Application Case of High - Shear Mixer Emulsifier in Industrial Production
1. Background Introduction
In the field of industrial manufacturing, especially in industries such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and coatings, the uniform mixing and stable emulsification of materials are crucial links that directly affect the quality, performance, and production efficiency of final products. Traditional mixing equipment often struggles to meet the increasingly high requirements for material fineness, uniformity, and production efficiency due to limitations in structural design and working principles.
High - shear mixer emulsifiers, as advanced mixing and emulsifying equipment, have gradually become a core tool in modern industrial production. By virtue of their unique high - speed shearing, stirring, and emulsifying capabilities, they can effectively break down material particles, promote the full integration of different components, and form stable emulsified systems. This case focuses on the application process and practical effects of a high - shear mixer emulsifier in solving the material mixing and emulsification problems of an industrial enterprise, providing a reference for similar enterprises facing related challenges.
2. Challenge Before Using the Equipment
Before introducing the high - shear mixer emulsifier, the enterprise encountered a series of intractable problems in the material mixing and emulsification process, which seriously restricted the development of its production and business.
In terms of product quality, the enterprise mainly produced liquid products that required multi - component mixing and emulsification. Due to the use of traditional paddle mixers, the mixing of materials was uneven. After sampling and testing, it was found that the particle size distribution of the product was wide, with the average particle size reaching 50 - 80 μm, and there were obvious agglomeration phenomena in some parts. This directly led to unstable product performance. For example, in the storage process of cosmetic products, layering occurred after 1 - 2 months, and the effective component content in different parts of the product varied by 15% - 20%, resulting in frequent complaints from customers and a decline in the market reputation of the enterprise.
In terms of production efficiency, the traditional mixing equipment had a slow mixing speed. It took 4 - 6 hours to complete the mixing and emulsification of a batch of materials (with a batch volume of 500L), and the equipment could only process 2 - 3 batches of materials every day. Moreover, after the mixing was completed, it was necessary to carry out secondary filtration and refinement of the product to remove agglomerated particles, which added an additional 1 - 2 hours of processing time per batch. The low production efficiency made it difficult for the enterprise to meet the increasing market demand. There were even cases where the enterprise failed to deliver goods on time due to insufficient production capacity, resulting in the loss of some important orders.
In terms of cost control, the uneven mixing of materials led to a high rate of defective products. The defective rate of the product was as high as 8% - 10%, which meant that 80 - 100L of raw materials were wasted for every 1000L of materials processed. At the same time, the traditional equipment required 2 - 3 operators to operate and monitor during the operation process, and the labor cost was relatively high. In addition, due to the long working time of the equipment, the energy consumption was also large. The monthly electricity consumption for the mixing process alone reached 8,000 - 10,000 kWh, which brought a heavy cost burden to the enterprise.
3. The Introduction of High - Shear Mixer Emulsifier
In order to solve the above problems, the enterprise conducted in - depth research on various mixing and emulsifying equipment on the market and finally decided to introduce a high - shear mixer emulsifier. This equipment adopts advanced structural design and working principle, which has significant advantages in solving material mixing and emulsification problems.
In terms of working principle, the high - shear mixer emulsifier mainly relies on the high - speed rotation of the rotor (with a rotating speed of up to 3,000 - 15,000 rpm) to generate a strong shearing force. When the material enters the working chamber between the rotor and the stator, it is subjected to multiple forces such as shearing, collision, centrifugation, and turbulence. The high - speed rotating rotor breaks the large particles and agglomerates in the material into small particles, and the stator with a special structure further refines the particles and promotes the uniform distribution of the material. At the same time, the equipment can also realize the emulsification of oil - water and other immiscible materials, forming a stable oil - in - water or water - in - oil emulsified system.
In terms of key technical parameters and characteristics, the equipment has a mixing capacity of 100 - 1,000L per batch, which is compatible with the enterprise's production scale. The shear gap between the rotor and the stator can be adjusted (adjustable range of 0.1 - 0.5 mm), which can meet the mixing and emulsification requirements of different materials. In addition, the equipment is equipped with an intelligent control system, which can realize the precise control of parameters such as rotating speed, mixing time, and temperature. Operators can set the corresponding parameters according to the characteristics of the material, and the equipment can automatically complete the mixing and emulsification process, reducing the impact of human factors on the production process.
The equipment is also designed with a closed working chamber, which can effectively prevent the pollution of materials by external impurities and ensure the hygiene and safety of the product, which is particularly important for enterprises in the food and pharmaceutical industries. At the same time, the inner wall of the working chamber is polished smoothly, which is easy to clean and can avoid the residue of materials, reducing the cross - contamination between different batches of products.
4. Application Process in the Project
The application of the high - shear mixer emulsifier in the enterprise's production process mainly includes the stages of installation and commissioning, process parameter setting, daily operation, and maintenance.
