AN AGITATOR IS A MECHANICAL DEVICE USED IN

INDUSTRIES THAT PROCESS PRODUCTS IN THE

CHEMICAL,FOOD,PHARMACEUTICAL AND COSMETIC
INDUSTRIES TO MAINTAIN HOMOGENOUS MIXTURE
IN A SPECIFIED WAY BY STIRRING.
Principle of agitators
• The Agitation is achieved by generating movement of
the mixture phase,this is due to the rotation of the
impellers and turbine blades.
• The bulk can be composed of different substances, the
main aim is to blend or improve efficiency of a
reaction by better contact between reactive element.
 PURPOSES OF AGITATION
 Suspending solid particles
 Blending miscible liquids
 Dispersing a gas through the liquid
 Homogeneous in mixture
 Promoting uniform heat transfer
TYPES OF MIXING
 mechanical mixing (rotating, vibrating)
 hydraulic mixing
 pneumatic mixing
 pipeline mixing(turbulent flow, static mixer)
A–mechanical
mixing using
turbines
B–mechanical
mixing using blade
impellers
C–hydraulic mixing
D–pneumatic mixing
with stationary
inputs
E–pneumatic mixing
with automatic
regulation
F–hydraulic mixing
with antifoaming
shower
Baffles and its uses
 Baffles are flow directing or obstructing vanes used in
industrial process vessels.
 The rotational impeller imparts tangential motion to
the liquid and without baffling the swirling motion is
formed.
 The primary purpose of baffling is to convert swirling
motion into a preferred flow pattern to accomplish
process objective.
 The use of baffles t o suppress vortex formation .
Applications of Agitators
 Chemical industry: uniform mixing of raw materials,
suspension ,reaction and promoting heat transfer.
 Food industry: high precision mixing of raw chemical
materials, suspension melting, heat transfer(sugar, alcohol)
 Textile industry : high viscosity of polymer mixing, melting
of dye.
 Rubber industry : suspension polymerization , extraction ,
melting of rubber.
 Petrol industry : blending , gas absorption , reaction ,
extraction , suspension of sludge etc (petrol , gasoline,
refining
Depending on the site conditions agitators are used.
TYPES OF AGITATORS
Side Entry

Bottom Entry

Top Entry
 Types of agitators
Top entry agitators:
These agitators are mounted on the top part of the
tanks, their shafts are inserted vertically for use.Two
features of these agitators are:
Long service life
Little vibration
side entry agitators:
 These agitators are mounted directly onto the sidewall
of tanks ,and are used for large capacity tanks or deep
liquid tanks or when there are height or other
restrictions.
Bottom entry
These agitators used mostly
in hydro carbon industries.

