Agitators

Key concerns within chemical and pharmaceutical processes are improving performance and reducing production costs. Agitation, mixing and heat transfer are directly linked to these obstacles.

The constant improvement of glassing techniques makes it possible to optimize the profiles of agitator blades in glass-lined steel. Our research and development teams have perfected a formulation which offers optimal resistance to highly corrosive processes, impact and abrasion that also facilitates cleaning.

DDPS’ wide range of agitator options include our standard, patented GlasLock agitator design or traditional one-piece construction.

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Features

DDPS Agitators are available in an array of styles and tiers to carry out various flow patterns and regimes, handling a range of mixing objectives including:

  • Homogenization
  • Suspension
  • Liquid / liquid dispersion
  • Liquid / gas dispersion
  • Heat transfer
  • Crystallization

 

Advantages

  • Same material of construction as vessel means superior corrosion resistance.
  • Blade styles available to accommodate low level mixing / minimum volumes as well as products with high viscosities.
  • Ability to change out/adjust blades saves on cost and minimizes equipment downtime.

Baffles

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Baffles are one of the most important components in mixing.  The installation of baffles in a vessel aids in breaking the rotation of the liquid and eliminates the formation of the vortex caused by high impeller speeds.  The use of baffles overcomes the additional problem of air entrapment, resulting in better top-to-bottom circulation. DDPS keeps many sizes stocked for quick delivery.

Features

Types of baffles offered include:

  • OptiMix Baffles (three wall-mounted baffles)
  • BeaverTail Flange-Mounted Baffles
  • Combination Dip Pipe/Baffle

 

Advantages

  • Reduces/eliminates vortexing that can occur during mixing
  • Improves mixing efficiency
  • Wall-mounted design maximizes heat transfer and frees up nozzle space

Drives

SA Reactor

The drive system is the heart of all DDPS mixing solutions, powering the agitator to increase product movement and achieve desired mixing homogeneity of your process. Depending on your reactor size and agitation requirements, DDPS offers two types of drives that are designed to meet the special process needs of glass and glass-lined vessel users.

Depending on your reactor size and agitation requirements, DDPS offers Series 60 Drives or Lenze Drives that are designed to meet the special process needs of glass-lined vessel users.  Both drive models are optimized for use over the entire working temperature range of a glass-lined reactor with a “non-metallic” shaft seal.  Series 60 drives fit on GL and SA series reactors size 300 gallons and larger; Lenze drives are designed for CTJ reactors sizes 5 to 1,000 gallons.  Both types of drives can be retrofitted to any major brand reactor. Explosion-proof and multiple-speed motors are available.

Series 60 Drive Advantages

  • Long-life, low-maintenance design
  • Large diameter, preloaded tapered roller bearings provide optimum blend of rigid shaft support for very low runout with low-profile design
  • Long L10 bearing life: 100,000 to 500,000 hours for output shaft bearings
  • Quality 10 helical gearing
  • Minimum numbers of parts, simplified construction and rugged, rigid ductile iron housing
  • Extremely low noise level
  • High drive efficiency gives lower power consumption
  • Compact design reduces headroom requirements, simplifies vessel piping
  • Infrequent oil changes (once a year is average)
  • Drywell construction eliminates oil leakage at output and input shafts
  • Submerged oil lubrication means no oil pump or slinger to fail, no grease required
  • Explosion-proof and multiple-speed motors available
  • Choice of dry-running single mechanical seals or lubricated double mechanical seals

Lenze Drive Advantages

  • Superior combination of value and performance in a wide range of applications
  • Compact design with fewer parts for easy installation and maintenance
  • Check, add or change oil without removing the safety guard
  • Largest output bearings in the size range provide unmatched L10 life (> 100,000 hours)
  • Unique output shaft connection reduces shaft deflection to extend seal life
  • Longer shaft lengths accommodate a wider range of tank configurations
  • Leak proof reducer design
  • Available from 1 to 30 HP with speeds from 11 to 125 RPM
  • Explosion-proof and multiple-speed motors available
  • Choice of dry-running single mechanical seals or lubricated double mechanical seals  

Mechanical Seals

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Mechanical seals are a necessary part of every agitator application.  Our designs are workhorses, proven with years of rigorous 24/7 use. Mechanical seals deliver a full range of rotary configurations and component materials and are built to handle virtually any level of fluid movement.

