Continuous kneader
Effective mixing of highly viscous products with extremely high solids content can be difficult and the results from traditional extrusion type equipment are often unsatisfactory. Much more thorough and intense mixing can be achieved and higher solid contents attained with kneading technology.
Continuous highly controlled kneading from a flexible machine
IKA’s Conterna machine is a multi-chambered continuous kneader which technology is patent protected all over the world. The standard continuous kneader consists of 6 chambers arranged together in a horizontal block. Each chamber contains two kneading elements which are driven by a variable frequency AC motor. There is one independently controlled motor for each chamber. Liquid and solid ingredients are introduced into each chamber according to the process needs and the mix is advanced from chamber to chamber via the kneading action of the impellers. By adjusting the motor speed and the discharge rate , users can control the resident time of the product in the machine to achieve the desired results. The continuous kneading action ensures that evenly mixed products are produced and products with extremely high solids content can be processed. Units are available with approximate throughput rates of 80 to 4.000 kg/hour.
Benefits
- More intensive and thorough mixing
- Product has longer and adjustable residence time in the mixer
- Higher solids content achievable compared to traditional extrusion techniques
- Flexible configuration of the machine allows product change without machine conversion
- Continuous process achieves more output with less floor space