Easy Cleaning & Solving Industrial Mixer Cleaning Problems
There are many ways to assist with cleaning industrial mixers, both during discharge and in overall machine design.
Key considerations
- A drop bottom mixer will clean out better than a port or valve discharge.
- Smaller diameter mixers clean better due to a steeper discharge angle.
- On larger mixers, shallow angles (10°) can cause buildup. Bigger doors may help, but only if they don’t leak.
- Vibrators can improve discharge, especially if the mixer is installed on load cells.
- Automatic air blow-outs or built-in sprayers are often ineffective; handheld wands work better for close-range cleaning.
- Removable wash balls or quick-disconnect nozzles allow external cleaning and improve safety.
Design solutions
- Access without entering the mixer is important for safety. Side doors can be designed to stay sealed yet allow cleaning access.
- For sticky ingredients, round mixers impregnated with Teflon can be self-cleaning.
- UHMW paddles or polished carbon steel surfaces reduce buildup.
- Teflon impregnation and electropolishing improve discharge and reduce sticking.
- Inhibcote impregnation (food grade, licensed by DuPont) works well with waxes, molasses, and similar materials.
- Electropolishing, now affordable, smooths surfaces for easier cleaning.
Cleaning methods
- In production, color changes often move from light to dark, followed by cleaning.
- Cleaning methods range from sweeping with a corn broom to full wipe-downs.
- Purges can help with changeovers — the purge should equal at least 100% of rotor volume and be abrasive (e.g., sand, salt, granulated sugar).
Advantages of our mixer design
- Internal agitator design prevents loose material from lying on the rotor.
- Long and short paddles allow access to the wall for 120° over the short paddle.
- Helical drives allow manual rotor movement.
- Clear sides and bottom allow sweeping to a port.
- Discharge doors lock open for safe access.
Bring us your cleaning challenge, and we’ll help solve it.
