Frequently Asked Questions - Process Questions

Sparged air and viscosity fluctuations each impact power draw. Power draw may drop with increasing air rate. Viscosity increases during reaction will increase power draw.

For mixing of water-like fluids at power levels less than 10 HP/1000 gallons, the following rules apply:

• Baffle width: 1/12 tank diameter
• Baffle off wall: 1/3 baffle width

Generally speaking, for fluids with viscosities less than 10,000 cps, you should have 3 or 4 baffles (equal to the number of impeller blades), located 90° or 120° apart.

Improper positioning of the mixer is the most likely problem. The mixer should be mounted so that the shaft is 10 to 15 degrees from vertical, to the right of the tank centerline.

The A310 is part of the A510 impeller family. Both impellers deliver true axial flow and high flow-per-horsepower. The A510 also provides application flexibility because the impeller blades can be set at 2 additional angles. This means you can optimize your mixing, even when the impeller-to-tank diameter ratio is not optimum.

The power indicated on the mixer's motor nameplate says little about the mixing efficiency. Power consumption is completely independent of performance! Mixing impellers generate flow and shear, and selection of the design that provides the right combination for the application is critical. Impeller diameter, system geometry and speed are also key to mixer performance.

The secret is in LIGHTNIN's exclusive impeller designs. The LIGHTNIN A310 and A510 impellers were laser-designed to provide better flow than the impellers most other manufacturers provide. This means that LIGHTNIN mixers can produce the same results with much lower power consumption.