Study on non-contact dispersion evaluation method by 3D Motion Mixer

Abstract

One of the key functions of a mixer is to achieve uniform mixing of powders or liquids. In this study, a 3D motion mixer with a sealed container without mixing blades was employed. However, the internal flow behavior of powders or liquids within such sealed containers remains unknown, assessing the mixing state requires opening the container for evaluation. To address this issue, a 3D motion mixer with a transparent glass container was utilized, allowing the observation of powder flow within the container via a high-speed video camera. Additionally, a "non-contact dispersion evaluation method" was proposed. In this approach, were mixed with test powders, and the dispersion state was assessed based on the distribution of fluorescent particles visible through the transparent glass container walls. This evaluation method yielded almost the same results comparable to direct dispersion evaluation by boring, and also revealed the effects of powder filling rate and rotational speed in the container on mixing time.