In the installation and commissioning stage, the equipment supplier sent professional technical personnel to the enterprise's production site to carry out the installation of the equipment. Before installation, the technical personnel first checked the site environment, including the bearing capacity of the ground, the supply of water and electricity, and the space for equipment operation, to ensure that the site meets the installation requirements of the equipment. During the installation process, the technical personnel strictly followed the installation instructions and specifications to ensure the accurate installation of each component of the equipment. After the installation was completed, the technical personnel conducted a comprehensive commissioning of the equipment. They tested the rotation of the rotor, the accuracy of the control system, the tightness of the working chamber, and other aspects. At the same time, they carried out a trial run with actual materials. According to the trial run results, they adjusted the parameters such as the rotating speed and shear gap of the equipment to ensure that the equipment could operate normally and meet the production requirements of the enterprise. The entire installation and commissioning process took 3 - 4 days, and the enterprise's operators were also trained by the technical personnel during this period, including the operation method of the equipment, the setting of parameters, and the handling of common faults.
In the process parameter setting stage, the enterprise's technical personnel, together with the equipment supplier's technical personnel, conducted a large number of experiments according to the characteristics of different products. For example, for a certain type of cosmetic emulsion product, they tested different rotating speeds (from 5,000 rpm to 12,000 rpm) and mixing times (from 30 minutes to 2 hours). By detecting the particle size distribution, stability, and other indicators of the product after mixing, they finally determined the optimal process parameters: the rotating speed was set to 8,000 rpm, the mixing time was 1 hour, and the shear gap was 0.2 mm. For different products, the parameters were adjusted accordingly. For example, for a pharmaceutical suspension product with higher requirements for particle fineness, the rotating speed was increased to 10,000 rpm, the mixing time was extended to 1.5 hours, and the shear gap was adjusted to 0.15 mm.
In the daily operation stage, the operators of the enterprise strictly followed the set process parameters and operating procedures to operate the equipment. Before starting the equipment every day, the operators first checked the equipment, including checking whether the rotor and stator are worn, whether the electrical system is normal, and whether the lubricating oil is sufficient. After confirming that there is no problem, they added the materials into the working chamber of the equipment in a certain order (usually adding the continuous phase first, then the disperse phase). Then, they started the equipment through the intelligent control system, and the equipment automatically completed the mixing and emulsification process according to the set parameters. During the operation of the equipment, the operators monitored the operation status of the equipment in real - time, including the temperature, pressure, and rotating speed of the equipment, and recorded the relevant data. After the mixing and emulsification process was completed, the operators discharged the product from the working chamber and cleaned the equipment in time to prepare for the next batch of production. The equipment is used 8 - 10 hours a day, and can process 6 - 8 batches of materials.
In the maintenance stage, the enterprise formulated a detailed maintenance plan for the high - shear mixer emulsifier. The daily maintenance mainly includes cleaning the equipment, checking the tightness of the connections, and adding lubricating oil. The weekly maintenance includes checking the wear of the rotor and stator, testing the accuracy of the control system, and cleaning the filter. The monthly maintenance includes disassembling the rotor and stator for thorough cleaning and inspection, checking the operation status of the motor, and calibrating the sensors. Through regular maintenance, the equipment has maintained a good operating state, and the failure rate has been kept below 1% in the past year.
5. The Results after Using the Equipment
After using the high - shear mixer emulsifier for half a year, the enterprise has achieved significant improvements in product quality, production efficiency, and cost control, and the expected application effects have been fully realized.
5.1 Quality Improvement
The improvement in product quality is the most obvious effect brought by the high - shear mixer emulsifier. Through sampling and testing, it is found that the particle size distribution of the product has been significantly optimized. The average particle size of the product has been reduced from the original 50 - 80 μm to 5 - 10 μm, and the particle size distribution range has been narrowed, with the uniformity reaching more than 95%. The agglomeration phenomenon in the product has been completely eliminated, and the product has good transparency and gloss.
In terms of product stability, the enterprise conducted a storage test on the product. After storing the product at room temperature for 6 months, there was no layering or precipitation phenomenon, and the effective component content in different parts of the product varied by less than 3%, which was far lower than the original 15% - 20%. The quality stability of the product has been greatly improved, and the number of customer complaints related to product quality has decreased by more than 90% compared with before. At the same time, the product has passed the relevant industry quality certification more easily, and the market acceptance and competitiveness of the product have been significantly enhanced.
5.2 Efficiency Increase
The use of the high - shear mixer emulsifier has also brought a qualitative leap in production efficiency. The time required to complete the mixing and emulsification of a batch of materials (500L) has been reduced from the original 4 - 6 hours to 1 - 1.5 hours, and the secondary filtration and refinement process has been omitted. The production time per batch has been shortened by more than 70%.
In terms of daily production capacity, the equipment can process 6 - 8 batches of materials every day, which is 2 - 3 times the original production capacity. In the past, the enterprise could only produce 1,000 - 1,500L of products per day, but now it can produce 3,000 - 4,000L of products per day. The significant improvement in production capacity has enabled the enterprise to easily meet the market demand, and there has been no case of delayed delivery due to insufficient production capacity. At the same time, the enterprise can also accept more orders, and the sales volume has increased by 30% - 40% compared with before.
