Mixing & Mass Transfer Technologies experts to present paper at upcoming ACS Convention

• Presentation to focus on advanced mixing systems for non-Newtonian, shear thinning fluids.

STATE COLLEGE, PA, Sept. 29, 2006 -- Prakash Balan, Ph.D., and James Schlachter of Mixing & Mass Transfer Technologies (m2t) will present their paper entitled, "Advanced Stirred Tank Reactor/Mixing System for Non-Newtonian, Shear Thinning Fluids" on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the Adhesives & Sealants Council (ASC) Fall Convention in Nashville, TN. The paper compares performance data on high-viscosity mixing and gas-liquid mass transfer performance in a viscous, shear thinning fluid using a new, advanced mixing system versus a popular, state-of-the-art stirred tank design.

Shear thinning fluids pose serious challenges to mixing / reactor processes, including:
• Localized mising near the impellers, with stagnant areas elsewhere
• Non-uniform mixing, and undesirable reaction selectivity
• Gas/liquid mass transfer and/or heat transfer limitations
• Slow process cycle time, and process control difficulties

The new system design dramatically improved mixing and mass transfer performance, and slashed mixing time in experiments conducted at the 300-gallon scale. It also eliminated shaft torque and power fluctuations that can produce mechanical difficulties with conventional stirred tank reactors operating in challenging gas-liquid dispersion applications. Complete performance data will be included in the presentation.

The new system design (HI-FLUX Mixing Technology™ is a cost-effective alternative for rheologically challenging applications, including processing of polymers, coatings, adhesives, specialty chemicals and personal care products, and is retrofittable into existing reactors or mixing vessels.

About the presenters
Dr. Balan is Vice President, Research & Technology at Mixing & Mass Transfer (m2t) Technologies LLC. He has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and holds several patents in mixer and mixing system design. Prior to joining m2t Technologies, he was technology leader in reactor design, mixing systems and process technology commercialization at ARCO Chemical Company.

Schlachter is Sr. Business Development Manager at m2t Technologies. He has more than 20 years of experience in the mixing industry and has conducted mixing technology seminars across the country.

HI-FLUX Mixing Technology was developed by Mixing and Mass Transfer Technologies (http://m2ttech.com/index.asp), a research-intensive company with a rapidly expanding list of patented technological developments in industrial and environmental mixing systems. The company has large-scale R&D mixing facilities and uses advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics combined with experimental research to help customers develop efficient, cost-effective fluid mixing and mass transfer solutions.

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