Why Use a Vacuum Mixer?
Vacuum mixers are used in the production of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. They work under vacuum conditions and eliminate air bubbles quickly and efficiently. They also reduce the processing time and make better use of materials.
Many different types of materials can be mixed with a vacuum mixer. These include liquids, jells, powders and plastics resins.
Preparation of cements and amalgam
Mixing in a vacuum can help reduce oxidation, improve product quality, facilitate drying and reduce the risk of contamination. It is often used for mixing and degassing ointments, gels, dental impression materials, and bone cements for medical applications. It is also an ideal way to prepare amalgams. The process can also be used to make heat-sensitive materials dry faster without the fear of thermal degradation.
In a conventional device for mixing bone cement, the bone cement powder and the liquid monomer are mixed in a housing under sterile conditions. A mixer extending through a lid is rotated to thoroughly mix the PMMA and MMA to form a body of viscous bone cement. The mixer is connected to a vacuum source via vacuum mixer a tube, the vacuum source being controlled so that it reduces pressure in the mixing chamber and withdraws gas from the mixture.
As the mixer rotates, the arms move close past the sidewall of the chamber to slice through and break deep bubbles in the mixture. The sliced bubbles are believed to flow up the voids and then be vacuum-drawn from the mixing device. Cement and liquid adhered to the arms and sidewall are likewise mixed with the main body of cement in the chamber to further enhance mixing.
The system may further comprise a pump shutdown means for sensing when the pressure in the vacuum pump has risen and automatically deactivating the pump. A wet/dry vacuum separator is optionally provided to separate and recover the vaporized active ingredient from the dusty and contaminated gas emitted during sublimation.
Filler pellet impregnation
In the pharmaceutical industry, solid active ingredients must be converted into user-friendly dosage forms like chewable tablets, effervescent tablets, oral tablets, capsules and suppositories. To do this, they must be bound using filler particles. This process is carried out in powder mixers or vacuum mixers. A vacuum is used to remove air from the system and reduce drying temperature, which is very important for thermally sensitive active ingredients.
When vacuum mixing, it is important to use a sight glass so that you can observe the reaction of the mixture as it is being mixed. This will prevent any volatile constituents from drawing out and upsetting the formulation. It is also important to include a break valve in the vacuum vessel design, so that you can bleed air or inert gas back into the chamber gradually once the batch has been agitated under vacuum. This will avoid any potential over-vacuuming of the product and resulting problems with dispersal, rheology, encapsulation, etc.
Vacuum impregnation is a non-destructive method for introducing solution with a specific composition into porous matrices of fruit and vegetables, thus modifying physico-chemical properties of the products, such as pH, water activity, thermal properties, color, texture, flavor, aroma and sensory attributes. It is also possible to introduce bioactive compounds that can have health-promoting properties. The impregnation process can be combined with various drying processes to optimize performance and improve physico-chemical properties of the product.
Homogenization of powdered active ingredients
Vacuum homogenization is the process of bringing powdered active ingredients into solution through shear. This is a more effective method of mixing than traditional methods that use mechanical and high intensity mixing. It can be used in a variety of industries, including medical, cosmetic, and food.
A vacuum emulsifying mixer reduces the need for a large quantity of raw materials, resulting in significant cost savings. It also helps reduce product deterioration during the production process. In addition, it reduces the wastage of materials that occur during the agitation stage. This reduction in wastage results in a more efficient production process.
In the food industry, a vacuum emulsifying mixer is commonly used in dairy processing and condiment production. It is particularly useful for blending and dispersing powdered ingredients. It is able to handle a wide range of different viscosities, which makes it an ideal choice for many different applications.
The mixers are designed to be fully vacuum- and pressure-rated and feature jacketed vessels for heating or cooling. They can be mixer manufacturer equipped with various agitation systems, including counter-rotating anchor and blade and bottom entering high-speed, shear homogenizing turbine agitators. They are also available with sidewall and bottom scraping devices to improve product homogenization. They can be also equipped with a special powder injection system for difficult-to-disperse powdered additives. Additionally, these mixers can be equipped with a degassing device for gas removal from the product.
Sublimation of powdered active ingredients
The sublimation of powdered active ingredients is an important process in the pharmaceutical industry. It is required for the conversion of solid active ingredients into user-friendly dosage forms such as oral tablets, effervescent tablets, capsules or suppositories. However, the powdered active ingredient must first be bound using liquid binders. This can be achieved in a vacuum mixer. The resulting binder solution must then be dried in a vacuum. The vacuum mixer accelerates the drying process and reduces the temperature, allowing heat-sensitive active ingredients to be dried without risk of thermal degradation.
In one preferred mode of practice, the filter particles and a solid organic compound are placed into the interior 16 of the vessel 14. The vessel is then closed and desirably rotated or otherwise agitated at a speed that facilitates intimate mixing of the two materials. This intimate mixing favorably reduces process time in that sublimation and impregnation occur more quickly when the materials are thoroughly mixed.
In addition, the slurry is typically stirred for a period of about one hour before a predetermined sublimation time. This time is based on the particle size and specific gravity of the material, as well as the desired degree of agglomeration. The slurry is subsequently spray dried with a mixture of agglomerating agents, such as hydrolyzed and non-hydrolyzed gelatin, mannitol and either sodium starch glycolate or croscarmellose.