Mixing 101: 4 Impeller Types & Their Applications

The Importance of Impeller Selection

We first mentioned impellers in our blog discussing 4 factors for configuring your mixer. In this post, we will look more closely at impeller types and their applications.

The impeller is the component of a mixer that does the actual mixing and produces the results. That’s because when it rotates, it creates fluid flow and shear patterns. While there are many types of impellers, there are 4 main types we use when engineering mixers.

The 4 Main Impeller Types

1. Airfoil

Generally most efficient because it produces the maximum pumping with the lowest shear.Airfoil/hydrofoil designs are highly effective for blending, solids suspension, and heat transfer, especially where low shear is needed.

Standard Dynaflow™	High Solidity Dynaflow™ for Gas Dispersion

2. Pitch Blade

Ideal for viscous mixtures and for applications requiring a combination of pumping and shearing. The blade angle achieves strong circulation with moderate shear, which is ideal for wetting-out powders and breaking up soft agglomerates

Standard Pitch P4	Modified High Efficiency Pitch

3. Radial Blade

Ideal for applications where shear is the primary requirement, or where agitation close to the bottom of the tank is desired.These blades are suitable for applications that call for high local turbulence and shear, such as gas-liquid dispersion and emulsification. 

Radial Blade

4. Marine-Type Propellers

Ideal for low-viscosity, high-speed direct drive mixers.They deliver strong circulation and are often paired with baffles or offset mounting to limit vortices and achieve desired flow characteristics. 

Propeller Blade

While there are many factors to consider during impeller selection, one of the most important distinctions is between axial flow and radial flow. Hydrofoil, pitched blades, and marine-type propellers are typically axial. Radial blades, on the other hand, achieve radial flow. 

Propeller Blade

Summary

The mixer you need depends on your process and the chemicals you use in that process. If you’re interested in learning more about mixing solutions for your process, post a comment or email us at info@dynamixinc.com.