Mixing dispersion/suspension

This method can be easily used to show the logic behind the scale-up from original R D batches to production-scale batches. Although scale-of agitation analysis has its limitations, especially in mixing of suspension, non-Newtonian fluids, and gas dispersions, similar analysis could be applied to these systems, provided that pertinent system variables were used. These variables may include superficial gas velocity, dimensionless aeration numbers for gas systems, and terminal settling velocity for suspensions. 

Many other foods are mixed dispersions, like ice cream which is an emulsion, foam, and suspension. Others abound. Sausages and frankfurters may be considered to be solidified O/W emulsions in which the oil droplets are covered by a protein membrane and dispersed in a gel [293]. Similarly, cakes can be considered to be air bubbles dispersed in a gel phase. 

FED (3)] and viscous dissipation in the molten regions. As melting progresses the latter mechanism becomes dominant. Mixing disperses the newly formed melt into the mass [creating a solids-rich suspension] the melt that comes in intimate contact with solid particles cools down and at the same time heats up the surface layer of the particles the particulate solid charge is eventually converted into a richer, thermally inhomogeneous suspension and ultimately into a... 

One of the promising new technologies for separation of very fine particles is selective flocculation. The selective flocculation process has been used effectively to separate very finely disseminated minerals from mixed ore suspensions (5.). The process is based on the preferential adsorption of an organic flocculant on the wanted minerals, thereby flocculating them, while leaving the remainder of the suspension particles dispersed. The dispersion of certain components in the suspension such as pyrite can be enhanced by using more selective or powerful dispersants. Methods for achieving selective flocculation and dispersion have been recently described by Attia (6j. 

Surfactants are essential for the preparation of solid/liquid dispersions (suspensions). The latter are generally prepared using two main procedures (7) Bmlding up of particles from molecular units. (2) Dispersion of bulk performed powder in a liquid followed by dispersion and wet milling (comminution) to produce smaller particles. An example of the first system is the production of polymer latex dispersions by emulsion or dispersion polymerization. The monomer is emulsified in an aqueous solution containing a surfactant to produce an emulsion of the monomer. An initiator is added to initiate the polymerization process. In some cases, initiation occurs in the micelles that are swollen by the monomer. The number of particles produced and hence their size is determined by the number of micelles in solution. In dispersion polymerization, the monomer is mixed with a solvent in which the resulting polymer is insoluble. A surfactant (protective colloid) and initiator is added. The surfactant prevents flocculation of the polymer particles once formed. Again the size of the particles produced depends on the nature and concentration of the surfactant used. 

The scale-up of certain hquid-hquid processes can be straightforward. Dilute dispersions are the easiest processes to scale up. The most difficult ones involve simultaneous coalescence, dispersion, suspension, mass transfer, and chemical reaction. If multiple complex reactions are involved, inadequate mixing often leads to yield losses. 

A dispersion is instead a mixture in which the less abundant compound is dispersed, but not molecularly dissolved, in the other component. Examples are a dispersion of a solid phase (powder, nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanotubes, etc) in a solvent, which is called a suspension, or a dispersion of an immiscible liquid phase in a second liquid, which is called an emulsion. Milk and mayonnaise are familiar examples of emulsions. Aerosols are dispersions of tiny liquid droplets or solid particles in a continuous gaseous phase. The science of aerosols is particularly relevant in order to design filter elements able to remove droplets and particles from air, which can be performed with very high efficiency by polymer nanofibers (Section 4.3.1). Finally, another way to indicate homogeneously mixed dispersions, emulsions or aerosols of nano- or microparticles is colloids. Colloidal dispersions of inorganic nanocrystals or organic nanofibers are familiar examples for nanotechnologists. 

The criterion of maintaining equal power per unit volume has been commonly used for dupHcating dispersion qualities on the two scales of mixing. However, this criterion would be conservative if only dispersion homogeneity is desired. The scale-up criterion based on laminar shear mechanism (9) consists of constant > typical for suspension polymerization. The turbulence model gives constant tip speed %ND for scale-up. 

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