Companies are discovering more and more that becoming an eco-focused business does not hurt a corporation’s bottom line; in fact, many times it helps improve profitability. This is often because not only do they reduce the amount of energy required to run their businesses but also companies often even find new revenue streams out of materials they once disregarded as waste. Green technologies are currently growing at a rate of over 25% annually and many companies are only just scratching the surface of this rapidly growing market. It is no surprise that plow mixers always have been a mover in this market.
Although plow mixer technology has existed for over 60 years it has been found to be a greener technology than many other mixing platforms and this is because it has been found to consume lower energy than other commonly used mixing platforms like a ribbon blender. This is because it has a high horsepower engine which enables many blends that take upwards of 30 minutes on a ribbon blender to be done in less than 5 minutes on a plow. This higher speed blending action reduces energy consumption per pound of material produced while also improving overall throughput. Additionally, it is also capable of reducing the amount of energy required to perform many drying applications due to the high heat transfer rate.
In addition to reduced energy consumption, plow mixing technology has been vital in revolutionizing the battery industry to improve
processing time for this market. This is because plow mixers are one of the preferred methods of mixing materials to make many cathodes for dry batteries. The high-speed mixing action enables the material to have greater uniformity and it can disperse the high viscosity paste used for making cathodes efficiently. It is also used to dry the materials as well due to the high heat transfer rates seen in the vessels which also reduces the amount of equipment needed and the idle load energy for the overall site.
Processall’s industry experts also have a long history of helping companies perform reclamation projects to recapture viable materials and
capture the toxic byproducts of many applications to ensure proper disposals occur. Processall’s plow mixers are excellent at the extraction of hazardous chemicals thru methods such as steam stripping and vacuum drying. They also are efficient methods of removing organic solvents from materials and collecting them for either reuse or disposal. They have been able to remove chemicals upwards of 500% faster than other
technologies on the market. Plow mixing technology has also been used to reclaim animal waste and sewage by reacting it with Sodium hydroxide to convert it into organic fertilizers. It has also been used to aid in the reclamations of coal ash and iron ores. Plow mixing technologies have even been
used to aid in the concentration of nuclear waste to make the material easier to transport and dispose of long term.
Processall employees have a long history of working with companies in all markets aiding in everything from initial testing to installation of the unit to maintenance throughout the life cycle of the unit.
Processall’s plow mixing technology gives manufacturers a leg up on the competition. Listed below are some of the benefits of moving toward plow mixing technologies for waste reclamations operations.
- High speed yet shorter time mix which reduces the energy per pound of material
- Creation of a mechanically fluidized bed that reduces the extraction times
- A high heat transfer rate within the vessel enables faster drying
- The vessel jacket allows different media (hot oil, steam, or tempered water) to be used depending upon the thermal sensitivity of the product
- Adjustable Pressure conditions enable both high-pressure applications and near-vacuum pressures to occur during different stages of the reaction.
- Allows for the collection of volatilized liquids
- Mill breaks up clumps and can be used for defining particle size
- Ability to agglomerate materials as fine as coal ash and convert them back into a viable fuel source for the coal industry
- Thermal jackets to allow for optimal temperature controls
- High-speed mix which can handle materials as fine as dried oats without damaging the material
- Easy to scale up and predict mix and drying times after lab testing
- Ability to remove hazardous solvents from material
- Vessels can be further outfitted to increase versatility:
- Mechanical seals – will allow the vessel to be pressurized as well as reach a low vacuum (28 Hg)
- Liquid lances – allows media to be sprayed onto the substrate
- Ability to perform the reaction and the mixing and drying within one unit resulting in:
- Faster throughputs
- Reduced energy consumption
- Smaller footprint on the production floor
Current uses of plow mill technology in Green Technologies
- Sewage Reclamation
- Toxic Sludge Removal
- Coal Ash Slurries
- Nuclear Waste Concentration
- Flammable Sludges
- Battery Productions
- Cellulose Fiber Reusage
- And Many More
Processall maintains a fully equipped testing facility in Cincinnati, Ohio designed to provide customers with the data they need to develop their process, evaluate equipment, scale up, and identify the necessary equipment to maintain desired production volumes. We extend an open invitation to all potential customers to bring their products to our test center and get a “hands-on” experience with our technology and capabilities.
We also maintain a rental fleet that customers can utilize to do further testing at their facility or employ to minimize their startup costs for a new process.
Please feel free to contact us with all your material processing questions and our experienced industry professionals will help you find the right mixing solutions for your application.