Sticky problems

Materials such as alginates and guar gums have a tendency to form agglomerates and also congeal at the point of addition to the liquid phase. These powders are sticky and difficult to wet thoroughly. However, the problem can be overcome with the Conti-TDS system from Ystral, represented in the UK and Ireland by BPT [Skerman].

The patented aspect of the design involves the negative pressure created at the powder inlet and the dry materials are drawn directly into the high energy mix chamber from the opposite side to the point of liquid entry.

This ensures that the powder feed is always dry, and the powder and liquid phases are immediately dispersed.

The Conti-TDS system is beneficial when handling light and dusty powders. The effective suction created at the powder inlet enables powders to be inducted directly via a wand or lance from bags or hoppers, thus removing the physical manual handling. This also removes the problem of creating a dusty and dirty environment in the process area, and maximises material use.