Instrumentation of a Vertical High Shear Mixer with a Motor Slip Monitoring Device

Abstract

The main impeller shaft of a vertical high shear mixer was instrumented with a device which measures motor slip and displays its output in percent horsepower. Response was proportional to mixer load. A warm-up period was required to minimize variability in output. High speed impeller operation showed more consistency in response than low speed impeller operation. During the granulation process of the different test systems, a typical response profile showed a change in percent horsepower as the binder solution was added followed by a plateauing at about the proposed optimum mixing time. Additional studies to correlate this observation with granulation physical and compression characteristics are necessary