What is a pin mixer

The pin mixer is a horizontal continuous mixer which is developed from paddle mixer. It is also known as pin agglomerator.

The pin mixer offers better material densification than disc pelletizers, and normally requires less binder. It is used for conditioning materials, de-dusting, or micro-pelletizing, etc.

For ultra-fine materials, pin mixers are an ideal continuous processing solution. Mixing both solid and liquid feedstock components to create a homogenous mixture.

Working principle

The material enters at one end of the stationary cylindrical shell and a fine spray of liquid is added (Binder solution can be added through two liquid injection ports at the mixer’s top, the ports each have a spray nozzle that mists the binder solution onto the material as it mixes, promoting microagglomeration).

The rotational spinning motion of the pins at high speeds provides agitation forces on the materials and liquid binder which eliminates air and reduces water volume between particles. This leads to fine mixing and densification of the materials as it move to the bottom outlet. The end product is a spherical to irregular shape wetted micro pellet.

Application

The pin mixer is ideal for micro-pelletising, conditioning, or agglomerating fine materials, such as coal ashes, limestone fines, silica fume, pigments, or other fines.

Fine, ash, fume, examples:

• carbon black
• cement
• kiln dust
• pigments
• coal dust
• pesticides
• electric furnace baghouse dust
• limestone fines
• graphite
• coke
• petroleum
• bauxite
• silica fume

It can be used as a stand-alone agglomeration equipment or as initial step processing equipment for material mixing and wetting (conditioning) prior to produce fly ash spherical micro-pellets that offer improved, dust-free handling and transportation, but is not capable of producing the above required aggregate sizes. Instead, the pin mixer can be used as initial step processing equipment for conditioning fly ash prior to final agglomeration process using a disc or drum pelletiser.

Processing

• Straight-forward dedusting/dust wetting
• Solids-liquid mixing
• Micro-pelletizing
• Preconditioning
• Chemical reaction

Parameter