To improve batch consistency and prevent damage when adding liquids to fragile ingredients, the company installed a fluidized-bed mixer from Munson Machinery.
Batches are transferred by either of two drag chain conveyors into the mixer, which is mounted on loads cells, allowing a PLC to stop the conveyor once the mixer has gained preset batch weights of up to 660 pounds (300 kilograms).
Twin paddle agitators counter-rotate at 36 RPM within twin “U” shaped troughs, causing material to fluidize along the centerline of the vessel, where oil or molasses is sprayed for rapid distribution.
After mixing cycles of only 10 seconds to 2 minutes, full-length drop-bottom gates open, rapidly discharging blended batches into a hopper which feeds a packaging line.
As soon as the bottom gates close, another batch of dry ingredients is loaded by weight, a pump refills the overhead liquid hopper, and the mixer is restarted.
According to the maintenance manager, the Munson fluidized bed mixer delivers better batch-to-batch consistency than a previous auger mixer, is easier to clean, and imparts less shear, reducing product degradation, especially with fragile materials.
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