Application & Process
The PHARMATEK Paddle Vacuum Mixer Dryer is designed for mixing and drying materials that cannot operate at low temperatures or are easily oxidized and poisonous in nature. It is ideal for drying and mixing raw materials, including powders or granules, in pharmaceutical materials, chemical industries, crystalline products, the food industry, and agrochemicals, particularly for heat-sensitive products.

The PHARMATEK Paddle Vacuum Mixer Dryer consists of a jacketed cylindrical shell that rotates with a specially designed double helical paddle agitator, supported by a rigid fabricated structure, motor, and gearbox. It features a provision for vacuum application inside the shell and circulation of heating media in the jacket during the stirrer's rotation. The large heating surface area provided by the internals of the cylindrical shell ensures uniform drying of the product, as it gently moves while the paddle stirrer rotates. The diffusive action induced by the mixing stirrer continuously presents a fresh layer to come into contact with the indirectly heated walls of the shell. A well-designed sealing system maintains deep vacuum inside the shell and ensures positive circulation of heating media in the jacket.

In operation, material is filled to the top of the outer paddle. The shaft rotates at a relatively low speed, and the moving paddles push the material back and forth for mixing. The outer paddle rotation displaces the material from the ends to the center, while the inner paddle rotation moves the material from the center to the ends. This counter-current action results in homogeneous blending, achieving 90 to 95% or better homogeneity in just 15 to 20 minutes. The bottom discharge is designed for easy unloading of material and cleaning of the mixing drum. A specially designed self-adjusting sealing arrangement is provided to ensure that no foreign particles enter the mixing drum.

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