5.3 Cost - saving Analysis
The improvement in product quality and production efficiency has also brought significant cost - saving effects to the enterprise. In terms of raw material cost, the defective rate of the product has been reduced from 8% - 10% to less than 1%. For every 1000L of materials processed, the raw material waste has been reduced from 80 - 100L to less than 10L. Based on the monthly processing capacity of 80,000 - 100,000L of materials, the enterprise can save 5,600 - 9,000L of raw materials every month. Calculated at the average raw material cost of 10 yuan/L, the enterprise can save 56,000 - 90,000 yuan in raw material costs every month.
In terms of labor cost, the traditional mixing equipment required 2 - 3 operators per shift, but the high - shear mixer emulsifier is equipped with an intelligent control system, and only 1 operator is needed to monitor the operation of the equipment per shift. The enterprise has 2 shifts per day, so the number of operators required for the mixing process has been reduced from 4 - 6 to 2. Based on the average monthly salary of 5,000 yuan per operator, the enterprise can save 10,000 - 20,000 yuan in labor costs every month.
In terms of energy cost, although the high - shear mixer emulsifier has a high rotating speed, its working time is greatly shortened. The monthly electricity consumption for the mixing process has been reduced from 8,000 - 10,000 kWh to 3,000 - 4,000 kWh, with a monthly energy cost saving of 3,000 - 4,500 yuan (calculated at 0.75 yuan/kWh).
In addition, the reduction in the number of customer complaints has also reduced the after - sales service cost of the enterprise. The after - sales service cost, including the cost of returning and exchanging goods and the cost of on - site maintenance, has been reduced by more than 80% compared with before.
6. User Experience and Feedback
After using the high - shear mixer emulsifier for a period of time, the enterprise's operators, technical personnel, and management personnel have all given positive evaluations and feedback on the equipment.
From the perspective of operators, the equipment is easy to operate. The intelligent control system has a clear interface and simple operation steps. After a short period of training, they can proficiently master the operation method of the equipment. During the operation process, the equipment runs stably, with low noise (the noise during operation is less than 75 dB, which is much lower than the traditional equipment's 90 - 100 dB), and the working environment of the operators has been significantly improved. In addition, the equipment is easy to clean. The smooth inner wall of the working chamber and the detachable components make the cleaning work simple and efficient, which saves a lot of time and energy for the operators.
From the perspective of technical personnel, the equipment has strong adjustability and adaptability. By adjusting parameters such as rotating speed, shear gap, and mixing time, it can meet the mixing and emulsification requirements of different materials and products. The precise control system ensures the stability and repeatability of the production process, which is conducive to the standardized production of products. At the same time, the equipment can provide real - time operation data, which is convenient for technical personnel to analyze and optimize the production process. For example, by analyzing the temperature change curve during the mixing process, technical personnel can adjust the cooling system to further improve the product quality.
From the perspective of management personnel, the introduction of the high - shear mixer emulsifier has brought significant economic benefits to the enterprise. The improvement in product quality and production efficiency has enhanced the market competitiveness of the enterprise, and the reduction in costs has increased the profit margin of the enterprise. In addition, the low failure rate of the equipment and the simple maintenance work have reduced the management difficulty and cost of the equipment. The management personnel said that the investment in this equipment is very worthwhile, and they plan to introduce more such equipment in the future to further expand the production scale and improve the production level.
7. Conclusion and Outlook
7.1 Conclusion
This case shows that the high - shear mixer emulsifier has played an important role in solving the material mixing and emulsification problems of the enterprise. By replacing the traditional mixing equipment with the high - shear mixer emulsifier, the enterprise has achieved a comprehensive improvement in product quality, production efficiency, and cost control. The product quality has been significantly optimized, the production efficiency has been greatly improved, and the production cost has been effectively reduced. At the same time, the equipment has also been highly recognized by the enterprise's staff in terms of operability, stability, and maintainability.
The successful application of the high - shear mixer emulsifier in this enterprise proves that it is an effective solution for industrial enterprises to solve material mixing and emulsification problems. It can not only help enterprises improve product quality and production efficiency, but also reduce production costs and enhance market competitiveness. For enterprises facing similar problems in the cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food processing, coatings, and other industries, the high - shear mixer emulsifier has important reference and promotion value.
7.2 Outlook
With the continuous development of industrial technology, the requirements for product quality and production efficiency in various industries will be further improved, and the application prospects of high - shear mixer emulsifiers will be broader.
In terms of technology development, future high - shear mixer emulsifiers will be more intelligent, precise, and energy - efficient. The intelligent level of the equipment will be further improved, and it can realize functions such as automatic identification of material characteristics, automatic adjustment of process parameters, and remote monitoring and maintenance. The precision of the equipment will be further enhanced, and it can meet the higher requirements for material fineness and uniformity. At the same time, through the optimization of structural design and the adoption of new energy - saving technologies, the energy consumption of the equipment will be further reduced, and the
Your message must be between 20-3,000 characters!