LIST Lab Kneader

A wide range of processing low and highly viscous materials with difficult rheological behavior: sticky, pasty, viscous, crust-forming.

Safe handling of product phase changes which may typically occur during processes such as evaporations, drying, devolatilizations, crystallizations, (de)sublimations, polymerizations, polycondensations, chemical solid-liquid and solid-gas reactions, recycling and recovery.

The complete assembly as shown here is designed to fit in a typical fume hood by requiring a footprint of 710 mm x 450 mm, and 720/750 mm in height, and can be placed on a typical lab bench: 80 kg.

Same mixing kneading shaft design like industrial LIST KneaderReactors, which usually operate in a continuous mode for very high capacities and very low fluctuations. Thus, the switch to a continuous process is prepared.

The process chamber process contains 1 litre. Usually, a kneader is operated with a filling grade in between 50-75%. Therefore, 500-750ml effective product volume allow for a time efficient and cost sensitive development of high value products.

The feed product can be dosed through the top of the Dome or through several side plugs in the dome.
It can be solid, liquid or gaseous.

Liquid product can be drained through ports in the front plate. For the discharge of viscous or solid product, either the whole front plate can be removed, or the shafts can be pulled out of the casing by sliding the gear-motor-block back on rails.

The reactor can be operated from vacuum at 1 mbara to pressure up to 10 barg.

A top sight glass allows the operator to observe the product by eye or through a camera (not included) with a reflection free illumination for best view into the process chamber.

The mixing kneading shafts rotate from 10 to 100rpm. The system is designed for high torques up to 80Nm. This allows to introduce a large specific torque into the product and to process highly viscous media of up to 20’000 of Pas shear viscosity.

The mixing kneading shafts are designed for full self-cleaning of all product-wetted housing and shaft surfaces. This enables forced homogenization of difficult-to-handle, viscous, sticky and crust-forming materials during unlimited residence times.

Two different machine types are available. Both with a kneading shaft geometry identical to industrial applications. No need to change the processing approach for larger scales. This saves time to market.

The casing, front & end plate and dome are jacketed for heating or cooling with a liquid thermal oil by a heating unit.

The mixing kneading shafts can be equipped with an electric heating cartridge to maximize heat input and preclude a cold sink.

The shafts are sealed with a two-stage stuffing box and an additional rotary seal. A first stages close to the reaction chamber prevents the product from leaking out, a second stage allows for a gas-tightness reaching vacuum levels down to 1 mbara.

Laboratory standard glass condensers. Optionally, metal condensers are available.

A dome allows for extra space necessary e.g. for evaporation processes where small liquid volumes expand to large gas volumes.

The handles and rolls allow an easy handling under the fume hood, by tilting and rolling only a fraction of the full weight.

The dome and all the gas-space parts can be easily dismantled through tri-clamp connectors. The front and end plate are easily removable. Also, the shafts can be removed by the operator with extra tools that are included in the scope of supply.