Application and Process of Double-Cone Blender
The double-cone blender is a machine featuring two conical mixing bowls designed to combine dry ingredients such as powders and granules. All components of the blender that come into contact with food are constructed from stainless steel, enhancing its quality and durability. This equipment can achieve optimal homogeneity, with a capacity of 30–75% of its total volume, depending on the specific characteristics of the powders or granules being processed. The design of the double-cone blender eliminates dead spots commonly found in traditional mixers, ensuring a more efficient mixing process. The cost of a double-cone mixer varies across industries, including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, food, chemicals, cosmetics, ceramics, pesticides, plastics, and other sectors that utilize cone blenders for powder and granule mixing.
The Double-Two shape blenders feature a container with elongated, angled corners that facilitate rapid and thorough mixing of materials. This machine is particularly effective for dry mixing powders that do not adhere to one another or for granules requiring minimal shearing force. It can efficiently blend powders and particles, even when they possess differing specific gravities.
Ingredients are introduced into the drum and cone of the double-cone blender, which is equipped with a specialized fitting known to the manufacturer. The operation of the double-cone blender involves shaking and stirring the contents, ensuring an even distribution of the blended material. It is designed with a user-friendly flange fitting that allows the operator to easily remove the blended product. Enhanced product homogeneity can be achieved in as little as five minutes, depending on the types of powders or granules being mixed.
Salient Features of Double-Cone Blender:-
➢ This unique, robust design complies with cGMP or current good manufacturing practices.
➢ double-cone blender parts are AISI 316/316L stainless steel, and non-contact parts are AISI 304 stainless steel.
➢ Ideal dry mixer with double-cone shape product container for granule lubrication, product homogenization, and mixing multiple batches into one.
➢ Available double-cone blender capacity ranges from 25 kg to 10,000 kg.
➢ Rigid Motor and gearbox reduction set with electronic control panel for heavy-duty operation.
➢ Product packaging with a maintenance hole and butterfly valve for emptying.
➢ There is a hinged lid with a seal on the charging hole in the cone, making it easy to charge and clean.
➢ The rotating container for the material or product can go as fast as 8 RPM (revolutions per minute) or higher if the customer requests.
➢ Reels for protecting the container’s moving parts are available upon request.
➢ Lumps can be slowed down inside a double-cone with the help of fixed baffles.
➢ The electric control panel of a double-cone machine displays the cycle time.
Optional Features of Double-Cone Blender Machine
Method of Feeding:
❖ Product container material loading and unloading using a trolley.
❖ The Vacuum Conveying Transfer System is a Product.
❖ The use of IPC and bin loading.
❖ The product’s container’s speed can be adjusted with a variable frequency drive.
❖ An AC motor with a variable frequency drive is installed in the product container.
❖ PLC Controls with Human Machine Interface Screens
❖ There is a flame-retardant motor and a push-button control panel.
Additionally, inline milling and loading with vacuum powder transfer systems can be provided.
❖ Access to a Powder Vacuum Loading Facility.
❖ Bin charging with a sealed, dust-free system
❖ Optional 21 CFR Part 11 Compliance Management System
❖ Blender with Low Speed for Mild Blending of Dry Ingredients like Granules and Powder
❖ A machine with zero jerk load is statically and dynamically balanced.
❖ Dust-free pneumatically-controlled valves for fluid transfers
❖ Sensor-equipped bins with a level cut-off
❖ Pneumatic connections with mechanically sealed shafts.
Additional Measures for Safety:
❖ Limit switch safety reel for maximum security.
❖ Automatically shuts down the machine if it detects an overload.
Operation of the Double-Cone Blender:-
The double-cone blender is a versatile and portable mixing solution. The mixing process commences once all powders and granules are introduced into the cone, which should be filled to approximately half its capacity to ensure thorough mixing. To minimize the risk of overworking the mixture, it is advisable to position the cone thoughtfully during operation. The paddle-type baffle is designed to facilitate uniform mixing within the cone.
The duration specified for mixing is the exact time required for optimal results. Following this, the side valve assists in the efficient discharge of the blended material. Additionally, the smooth surface of the double-cone blender eliminates the need for frequent manual cleaning.
Advantages of the Double-Cone Blender
- Produces a consistent mixture despite variations in the amount
- It requires less energy compared to agitator mixers of comparable capacity.
- The smooth inside and the access panel provide a hygienic design.
- There is a brief amount of time between cycles.
- Discharge Total as Well as Rapid.
- Protects the fragile product from being messed up in any way.
- There are various options available for wear resistance in the case of abrasive products.
- Controls that are uniquely adapted to the situation
- Configurable choices are available to choose from.
Theory of Operation :-
The operational principle of double cone mixers involves an axis that is not aligned with the centre of the container. When the container rotates, the materials within disperse, move, and alter their tangential positions. This dynamic process ensures that the components are mixed thoroughly through rapid and continuous rotation, enabling them to meet optimal mixing standards swiftly and effectively.