agitator selection and design handbook pdf

In many cases, the agitator is mounted on a closed top tank, so it will have a shaft seal. These duties are normally best served by using a gear drive specifically designed for agitator service, rather than a standard speed reducer. This reducer, in addition to reducing speed and increasing torque, must usually support all of the shaft loads, which include not only torque, but bending moment, downward load (weight) and pressure thrust in a closed tank. Therefore, the power is transmitted through a speed reducer, which is normally a gear drive. In most cases, (except in small tanks, typically less than 2000l capacity) motor speed is too high to drive the shaft directly. Most commonly, agitators are fixed speed, though multispeed motors or variable speed drives may be used where there is a need to change speed during different parts of the process, a desire to fine-tune results, or simply to minimize energy consumption. Though any device which provides rotary power can in principle be used (the author has seen such things as hydrostatic drives, steam turbines and internal combustion engines used), the most common prime mover is the simple electric motor. Power is provided by means of a prime mover. Likewise, mechanical design is not covered, both due to time limitations and the availability of such information in more generic agitation courses. Solids suspension is not covered, as serious solids suspension applications are rare in these industries, and are covered in more generic agitation courses available in the marketplace. An introduction to advanced tools such as Computational Fluid Mixing (CFM) is given, and sanitary design issues are addressed.

Considerable time is devoted to fermenter and bioreactor design, including how to pilot in such a way as to get the kind of data which is useful for agitation scale-up and energy cost minimization. The course begins with a basic introduction to agitation terminology and principles, then progresses through design concepts for liquid motion, gas dispersion and scale-up. A basic Introduction to general agitator design principles is given, but the focus is primarily on applications found in the Pharmaceutical/Bioprocessing Industries. The application technology ranges from simple to complex, and the construction details range from standard to highly sanitary. Typical applications in these industries might include, for example, simple tanks containing CIP solutions, broth and slurry tanks, compounding tanks and fermenters/bioreactors. Introduction This course is intended to aid those in the bioprocessing, pharmaceutical and food industries who must specify, purchase, operate, troubleshoot or perform research involving agitation equipment.

Agitator selection and design handbook pdf