Agitators

Agitators are equipment used to homogenize media inside a tank. They work by rotating immersed impellers at a controlled speed, also called revolutions per minute (RPM). The work exerted by the impeller induces the flow and shear of the media inside the tank, causing a single or multi-component media to homogenize. The flow of the media is kept at a uniform rate and pattern.

Agitators can perform diverse functions in any industrial plant, which include:

Agitators can handle liquid, gaseous, and solid (e.g., granules, powders) media. They can also work with slurries, suspensions, and highly viscous liquids. However, selecting the appropriate agitator type, sizing, and design for the specific nature of media is crucial. Viscosity and sensitivity to shear stress are essential considerations when selecting an agitator. Agitators are widely used in many industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, agricultural, biotechnology, paint, and water treatment industries

The terms “agitators” and “mixers” are often used interchangeably, but they technically do not mean the same thing. Mixers are equipment that rapidly blends two or more components together. these components may be of the same or different phases (e.g., solid-liquid, liquid-liquid, gas-liquid). When a component enters a mixer, it is often in a “pure” state and leaves combined with other components. On the other hand, agitators maintain homogeneity and equilibrium in an existing mixture. They prevent the formation of concentration and temperature gradients and ensure uniform consistency in a mixture