 5

P = Shaft power draw

N = Impeller rotational speed
D = Impeller diameter
Np = Dimensionless Power Number for impeller
TF = SG * PF * VF
SG = Specific Gravity of fluid mixture
PF = Proximity Factor
VF = Viscosity Factor

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 20
Determining Power Numbers

Power Number, NP
• Measure impeller torque
under controlled mixing
conditions
• Measuring motor current
and/or power is not
recommended for
determining power
numbers.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 21
 Impeller Flow

Q = Nq ⋅ N ⋅ D 3

Q = Primary Impeller flow (gpm)

Nq = dimensionless Flow Number
N = impeller rotational speed (rpm)
D = impeller diameter (inches)

• This is the primary pumping capacity of the impeller

• Increasing Impeller Diameter is effective at increasing flow in the tank and improving blend
time.
• Primary flow and Total Flow are not the same thing

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 22
Laser Doppler Velocimeter

Laser Doppler techniques can be used to

determine the flow characteristics for any
impeller and determine Flow Number Nq

Laser Scan vectors for Lightnin A200 and

A310 Impellers

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 23
Determining Power Numbers

Flow Number, Nq
• Measure velocity
exiting impeller under
controlled mixing
conditions
• Integrate results
across impeller area to
yield primary flow and
thus flow number
.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 24
Impeller Outlet Velocity

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Determining Flow and Power Numbers

Power Number
• Measure impeller torque under
controlled mixing conditions
Water, 1D off Bottom, 2D
Coverage, Fully Baffled Vertical
On Center Mounting
Flow Number
• Measure velocity exiting
impeller under controlled mixing
conditions (same as above)
• Integrate results across impeller
area to yield primary flow and
thus flow number

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 26
Basic Flow Patterns

Tangential

Radial
Axial

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Axial Flow Pattern (On Paper)

Return Flow:
Flow drawn back in to
the impeller.
A310

Entrained Flow:
Primary Flow: Flow produced by the
Flow produced directly circulation pattern.
by the impeller.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 29
Define the Application

Starts with knowing all the facts:

• Tank Details (baffles, inlets, outlets, range of volumes)
• Physical properties of materials to be mixed
Viscosity, Specific Gravity, Weight/Volume Percents of Ingredients,
presence of solids (particle size distribution)
• What is the goal (i.e. what is the desired process result).
Qualitative – Looks good
Quantitative - Level of uniformity (Coefficient of Variation)
Quantitative – Blend Time (How long does is take to blend)?
Proprietary tests (how does an adhesive bond afterwords, how does
a paint cover the wall, etc.)
• Evaluation of Existing Mixer
Model, impeller(s) style and size and locations, operating speed,
etc.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Development of Current A312 Design

The A100 was the first impeller technology for side entry
applications.
In the mid-1980s, the A310 impeller was put into side
entry service in order to provide a more efficient means
of side entry agitation.
The A310 had short comings as a side entry impeller due
to its low solidity ratio.
This feedback lead to the development of the A312.

A100 A310 A312

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Side Entry Impeller Evolution

New Technology
Old Technology

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
A312 Features

Specifically designed for Side Entry

Mixing in LIGHTNIN's Laser Lab
Standard SE Impeller
Robust Construction
High Flow
Low Power
Bolted Blades (three)
Variable Pitch

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Evolution of Impeller Technology

Pitch Bladed Turbine

1960’s Hydrofoil Family
1980’s into 1990’s

Flat Bladed Turbine Natural progression towards more efficient impellers

and Marine Propeller
(Pre 1950) More efficiency = lower capital and operating costs
• more profit for your Customer
Development of impeller technology occurred
through laboratory testing.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL May 15, 2015 38

Side Entry

A312 Impeller

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Typical Mounting Arrangements

Low Viscosity Blending and Petroleum

• Use 7-10 degrees left of center
• If solids are present, use 10 degrees
or consider swivel design (Plenty
only)
• If more than one unit is required (due
to power), keep installed in same
quadrant so all “work together” as one
larger unit
Pulp and Paper mounted on center
with no angle since pulp doesn’t swirl
easily if consistency is greater than
2.5 %OD
FGD is angled downward towards the
tank floor to aid in solids suspension.
Multiple units are typically required to
yield desired process result.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Impeller Location Off Bottom

Off Wall Distance (A) should be

0.5 impeller diameter or greater.
Closer than this will cause the flow
behind the impeller to “throttle.”

Blade Clearance from floor (B) should

be 9” (12” max., 6” min.). Closer to the
A floor leads to throttling of the impeller.
Farther from the floor leads to an inefficient
flow pattern

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Impact of Improper Impeller Location

Ideal Installation Impeller to

close to wall
Result: Ideal
Flow Pattern Result: Flow
Throttled

Impeller to Impeller to
close to floor far from floor

Result: Flow Result:

Throttled Inefficient
Flow Pattern

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Side Entry Mechanical Design Loads

Fluid Forces Create a Bending Moment

For Side Entry, the Shaft and Impeller Weight Add to the Bending
Moment
Stress, Thrust, Torque and Vibration Frequency are all Considered
Must consider shaft deflection and impact on seal / stuffing box
operation
Pulp and Paper / FGD Applications Require Additional Consideration

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Shutoff

This is a device designed to seal the tank prior to

performing maintenance on the mixer, without having to
drain the contents of the vessel.

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Lightnin Model LSS-400

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