From the laboratory to the technical center

There are individual systems for the development laboratory for batch sizes up to 10 liters and 50 liters as well as for the pilot plant in sizes up to 100 and 300 liters. All systems are designed in the HV version (High Viscosity).
The system was designed to produce small batches of 10 to 300 liters or to develop recipes on a laboratory scale. In process engineering, it provides parameters for the scale-up process of all recipes from laboratory to series production.

Solid, pasty and liquid filling
The system can be used to produce slurries, liquid mixtures with a maximum viscosity of 20,000 mPas, finished products and highly concentrated pigment pastes with a solids content of up to 70 % as multi-component mixtures.

The feed liquids are filled manually into the mixing container or added via the filler neck in the top of the container. Water is dosed in the same way.

The solids can be pre-weighed and prepared using a mobile powder hopper made of plastic or stainless steel. The powder hopper is connected to the mixing chamber of the Conti-TDS dispersion unit (transport dissolving system) via a hose line. The powder tap is then opened and the extraction process begins.

Smaller quantities of solids can be added via a small quantity hopper. The powder is also pre-weighed for the hopper. Docked to the mixing chamber, the hopper is emptied via the integrated dispersing unit. Small quantities of liquid components, e.g. additives, can also be added via this small quantity hopper with the dispersing unit.

Mixing and dispersing
The solids are digested and dispersed in the mixing chamber of the Conti-TDS dispersion unit. The powder feed mode is available for this, i.e. the powder tap is open. The machine runs at the preset speed and disperses the powder during the intake process. Homogenization then takes place with the powder tap closed in the same speed range. As with the "Mofa" and "Mini-Mofa", the dispersing unit is a rotor-stator machine and works according to the centrifugal principle. The special design of the rotor and stator creates a vacuum in the mixing chamber during operation. Both solids and liquids can be sucked in via this vacuum. Forced wetting of all particles and separation of air takes place in the vacuum area of the dispersing zone.

Two separate inlets into the mixing chamber of the dispersion unit form new recipe-related processes via powder and small quantity hoppers.

Process engineering examples are

• the separate feeding of white pigment powder (titanium dioxide) and organic pigment mixtures via powder and small quantity hoppers,
• the powder feed via the large powder hopper and simultaneous or separate dosing of melted wax or binder components via the small quantity hopper as well as
• different dosing speeds into the mixing chamber of the dispersing unit via powder and small hoppers

During the entire Conti-TDS runtime, homogeneity is also achieved in the mixing container via a jet mixer. This is also used when processing products that should not enter the shear field of the Conti-TDS. It is possible to work in this way without the Conti-TDS. The system can therefore be used to process products with a high shear requirement as well as shear-sensitive products.
The jet mixer ensures intensive, air-free and homogeneous mixing of the entire contents of the container, regardless of the batch size, viscosity and flow properties of the products to be produced.
When small quantities of liquids are fed into the mixing container below the working area of the jet mixer, an optional anchor agitator is installed for homogenization. In addition, the anchor agitator serves as a wall scraper and collects all residual quantities in the mixing container during the filling process.

The mixing container can be cooled. The product temperature can be controlled with cooling water via a double jacket. This makes it possible to produce temperature-sensitive products.

Finishing and cleaning
The finished product is discharged via a discharge valve on the mixing chamber of the Conti dispersion unit. This dispersion unit can provide support for highly viscous products. The piping of the system is designed so that the entire system can be completely emptied.

Once a product is finished, the system is cleaned manually. The mixing container and the built-in elements such as the jet mixer and anchor agitator can be easily cleaned with a water hose at a water pressure of 1 to 3 bar. The Conti dispersion unit supports the cleaning process with high flow velocities in the piping system. As a result, basic color and product changes can be implemented in a short time.

The assembly and disassembly of batch tanks, pipelines, shut-off valves, drive motors etc. is possible with virtually no tools. The system is operated via a touchscreen monitor in the control panel with a PLC control system.

System data
One person operates the system, with a test batch of ten liters taking less than ten minutes. The process technology options of the Micro plant correspond to those of the Mini MoFa and the standard MoFa plant. The raw material utilization rate increases by up to 50 %. Development times are reduced and the product quality is higher than that which can be achieved with normal laboratory equipment. New product and property profiles that were previously not possible are created, particularly for color pastes or filler suspensions (aquamediates).

The PLC-controlled operation, the compact design and the fact that the system is easy to transport increase the possible applications.