cpp - Process technology for the chemical industry 02.2018

cpp ACHEMA PROCESS ENGINEERING
Hygienic mixer for powdery products
Rouge without stripes
Expectations are high when it comes to powdery cosmetic products such as eye
shadow, powder or rouge: they should be easy to apply to the skin, last a long time
and not crumble or create dust. In addition, they have to be treated particularly
hygienically like high-purity pharmaceuticals.
The powder mixture is primarily
composed of talcum powder, colour and effect
pigments and mica powder. Further
components such as powdery or liquid
binding agents are added to make these
powders compressible and extrudable. Adhesion
promoters ensure that the powder
remains on the skin all day long until the
make-up is removed. Colour and effect pigments
have a tendency to agglomerate due
to their fineness. If they are not sufficiently
well distributed in the powder matrix, they
can leave coloured stripes when applied to
the skin. The mixing step must therefore be
performed with a lot of shear energy. The
challenge in the mixing process is to distribute
the components as homogeneously
as possible so that they are deagglomerated,
in order to achieve a reproducible colour
and a fine-powdered end product. Other
components create opalescent and holographic
effects and must be added with particular
care.
High mixing quality fast
Such multi-step operations are guaranteed
in the Amixon mixer by the zero-clearance
circulation. A patented Sinconvex mixing
tool rotates in the centre of the mixing
chamber. The helical blade collects the mixture
at the edge of the chamber and carries
it upwards. When it reaches the top, it flows
downwards again in the centre of the vessel.
The components are optimally mixed at a
slow rotational speed irrespective of their
particle size, bulk density and flow properties.
Technically ideal mixing qualities,
which cannot be improved any further in
practice, are achieved after about 40 to 160
revolutions of the mixing tool. High-shear
blades are used in the Amixon mixers to
avoid agglomerates. They protrude laterally
into the mixing vessel and work at speeds of
up to 3000 rpm, deagglomerating, breaking
up lumps and activating the surfaces.
The cutting rotors also support the next step
in the manufacture of cosmetics: the ultrafine
distribution of the liquid binding
agents. The use of cutting rotors enables
liquid additives to be homogenised particularly
effectively. Highly viscous liquid additives
can be distributed into the powder.
They are injected below the filling level, directly
into the operating area of the cutting
rotor, using a feeding lance. The distribution
of the fluid thus takes place immediately
due to vortex, friction and centrifugal effects
when the energy input is increased.
The lance can optionally be equipped with a
nozzle and tempered if desired.
Discharge rates of up to 99.8 %
Following a short post-mixing time, the
manufacturing process in the mixer is complete.
The mixing chamber is completely
discharged without de-mixing. In practice,
discharge rates of up to 99.98 % or more
can be achieved under ideal conditions. Finally,
automatic wet cleaning can be carried
out using the patented WaterDragon system.
The requirements for a preparation mixer
are always determined by the individual application.
Amixon has over 30 different test
mixers, vacuum dryers and synthesis reactors
available for test trials, ensuring optimal
results. All apparatus have a hygienic
design and meet EHEDG, GMP and FDA
requirements.
www.cpp-net.com
Online search: cpp0218amixon
Hall 6.0, Booth C76
AUTHOR:
MATTHIAS BÖNING
Sales Manager,
Amixon
Pictures: Amixon
Powdery cosmetics are manufactured in
accordance with pharmaceutical standards,
which is why the mixers have to comply
with the same hygienic regulations
Two types of wetting are available: left,
through an injector nozzle and right,
through a multi-component nozzle
cpp 02-2018 75