Stirring Technology

Stirring technology is a part of mechanic process engineering. This process deals with the repositioning of several substances with the help of mechanical influence. The resulting structure is defined as a mixture. The mixture shows other physical characteristics than the single materials which were stirred; a new substance is not created due to stirring technology, because the new mixture can always be separated into single substances. The main task of stirring technology is to create a new homogenous or heterogeneous mixture from similar aggregate states of a substance. Homogenous mixtures are completely mixed pure substances on the molecular level, while heterogeneous mixtures are not completely mixed. Mixtures and pure substances (which occur in elementary forms, or are combined into a new substance as ionic and molecular compounds) differ in their characteristics. In mixtures, the basics substances are still available in their isolated form. The most important aim of stirring technology is to create a mixture which shows certain requested characteristics. Decisive parameters of this process are the correct mixing ratio, the mixing time and the amount of energy which flows into the process. Economically and process-optimized results can be achieved with the help of corresponding stirrers, kneaders and free-fall blenders. If you don't find the stirring technology you are looking for, please contact us and we will help you find the best solution to suit your needs by calling our offices on: UK customers +44(0) 23 809 870 30 / US customers (561) 320-9162 and our technical staff will advise you regarding our stirring technology. Our engineers and technicians will be happy to help you with the stirring, and of course, with the other products in the field of measuring instruments, regulation and control, or scales and balances of PCE Instruments Ltd.

Examples of different Mixtures in Stirring Technology

A common heterogeneous mixture, which consists from different visible components, results for example when it comes to the stirring of water and oil. Milk, which is also termed as an emulsion, is a heterogeneous mixture as well. In addition to that, the stirring of a single substance can also finish up in a heterogeneous mixture. However, this can only occur when the substance is available in different aggregate states. If you mix for example the solid state of water (ice cubes) with the liquid state, the result is also a heterogeneous mixture. In the case of homogeneous mixtures, the visible interfaces of the substances disappear because the stirring takes place on a molecular level. Common examples for these mixtures are metallic alloys, the air we breathe and the stirring of water and salt where a saline solution occurs. 
When it comes to laboratory application, two different kinds of aid for stirring technology come up. On the one hand, the magnetic stirrer is applied where on the other hand the agitator is used. In the following, these two instruments are explained. The agitator consists of two different components; a strong stirring motor and a processing tool which stirs the different substances. The stirring motor is installed on a tripod. Agitators are basically divided into mechanically and electronically agitated ones. The material which shall be stirred is put into a container which is moreover placed under the processing tool. There are different processing tools in stirring technology which can be exchanged and do furthermore vary in size and characteristics. There are for example:
- Anchor Stirrers
- Blade agitators
- Centrifugal Stirrers
- Dissolver Agitators
- Kneading Stirrers
- Magnetic Stirrers
- Propeller Stirrers
- Screw-Stirrers
- Surface Stirrers
- Turbine Stirrers

If you have a look at the terms, you can already see what characteristics the different instruments of our stirring technology have, how they work and how they can be classified. 

Magnetic stirrers are instruments where the container is put on. Concerning the construction of a magnetic stirrer can be said that the substance which shall be mixed is put into the container which is afterwards placed on the stirring plate. It contains a magnet which has the task of mixing substances due to rotation around its axis. It is driven with the help of a rotating magnetic field which is located below the stirring plate. Depending on the model of the magnetic stirrer, some possess a hot plate which heats up the substances. Due to the stirring technology and the stirring process, a mixing of different substances happens, be it substances of the same or of a different aggregate state. Moreover, stirring technology serves for a balanced temperature distribution of substances in the course of a stirring process.