Types of Blenders Used in Food Industry
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A blender is a machine that consists of a large tank that is used to mix and blend bulk materials in order to provide consistency throughout production batches. Blenders are capable of holding low to high quantities of mass and/or volume. Nevertheless, the food industry deals with high quantities on a regular basis, where only high-capacity blenders are preferred. Blenders can be fabricated with stainless steel, steel, aluminum, or cast iron in different designs such as semi-sphere,rectangular, square, deep square, funnel-shaped, or with a compact chamber in order to satisfy the needs of the product. A wide variety of mix textures, starting from powders, liquids, sticky formulas, granules, and abrasives, can easily be handled with blenders.
The level of accuracy in blenders is achieved by (programmable logic controllers), which help quantify the proximate amounts needed as settled earlier. Additionally, blenders are found to be more efficient and economical than manual mixing.
The food operators can easily choose the blender of their preference that meets the requirements of their raw material and end mix.
Ribbon blender: A ribbon blender disintegrates large conglomerates of solid substances through its ribbon-like blades. Due to their sharp blades, they can also handle liquids containing bottom-set lumps. Numerous food products utilize ribbon blenders in their processing, such as pellets, powders, flakes, slurries, viscous pastes, etc. It is expensive but effective by nature.
Tumbler blender: A tumbler mixer is generally used for powders and solid granules. The tumbling motion gives proper up-and-down movement to the material, which is further enhanced by gravitational force. A little amount of water can also be added to achieve proper mixing. It is also equipped with baffles to break down the large, solid chunk. There are three types of tumbler blenders: double cone blenders, V-shaped blenders, and Octagonal blenders.
Agitator blender: It has an agitating blade in the centre that remains stationary while agitating the liquid-liquid or liquid-gas mixture. They are not preferred for viscous or solid particles, although they can handle low-viscosity fluids. Apart from mixing, they also help in dispersing the heat in the entire phase mixture.
Rotary blender: A rotary blender consists of a drum with no blades or paddles. It mixes the substances through drum rotation at a previously set speed. No other forces are involved in its working except rotation, which does not damage the substances being treated. A rotary blender can be used to mix solids into liquids or liquids into solids.
Homogenizer blender: The homogenizer mixture exerts a great deal of force and shear pressure on the liquid-liquid or liquid-solid mixture in order to break down essential substances.They are known to produce a uniform end product.
Mass blender: A mass blender is somewhat similar to a rotary blender in design, with a cabinet rotating on a horizontal plane. Contrary to a rotary blender, a mass blender can handle large quantities of small chunks, lumpy substances, and powders. The range of quantities it can handle varies from 50 to 150 kg.
Emulsifier blender:- As the name itself hints, an emulsifier blender blends two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water. It is frequently used in the cosmetic industry for manufacturing lotions, creams, and homogenised lipstick blends. It works at high pressure and heat to completely mix liquids and create a homogenised blend. In the food industry, milk products, sauces, dressings, and other such products require emulsification, which is achieved by an emulsion blender.
Paddle mixer: It consists of a central lateral shaft with attached paddles that works best to mix solids, solid-liquid, or viscous formulations.
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