A single-stage shear inline mixer processes liquid and semi-liquid products continuously through one rotor-stator stage integrated directly into the process pipeline. Material passes through the rotor-stator gap in a single pass, receiving intense localised shear that reduces droplet and particle size. It is the standard configuration for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical continuous emulsification and dispersion at moderate throughput.
Challenges
Particle Size Limitation in Single Pass
A single rotor-stator stage cannot reliably achieve sub-micron droplet or particle sizes in one pass, requiring recirculation or downstream high-pressure homogenisation for fine emulsion targets.
Insufficient Shear for High Oil-Phase Emulsions
Single-pass shear energy may be inadequate to fully stabilise emulsions with high dispersed-phase fractions, resulting in phase separation after processing.
Flow Restriction at High Viscosity
Above approximately 50,000 cP, the self-pumping capacity of the rotor head is insufficient to maintain adequate flow rate, requiring an external pump to assist product transfer through the mixing head.
Rotor-Stator Wear from Abrasive Materials
Processing pigmented or mineral-filled products causes progressive erosion of the rotor-stator gap surfaces, gradually reducing shear intensity and requiring periodic inspection and replacement.
Product Temperature Rise During Processing
High-speed single-stage operation transfers energy into the product as heat, raising temperature by several degrees per pass, which can affect thermally sensitive emulsion stability or active ingredient integrity.
Solutions
- Recirculation Loop for Finer Particle Size Targets: Where single-pass particle size is insufficient, routing the product back through the inline mixer via a recirculation loop allows multiple passes and progressive size reduction without changing equipment.
- External Feed Pump for High-Viscosity Products: Pairing the inline mixer with an external positive displacement or gear pump provides the pressure required to push viscous products through the mixing head at a controlled and consistent flow rate.
- Hardened Rotor-Stator Materials for Abrasive Duty: Specifying tungsten carbide or hardened stainless steel rotor-stator assemblies for abrasive product lines extends service life and maintains consistent gap geometry and shear performance over time.
- Jacketed Mixer Housing with Cooling Water: Circulating cooling water through a jacketed mixer housing removes heat generated during high-speed operation, limiting product temperature rise and protecting heat-sensitive formulations.
- Variable Frequency Drive Speed Control: Adjusting rotor speed via a variable frequency drive allows shear intensity to be matched to the specific viscosity and particle size target of each product, avoiding unnecessary heat generation at lower process requirements.
Applications
- Food Sauce and Dressing Emulsification: Continuous single-pass homogenisation of oil-in-water emulsions including mayonnaise, salad dressings, and cooking sauces at production throughput, replacing batch rotor-stator processing in high-volume food manufacturing.
- Pharmaceutical Oral Liquid and Syrup Production: Continuous dispersion of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients in oral liquid formulations, syrups, and suspensions within GMP hygienic pipeline systems.
- Cosmetic Lotion and Shampoo Production: Inline emulsification and homogenisation of cosmetic lotions, creams, and shampoo bases during continuous manufacturing, replacing or supplementing batch emulsification vessels.
- Dairy Milk and Cream Homogenisation: Single-pass reduction of fat globule size in milk and cream processing lines at high throughput, improving product stability and texture consistency.
- Pigment Dispersion in Coatings and Adhesives: Continuous dispersion of pigments and fillers into resin and adhesive systems during production, reducing batch processing time and improving consistency between production runs.
Models & Capacities
Type 1A Single-Stage Shear Inline Mixer (Lab 10 L/h to Large Production 400,000 L/h) |
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Model | Scale | Motor [kW] | Speed [RPM] | Flow Rate [L/h] | Tip Speed [m/s] | Shear Rate [s⁻¹] | Particle Size D90 [µm] | Max Viscosity [cP] | Inlet/Outlet Ø [mm] | Op. Pressure [bar] | Op. Temp [°C] | L×W×H [mm] | Weight [kg] |
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SIM-S-LAB | Lab | 0.37 | 3,000–3,600 | 10–100 | 10–20 | 10³–10⁴ | <5–20 | 10,000 | DN 10 | Up to 10 | 2–95 | 260×150×210 | 8 | ||
SIM-S-PIL | Pilot | 1.5 | 3,000–3,600 | 100–800 | 12–22 | 10³–10⁵ | <5–20 | 30,000 | DN 20 | Up to 8 | 2–95 | 420×200×300 | 22 | ||
SIM-S-10 | Production | 7.5 | 3,000–3,600 | 500–5,000 | 15–25 | 10⁴–10⁵ | <5–15 | 50,000 | DN 40 | Up to 6 | 2–95 | 700×350×480 | 92 | ||
SIM-S-20 | Production | 15 | 3,600 | 1,000–10,000 | 18–25 | 10⁴–10⁵ | <3–10 | 50,000 | DN 50 | Up to 6 | 2–95 | 860×410×560 | 145 | ||
SIM-S-40 | Large Prod | 30 | 3,600 | 2,000–20,000 | 20–25 | 10⁴–10⁵ | <2–8 | 50,000 | DN 65 | Up to 4 | 2–95 | 1,020×480×650 | 220 | ||
SIM-S-NANO | Nano/micro | 0.12 | 5,000–12,000 VFD | 5–50 | 5–23 | 10³–2×10⁵ | 0.5–10 | <5,000 | DN 6 | Up to 10 | 2–95 | 180×100×140 | 4 | ||
SIM-S-PIL-HI | Pilot | 2.2 | 1,500–8,000 VFD | 200–2,000 | 8–24 | 10³–10⁵ | 1–50 | <20,000 | DN 32 | Up to 8 | 2–95 | 480×245×330 | 38 | ||
SIM-S-75 | Production | 55 | 3,600 | 4,000–35,000 | 20–25 | 10⁴–10⁵ | <2–8 | 50,000 | DN 80 | Up to 4 | 2–95 | 1,180×560×750 | 480 | ||
SIM-S-110 | Production | 90 | 3,000–3,600 | 8,000–60,000 | 18–25 | 10⁴–10⁵ | <5–10 | 50,000 | DN 100 | Up to 4 | 2–95 | 1,350×640×860 | 720 | ||
SIM-S-150 | Large Prod | 132 | 3,000–3,600 | 15,000–100,000 | 18–25 | 10⁴–10⁵ | <5–15 | 50,000 | DN 125 | Up to 4 | 2–95 | 1,560×740×1,000 | 1,100 | ||
SIM-S-220 | Large Prod | 185 | 3,000–3,600 | 30,000–200,000 | 18–24 | 10⁴–10⁵ | <5–20 | 50,000 | DN 150 | Up to 4 | 2–95 | 1,800×860×1,150 | 1,700 | ||
SIM-S-370 | Large Prod | 280 | 1,500–3,000 VFD | 60,000–350,000 | 15–22 | 10³–10⁵ | <10–30 | 50,000 | DN 200 | Up to 4 | 2–95 | 2,150×1,000×1,380 | 2,900 | ||