Paddle Mixer
A paddle mixer is an industrial blending machine, often designed as a horizontal cylindrical trough,
used primarily for the gentle and efficient mixing of dry bulk solids, granules, powders, and
sometimes semi-wet or cohesive materials. The machine’s key components include a stationary
vessel and a rotating agitator shaft upon which numerous flat or profiled blades, known as paddles,
are mounted. Unlike the continuous helical ribbon of a ribbon mixer, these paddles are typically
spaced out and angled, allowing them to impart a more distinct lifting and tumbling action to the
materials.
The fundamental working principle, particularly in the common twin-shaft paddle mixer design, is
to create a “fluidized” or “non-gravity” mixing zone. The paddles are arranged on parallel, counterrotating shafts, and the rotation speed is specifically set to a critical high linear velocity. At this
speed, the centrifugal force and the paddles’ lifting action momentarily suspend the material in a
weightless state. This rapid and continuous throwing and falling action, where materials cross paths
in mid-air, is what facilitates extremely fast and intimate blending.
The pitched paddles are engineered to move the material in three dimensions: axially, radially, and
transversely. They scoop material from the bottom of the trough, lift it into the fluidized zone, and
simultaneously propel it across the mixer’s length. This action results in a highly effective
convective mixing pattern. The short, sharp movement of the individual paddles, especially in twinshaft models, provides a low-shear, gentle blending process, making the paddle mixer ideal for
fragile, friable, or heat-sensitive ingredients that might degrade under the higher shear forces of
other mixers.
Features:
Fast and uniform mixing performance
Gentle low-shear blending action
Ideal for fragile & heat-sensitive materials
Creates fluidized mixing zone
Handles powders, granules & semi-wet materials
Short mixing cycle with consistent results
FAQs
A Paddle Mixer is used for efficient mixing of powders, granules, and semi-wet materials in industrial applications.
A Paddle Mixer uses spaced paddles for gentle, low-shear mixing, while a Ribbon Mixer relies on continuous helical ribbons.
Yes, its low-shear and fluidized mixing action makes it ideal for delicate or friable materials.
It provides three-dimensional convective mixing with lifting, throwing, and tumbling of material.
Pharmaceutical, food, chemical, fertilizer, and construction material industries widely use Paddle Mixers.