There are various types of equipment usually used to properly mix powders.

The amount of
powder being mixed, the desired mixing outcome, and the particular qualities of the powder all
play a role in the equipment selection. The first piece of equipment that we are going to talk
about is a mortar and pestle. A mortar and pestle is time-tested and often-used equipment for
mixing, chopping, and grinding ingredients in a variety of industries. The pestle is a robust rod-
or club-shaped tool, while the mortar is a bowl-shaped container that makes up the entire set.
(DeSimone, 2023) A mortar and pestle main use is to smash and grind solid materials into
smaller pieces.(Mortar and Pestles for Chemistry, Lab Experiments | Shop HST, n.d.) It is
frequently employed in culinary applications to crush herbs, spices, and seeds, in addition to
grinding various materials in scientific settings. Using a mortar and pestle gives you more
control over the grinding process in contrast to other methods. It provides precision grinding to
obtain the ideal texture or consistency when working with delicate ingredients. Although a
mortar and pestle are helpful tools, it is vital to remember that other specialized equipment, such
as mechanical grinders, may be more efficient for some tasks or large-scale production. But even
today, people still prefer using a mortar and pestle to combine, crush, and grind food because of
how simple, flexible, and satisfying it is to use.

Next, a tumble blender is the second piece of equipment. This rotating mixing tool comes in a
variety of shapes, including V-shaped and double-cone configurations. It is frequently thought of
as a low-impact mixing method. Due to its low shear, tumble blending is especially useful for
blending abrasive and thick powders, including baking mixes and milk powders. Additionally, it
is typically used when blending materials that have trace amounts of other ingredients or when
using ingredients with different densities and sizes. (Perry, 2023) Tumble blenders are perfect for
any applications requiring regulatory standards since they produce exceptionally exact and
consistent recipe blending. For product mixes that require careful handling, tumble blenders are
appropriate. Tumble blenders are easy to use, and some models have variable-frequency motors
that provide a soft, gradual start when they are fully loaded. (Corporation, n.d.) Let's discuss a v-
shaped tumble bender as an example of a tumble bender. The shape of the blending bowl or
container used in a tumble blender is referred to as V-shaped. This equipment can hold up to
50,000 liters at full capacity.(Gd-Admin, n.d.) The V-shaped vessel is made up of two sloping
walls that come together to form a point that resembles an inverted V or the tip of a cone.
Depending on the requirements of the particular design and application, the angle between the
walls can change. The defining feature is the cylindrical structure, which also has well-
proportioned and effective mixing capabilities with no blind spots in the cylinders and no
material accumulation. The V-shaped arrangement has a number of benefits for mixing. First off,
while the blender turns, the materials may be moved more easily due to the vessel's inclination.
Due to gravity, the materials have a tendency to slide along the walls, generating a cascade
effect. This improves the mixing process and contributes to a more homogeneous mixture.
Second, the V-shape encourages improved material circulation and flow inside the blender. The
materials are raised along one wall of the rotating tank and then lowered along the other wall. All
of the particles are thoroughly mixed and come into contact with one another due to this constant
action. The V-shaped tumble blender, which reduces shear pressure and deterioration, is
particularly well suited for blending powders and granular materials that call for delicate mixing.

The next equipment will be an agitator, which is a tool or device that aids in the blending and
homogenization of powders within a mixing container or vessel. An agitator's main job is to give
the powder mixture motion and energy, which makes the particles move and interact more easily.
Agitators in powder mixing can take various forms, depending on the equipment used.(Agitator
Tank Mixers Agitators Chemineer Agitator PRG Ireland - Flexachem, 2020) The three most
common agitator types for mixing powders are paddle, ribbon, and high-shear mixers. Let's take
the example of high-shear mixers, which are made to create strong shear forces inside the
powder mixture to aid in dispersion, emulsification, and homogenization. It is frequently used to
emulsify, homogenize, and reduce particle size in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic
sectors. The rotor and stator are the typical components of high-shear mixers.(Baumber, 2023)
The rotor stirs up the mixture vigorously by revolving at a high speed, frequently in the shape of
an impeller or blade. The interaction between the stator and rotor results in high shear forces,
which are made feasible by the stator's fixed surface. Shearing occurs when a force pushes one
section of an object in one direction and another part in the opposite direction along the same
parallel plane. In a liquid mixer or powder disperser, a rotor that rotates at extremely high speeds
is used to transport material inwards towards a still stator and "shear" it as a result. The quantity
of shear energy required for each application can be precisely tailored by applying varying rotor
speeds. With the use of this processing method, a liquid, solid, or gas can be mixed with a liquid
with which it wouldn't typically combine.

The final piece of equipment, a high-speed granulator, employs the friction mixer idea and has a
variety of applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It is especially well suited for
granulation procedures brought on by the melting of binders.(THURNE,2022) It is made to
reduce bulkier materials or particles into smaller, more even granules. The device features low
consumption, zero pollution, and security in addition to being fully compliant with GMP
pharmaceutical criteria.(Gd-Admin, n.d.) High-speed granulators typically have a rotor with
razor-sharp knives or blades rotating rapidly inside a chamber. The materials are effectively
reduced in size as they come into contact with the rotor blades, which shear and cut the
materials. A hopper is used to feed materials into the granulator, and a screen or perforated plate
is used to discharge the finished product. The high-speed granulator can be used alone or in
conjunction with a cooling mixer. All of the materials are placed in the high-speed mixer
granulator, and dry mixing is accomplished by rapidly rotating the impeller and chopper. The
impeller and chopper are run at low speeds as the binding solutions are added to the
powder.(Choudhary,2001) The impeller and chopper are then run at high speeds to produce the
necessary size of granules after creating the moist mass. It is 4-5 times higher than the
conventional technique, and each batch takes 2 minutes to dry mix and 1-4 minutes to
granulate.(Gd-Admin, n.d.)