De Dietrich Process Systems offers three types of seals to complement your drive system - OptiSeal, QW, and JC seals.  Even in the most demanding services, you can count on our seals to provide invisible leakage, less friction (i.e. power loss), and little to no wear on seal shafts.  Their flexibility accommodates shaft deflections and they save on downtime, requiring no period maintenance.

OptiSeal

The OptiSeal is a carbon-free mechanical seal that incorporates reliable vessel seal technology to meet the stringent process requirements in today’s pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing environments.  The innovative seal design, which is the standard on all De Dietrich reactors, helps users establish compliance with USP and BPE guidelines.  OptiSeal can be built in FDA compliant materials with sizes also available for competitors' designs. The standard design offers the following advantages:

  • No carbon dust contamination, eliminates process contamination from mechanical seal face wear.
  • True dry-running design, balanced double cartridge seal, can be run with a barrier fluid.
  • GMP compliant
  • Minimal maintenance after installation
  • Cost Effective
  • CIP/SIP
  • Lowest possible consumption/leakage rate of nitrogen to process/atmosphere versus all other double seal technologies.
  • Pressures from full vacuum to 100 psig (4.6 bar)
  • Temperatures from -20°F to 350°F (-29°C to 177°C)
  • 0 to 1.0 SCFH/inch of shaft diameter leak rate is possible

QW Seals

The QW seal was originally designed as a lubricated seal, and has been modified to a dry seal. It features a carbon/ceramic material of construction for the face, choice of Teflon encapsulated Viton, Kalrez, or Viton o-ring, and non-wetted metallic parts constructed of stainless steel.

  • Pressures up to 50 psig (3.3 bar)
  • Temperatures up to 350ºF (175ºC)

JC Seals

The JC seal is a dry seal intended for higher pressure applications.  It is an excellent design for extended seal life.

  • Pressures up to 50 psig (3.5 bar)
  • Temperatures up to 350ºF (175ºC)

Mixing Simulations

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De Dietrich Process Systems’ engineering team can perform a mixing simulation to define a customized agitation system to optimize your reaction process.  Our exclusive software allows for a complete simulation of an existing agitation system and a thorough comparison with several alternative systems, which will:

  • Improve yield
  • Maximize product quality
  • Increase heat transfer
  • Reduce batch time
  • Control crystal growth
  • Refine process flexibility

Features

DDPS can provide you with full color, time-based, axial flow diagrams; horsepower draw; overall and circulation flow rates; blend or turnover times; average axial velocities; average, maximum and wall tangential velocities; shear rates for the agitator and baffle; vortex depths; and more. Furthermore, to meet your exact needs, we can change and modify the simulated agitation system to see how different parameters will affect your process, including:

  • Agitator: RPM, blade span, angle and design (flat turbine, hydrofoil, breaker bar, etc.), number and location of tiers
  • Baffles: Size (length and width), number, location, and design (BeaverTail, OptiMix, without baffles)

 

Advantages

DDPS can give you full confidence that your process will perform to your expectations by optimizing your agitation system for the following processes:

  • Suspension
  • Dissolution
  • Extraction
  • Dispersion
  • Emulsion

CIP Studies

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With a complete database of spray balls and documentation on their performance according to various reactor designs and products, DDPS can perform CIP studies and recommend the best spray ball/reactor design pairing, including parameters like spray ball material of construction, orientation, and pressure.

Once the data is analyzed on paper and theoretical solutions are recommended, riboflavin tests are performed to validate the study results.  After completing the design and installing the system, we typically perform riboflavin testing in our factory (or at a customer’s site in the case of pre-installed reactors) to assure the coverage is adequate.  Following the initial test, the spray balls (location and type) can be modified if needed to fully achieve the required performance objectives. The riboflavin test is then repeated and the results are documented and certified.

Features

A typical CIP study will provide you with a thorough report, detailing:

  • Coverage ratio
  • Shadow areas
  • Impact on the vessel wall
  • Quantity of solvent used for a cleaning cycle and the best location
  • Cleaning performance based on test trials
  • Detailed pictures of the UV light test

 

Advantages

  • Feasible way to demonstrate the cleaning capabilities of a spray ball system so that you can validate the cleanability of your reactor.
  • Can be performed on new or existing reactors already installed - only reactor drawing and 3D model needed
  • DDPS can do assessments on competitive models
  • Helps to outline what reactor enhancements will be the most beneficial to your process.

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