PHLAUER^TM stands for cost-effective high performance mixing. These are the most frequently asked questions:

1. What is high performance  mixing?
2. How do you do it?
3. How do you mix fast?
4. How do you mix accurately?
5. Why can’t you do this with a ribbon?
6. How are you cost effective?
7. How are you different than Forberg?
8. What about segregation on discharge?
9. How do you remove lumps?
10. Have there been comparative tests?

1. What is high performance mixing?

• Mixing to a standard deviation of .5% or CV of 5 between small samples in 10-60 seconds.

• Mixing without degradation.

• Adding liquids evenly.

• Ability to remove lumps.

2. How do you do it?

Speed – mixing faster than segregation forces can react, mainly particle size differential.

3. How do you mix fast?

The rotor is designed to create voids mechanically and direct particles to fill the voids randomly.

4. How do you mix accurately?

Giving all the particles the opportunity to change place every revolution creates a high rate of randomization. Homogeneity comes from transportation to distribute the ingredients from end to end; and controlling segregation by controlling the size of the void by the paddle size.

5. Why can’t you do this with a ribbon?

• The size of the void cannot be controlled. 

• Ribbons sized to give equivalent particle movement would lift the material and require high horsepower.

6. How are you cost effective?

• We believe that we have the only low intensity single rotor mixer that will mix to this quality level. The others that can do it are high intensity and high cost. 

• We have the only single and double rotor mixers that mix to the same quality level. The double is faster because of higher particle movement. Doubles are better to add liquid. 

• Inherent in the mixer design is fewer pieces and lower manufacturing costs. Quality does not have to be compromised to be competitive with other premium mixers.

7. How are you different than Forberg?

The Forberg design uses large paddles on co-dependent rotors in a confined space to push air into the product , and create space for particles to change place. When this principle works, it works well. The machine has limited market share because of its cost and limits of performance.

The PHLAUER™mechanically creates a high volume of small voids for particles to randomly change place, and is designed not to fluidize as a principle of mixing. This allows us to mix with a single rotor, and add effective shear which increases the potential applications.

8. What about segregation on discharge?

It can be reduced by design of the receiver. Roll apart is usually controlled better with a drop bottom. Fluidization segregation cannot, and requires a more controlled flow. That’s why we offer drop bottom, dual port and single port discharges. Ports are usually better to interface with conveyors.

9. How do you remove lumps?

We can easily put high speed rotating blades in a pathway in the paddles. We call them Shearmakers ^TM. They are square in design with all blades effective so generally fewer are required. Machines can be made so they are bolted on later.

10. Have there been comparative tests?

Yes. To date no test data exists where Forberg can mix better than PHLAUER™ given a 1-minute mix time on a single rotor or 30 seconds on a double rotor. Forberg does have a lower range down to 5 seconds. Our minimum is 10 seconds.