Plowshare mixer PPL

batchgranulessolid/liquid

Product overview
Vacuum-rated, jacketed drum plow mixers that combine intensive mechanical fluidization, chopper-controlled wet granulation and in‑vessel drying. Designed for cohesive, fibrous or high-liquid-load materials that do not process reliably in gravity-flow mixers.

Key data

• Functions: Mix · Wet granulate · Dry in a single vacuum vessel
• Operating vacuum: 10–200 mbar (typical)
• Independent high-speed choppers for granule-size control
• Jacketed drum and end plates for thermal control
• ATEX / inert-loop and containment options

How it works
Mechanical fluidization
Plow-shaped tools lift and suspend the entire bed so every particle is set in motion simultaneously. This produces rapid blend and drying rates even for cohesive, damp or fibrous formulations.

Independent choppers
High-speed chopper heads break agglomerates, disperse binder liquids and control granule size independently of the main shaft speed, enabling a closed-loop approach to granulation control.

Full thermal envelope
The jacketed drum and jacketed end plates, combined with vacuum as a second thermal control, allow wet granulation and subsequent drying to a specified loss-on-drying in the same vessel at product-safe temperatures.

Strengths

• Handles cohesive, fibrous and high-liquid-load products unsuitable for ribbon or paddle mixers
• Wet granulation and drying without inter-unit transfer
• Chopper-controlled granule size distribution
• Short cycle times from intensive mechanical fluidization
• Hardfaced or Hastelloy executions available for abrasive or aggressive duties

Typical duties

• Wet granulation followed by in-vessel vacuum drying
• Cohesive and fibrous powder blending
• Instantising and agglomeration of food powders
• Reaction duties with controlled heat input
• Processing heavy wetted blends and press cakes

Industries

• Pharmaceutical granulation
• Food and instant powders
• Specialty chemicals
• Building materials
• Battery pastes and precursors

Vacuum advantage
At low absolute pressures (typical 10–200 mbar) water and solvents boil at reduced temperatures, enabling drying of heat-sensitive products at temperatures conventional dryers cannot reach. Systems include vacuum-rated bodies, jacketed heating, solvent recovery (condenser/receiver/cold trap), nitrogen back-fill for oxygen control and ATEX/inert-loop options. Drying curves and endpoints can be measured in pilot trials and used for factory acceptance criteria.

FAQ highlights

• What is a vacuum plow mixer-dryer? — A plow mixer in a vacuum-rated, jacketed vessel that mixes, granulates by mechanical fluidization and dries the product in the same body under 10–200 mbar, eliminating separate mixer–dryer transfers.
• When choose a plow over paddle or ribbon vacuum dryers? — For cohesive, fibrous or high-liquid-load materials, or when in‑vessel wet granulation with chopper-controlled granule size is required.
• Can granule size be controlled during drying? — Yes. Chopper speed and dwell time control agglomerate size independently of main shaft speed, allowing granule formation during wetting and protection during drying.

Technical characteristics

• Model series: PPL Series
• Function: Mix, granulate and dry in a single vacuum-rated vessel
• Mixing principle: Mechanical fluidization via plow-shaped tools
• Granulation control: Independent high-speed choppers
• Operating vacuum range: 10–200 mbar (typical)
• Vessel: Jacketed drum and jacketed end plates
• Solvent handling: Condenser, receiver and cold trap
• Oxygen control / safety: Nitrogen back-fill; ATEX / inert options
• Materials / construction options: Hardfaced or Hastelloy executions for abrasive/aggressive duties
• Typical duties: Wet granulation with in-vessel drying, cohesive/fibrous blending, instantising, reaction duties, heavy wetted blends