Bottom entry is used in all

operations processed under
pressure/ vacuum or for
mixing dangerous substance
with options it becomes
versatile.
DETAILS OF PRECIPITATION AND
PREDESILICATION
PPT PDS
Fluid HYDRATE SLURRY BAUXITE SLURRY
Speed 7.56 rpm 14.7rpm
Tank diameter 14 mtrs 12.5 mtrs
Tank height 30.2 – 27.9 mtrs 26 mtrs
Soild g/l 450 750
Volume 4300 m3 3190 m3
Agitator Location Top Entry Top Entry
Agitator Type A4f.210 -56/7.5 B4f.250 -147/12.5
Gear Box Safety Factor 2.02 2.02
Power 56KW 147 KW
Density 1464 to 1700 kg/m3 1638 kg/m3
Flow 1942 m3/hr 749 m3/hr
Temperature 81-60oc 105-95oc degrees
Main elements of agitator:
 Motor of capacity 56 kw.
 Gearbox (4 gear reduction)
 Lower , intermediate and upper shafts
 shaft end
 Bearing support and bush
 Two impellers of dia in 7000 mm
 Two impellers of dia in 8400 mm
 Tubine blades of dia in 6550 mm
 Tubine blades of dia in 7550 mm
Sketch of agitator and impeller distance
Materials of construction
 Shaft – Hollow S235JR or Superior rolled pipe
 Impeller - S235JR or Superior
 Frame Support - S235JR or Superior
 Steady Bearings - 42CD4 and chromium cast iron
 Internal Fasteners – Carbon steel CL8.8
Quality checks
 Agitator shaft: the shaft with rolled welded pipe has
per MRM experience in the field,instead of seamless or
forged bars.
 The intermediate shafts are tested with ultrasonic.
 Welding test by dye penetration will be done by wetted
parts.(lower shaft)
 Stress release will be done on precipitator shaft
welding.
Bottom bearing support
Impellers & turbine blades
Milton roy ppt agitators record
experience
Advantages of agitator in ppt
 Restarting after electrical shut down(30min) in ppt.
 Very low specific power consumption for nominal
conditions is 1kw/100m³.
 Heavy suspension with more than 950 g/l.
 Limits scaling/filleting increasing the duration
between two tanks cleaning.
 Very small density variation,less than 1% between top
and bottom.
 Slow rotational speed avoid the shearing stress
promotes maximum crystal growth.
 Very slow wearing rate of impeller gives trouble free
service for many years without maintenance.
Cross sectional view of GearBox
The gear set are rated for a
minimum of 60000 hours of
life for only one direction of
rotation for which the
direction of roration of
agitator.
The major bearings and gears
are are automatically
lubricated,but the lower
speed bearing is not
automatically lubricated,as it
will done by regular
maintenance.
Sectional view of gear box
Gears and Bearings
 Gear ratio is 180.471/1
 Speed reduces from 1365/7.56
 Gear box have helical gears, are used.
 Rolling element bearings have rated L10 life is defined
in ANSI(anti friction bearing manufacture assosiates)
min 100,000 hrs when operated under design load
conditions.
 Bearing with heav duty oil bath lubricated rolling type
works under operating of thrust load and radial loads
Oil Filling Inlet & Breather
Oil Filters and Flow switch
Oil feed pump
Flow switch and circular lubrication
 Flow switch is inbuilt safety for gear box.
 The flow switch must be wired in a circuit to
automatically stop the main drive of motor when oil
flow drops below alarm setting.
 With integral pump the circulation lubrication
consists of pump,a filter with bypass and a flow switch
mf.
 Avoid unwanted alarms during start up period or due
to irregularities of the oil flow.
 The alarm should triggred only after the oil flow has
been interrupted for a continuous period of 5 to 10sec
Oil Drain Point and bearing Temperature Gauge
LUBRICATION
 Fill the gear box oil initially with VG220 of capacity
of 272 ltrs in the way, all way are lubricated with
fresh oil before start up.
 First oil change after 100hrs and not later than
800hrs of service.
 Use new oil or reuse the removed oil after filtering.
 Replace the filter cartridge after every 800 hrs of
operation.
 Take samples of oil after every 15 days in the beginning
& get it analyzed in laboratory, if required change oil
even before schedule of oil change.
Greasing and lubrication details
Check list for no load
Direction of rotation (clockwise seen from top)
 Rpm of agitator
 Ideal condition of running of agitator is 4hrs.
 Oil flow indication in lubricating piping of gear box.
 Temperature of gear box ( shall not exceed highly 80o c or 40oc
above ambient)
 Absence of oil leakage on casing & lubricating piping of gear box
 General behavior : vibration (< 6mm) sec noise (<85 db at 1
meter)
 Motor current
 Correct tensioning of v belts
 Verify there is no continuous contact between shaft and ring
limiter (permits to validated concentricity of the agitator)
MAINTENANCE
 Ring limiter :
 Every 18 months check the clearance between shaft
and bush.
 Remove the bottom bearing bush and clean it.
 Verify the wear of the shaft end and bush, and if
necessary replace the parts.
 The ring limiter should not be work in dry
environment.
 The oil draining and oil filling of the gear unit,
regrease of the bearings and labyrinth seals.
 Check regularly the air inlet and air outlet are not
obstructed.
Maintenance Table
DESCRIPTION AFTER MONTHLY 6-MONTHLY YEARLY
FIRST RUN
Fixation of the CHECK CHECK
gear unit
Alignment CHECK CHECK
Oil leaks CHECK CHECK
Lubrication CHECK CHECK
Cleanliness CHECK
Abnormal noise CHECK CHECK
and Vibration
Oil Level CHECK CHECK
Oil Sample CHECK
Analysis
Greasing CHECK
Corrosion CHECK
Oil Filter CHECK CHECK CHECK CHECK
Working
Troubleshooting
PROBLEM CAUSE REMEDY
Vibration from Agitator Shaft end continuously check the run out
Platform contact with bottom (20mm-50mm)
bearing bush
Abnormal sound from Due to continuous run Proper tightening of belt
belts chance of expansion transmission.
Low level oil in gear box When the oil level is low Fill the oil as marked on
in gear box dip stick.(in between min
and max)
Bearing temperatures are In proper lubrication Periodical greasing is
high required.
If the motor takes more Solid content is too high below 800 g/l is
load and trips maintained.
DO S
 Check the oil level of gear box before starting of the agitator.
 Before filling the gear oil drain completely anti corrosion inhibitor oil
completely.
 After draining anti corrosion oil from gear box fill immediately with gear oil as
it free from corrosion.
 Breather to be fixed before starting of the agitator.
 Although all greasing points have been greased before delivery, it is advisable to
give a few shots with a grease gun before start up.

 Before trail run rotate manually the agitator of the belt transmission in order to
verify that the lower shaft is running true and easily without any hard point.
 Before start up close the protection cover of the transmission.
 Verify the motor, gear box, hydraulic seal and transmission belts are correctly
connected.
 Check the rotation of the agitator to be in clockwise direction.
DO NOTS
 Oil filter handle should not be in mid position.
 During running condition the dip stick should be
hermetically closed .
 During running time of agitator the drain valve should not
be opened.
 While in running condition the belts should not be
tightened or loosened.
 All openings to be covered properly of surrounding area of
agitator
 Never open tank drain valves during in running condition.
 Do not check the level of the oil in the gear box during in
running condition.
Spares for precipitation
 Sets of v-belts for transmission.
 Set of bearings(NDE and DE)
 Set of seals.
 Ring limitor Bushing
 shaft end.
 Filter cartridge.