Silverson Machines has become a world leader in the field of high shear mixing

But what exactly is a high shear mixer? Shear means to cut and unlike conventional mixers or agitators, high shear mixers utilise specialised rotor/stator technology to generate extremely high shear rates, creating a powerful suction effect that continuously draws materials into the high shear zone.

Leveraging this advanced technology, high shear mixers provide remarkable mixing efficiency and can:

  • Cut processing time by up to 90% compared to conventional agitation meaning more batches per shift and no additional capital equipment.
  • Create stable emulsions with uniform droplet size, batch-after-batch.
  • Maximise yield of ingredients. Gums and thickeners can be incorporated completely at ambient temperature, eliminating filtration steps, reducing ingredient waste, and improving product quality.
  • Handle high viscosity mixes and effortlessly blend liquids of varying viscosities
  • Eliminate costly heating cycles as dissolving and incorporation of other ingredients can be done at ambient temperature.
  • Incorporate powders with less dust and waste. Silverson’s high shear powder/liquid mixers draw ingredients directly into the liquid stream, minimising airborne dust and ingredient loss whilst preventing floating “rafts” and pockets of unmixed materials.
  • Disintegrate and suspend solids, creating uniform suspensions with a fine particle size distribution in a single operation.
  • Achieve results in R&D that can easily be replicated at full production scale.

But why choose a Silverson high shear mixer over other high shear mixers available on the market?

Firstly, Silverson has a vast pool of knowledge from experience with countless applications. With 80 years of experience, technical knowledge and application know how to help assist our customers when helping them solve their mixing problems, Silverson also offers the widest capacity range from a single manufacturer, with mixers suitable for processing batches of 1ml up to 30,000 litres. Within the range there are many options, including 3-A and EHEDG certified models, high viscosity models, ATEX-approved models, as well as the option of customisation.

A comprehensive range of workheads and screens is available for all Silverson high shear mixers, allowing them to be used for multiple mixing operations. The gap between the rotor and stator within these workheads is one of the tightest shear gaps in the industry. If you think of a pair of scissors, a pair with blades close to one another will cut much more efficiently than a pair which has a larger gap. The same applies to high shear mixers.

Because of the tight shear gap, Silverson mixers can be relied upon for batch-to-batch consistency, in terms of quality and timings. Looser tolerances means that batch times can vary, even a five minute variation can have a knock on effect and could consequently end up with fewer batches being produced in a working day which is why Silverson is a trusted supplier to many multinational companies.

This tight tolerance between the rotor and the stator also allows for more accurate scale-up, so products formulated in the lab can easily be scaled up to the production floor without the need for reformulation.

This year Silverson Machines will be on stand F54 at the PPMA show. On the stand they’ll be demonstrating their world-leading range of high shear mixing equipment, from Laboratory-scale through to production-scale models.

For mixing at Laboratory scale, the L5M-A Laboratory mixer and the Verso benchtop In-Line mixer will be on the stand. These models are ideal for research and development and QA analysis, as well as a range of other in-tank and in-line mixing processes.

The AX5 Pilot Scale Batch mixer is designed to bridge the gap between lab and production with a capacity of up to 50 litres. It provides an accurate and easy means of forecasting the performance of larger Silverson machines under full-scale working conditions. The model on display will be fitted with a wide base, ideal for processing in larger vessels. A larger in-tank Batch mixer, with capacity of up to around 100 litres will be available to view on the stand.

For powder/liquid mixing applications, visitors can see the FMX25 Flashmix powder/liquid mixer. The Silverson Flashmix takes a revolutionary approach to powder/liquid mixing. Unlike many powder/liquid mixers, which use vacuum to pull in powders, the Flashmix literally forces powder into the liquid stream. This not only allows it to disperse and hydrate large volumes of powders, it means it can be used at higher temperatures and with higher viscosity mixes – offering the advantages of high shear mixing to a wide range of applications that were previously not possible.

The FMX25 is capable of incorporating powders at rates of up to 1500kgs/hour. The model on the stand will be fitted with a profiled hopper, ideal for powders which are difficult to incorporate due to poor flow characteristics.

Visit Silverson Machines at the PPMA Show on stand F54

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