Modern mixing tanks are mostly made of SUS304 or SUS316L stainless steel. The inner surface requires mirror polishing, with a roughness Ra value typically required to be ≤0.4μm, and some high-standard equipment can achieve Ra≤0.28μm. The outer surface can be treated with matte polishing, mirror polishing, sandblasting, etc.
The mixing system is the core component, and comes in various forms to adapt to different process requirements. These mainly include medium- and low-speed mixing forms such as paddle, anchor, frame, spiral, and propeller types, as well as high-speed mixing forms with high shear capacity such as dispersion discs and emulsifying heads. The speed range is wide, from low speeds of 15-36 r/min to high speeds of 2900 r/min, and frequency conversion speed regulation is possible. The drive unit typically uses a cycloidal pinwheel planetary reducer or a worm gear reducer. The sealing of the mixing shaft is crucial, and imported sanitary mechanical seals or magnetic seal devices that enable fully enclosed mixing are typically used.
The tank structure is typically designed vertically with upper and lower elliptical heads, offering excellent pressure resistance and eliminating sanitary dead corners. To accommodate heating or cooling processes, the tank often features a jacket, including full-jacketed and honeycomb-jacketed designs. The tank bottom is designed with a slight slope (usually 5°) towards the discharge port or is spun into a rounded corner to ensure unobstructed material discharge.
The equipment interfaces utilize the internationally standardized ISO quick-connect chuck type for easy connection and cleaning. In addition to basic inlet and outlet ports, it is usually equipped with various functional interfaces, such as CIP cleaning ports, SIP sterilization ports, sanitary manholes, sight glasses, various types of level gauges, thermometers, and air respirators.
