The Stokes number approach to support scale-up and technology transfer of a mixing process

Transferring processes between different scales and types of mixers is a common operation in industry. Challenges within this operation include the existence of considerable differences in blending conditions between mixer scales and types. Obtaining the correct blending conditions is crucial for the ability to break up agglomerates in order to achieve the desired blend uniformity. Agglomerate break up is often an abrasion process. In this study, the abrasion rate potential of agglomerates is described by the Stokes abrasion (St(Abr)) number of the system. The St(Abr) number equals the ratio between the kinetic energy density of the moving powder bed and the work of fracture of the agglomerate. In this study, the St(Abr) approach demonstrates to be a useful tool to predict the abrasion of agglomerates during blending when technology is transferred between mixer scales/types. Applying the St(Abr) approach revealed a transition point between parameters that determined agglomerate abrasion. This study gave evidence that (1) below this transition point, agglomerate abrasion is determined by a combination of impeller effects and by the kinetic energy density of the powder blend, whereas (2) above this transition point, agglomerate abrasion is mainly determined by the kinetic energy density of the powder blend.