<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>A breaker plate of a screw mixer is an efficient mixing device for use in homogenizing nanocomposites. This research was undertaken to investigate the effects of glycerol and diameter of holes in a breaker plate on performance of a screw mixer for nanocomposites. Samples of the nanocomposites were formulated by blending 1000 g cassava starch, 45-55% glycerol and 2% magnetite nanoparticles; and used to evaluate the performance of a locally developed screw mixer at 5 mm and 7 mm diameters of holes in its breaker plate. The effects of glycerol and diameter of holes in the breaker plate on mixing index, amount of unmixed nanocomposites and output/1000g were evaluated as performance indices for 1 hour. Empirical models were determined for predicting the performance of the mixer within the designed criteria. The results showed that the output/1000g and the mixing index increased with higher glycerol and diameter of holes in the breaker plate. However, the amount of unmixed nanocomposites decreases with a higher diameter of holes in the breaker plate (p&lt;0.05). The maximum output/1000g and mixing index lies between 5 mm diameter of holes in the breaker plate and 55% glycerol concentration with an approximate desirability of 0.60. The empirical models developed were fit (R<sup>2</sup>=0.89, p&lt;0.05); and there were no significant differences between actual and predicted values. The results suggest application of 5 mm diameter of holes in the breaker plate for homogenizing nanocomposites for optimum performance.</p></abstract>

A breaker plate of a screw mixer is an efficient mixing device for use in homogenizing nanocomposites. This research was undertaken to investigate the effects of glycerol and diameter of holes in a breaker plate on performance of a screw mixer for nanocomposites. Samples of the nanocomposites were formulated by blending 1000 g cassava starch, 45-55% glycerol and 2% magnetite nanoparticles; and used to evaluate the performance of a locally developed screw mixer at 5 mm and 7 mm diameters of holes in its breaker plate. The effects of glycerol and diameter of holes in the breaker plate on mixing index, amount of unmixed nanocomposites and output/1000g were evaluated as performance indices for 1 hour. Empirical models were determined for predicting the performance of the mixer within the designed criteria. The results showed that the output/1000g and the mixing index increased with higher glycerol and diameter of holes in the breaker plate. However, the amount of unmixed nanocomposites decreases with a higher diameter of holes in the breaker plate (p<0.05). The maximum output/1000g and mixing index lies between 5 mm diameter of holes in the breaker plate and 55% glycerol concentration with an approximate desirability of 0.60. The empirical models developed were fit (R2=0.89, p<0.05); and there were no significant differences between actual and predicted values. The results suggest application of 5 mm diameter of holes in the breaker plate for homogenizing nanocomposites for optimum performance.

Effects of Glycerol and Diameter of Holes in Breaker Plate on Performance of Screw Mixer for Nanocomposites

Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Agricultural Engineering

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

A breaker plate of a screw mixer is an efficient mixing device for use in homogenizing nanocomposites. This research was undertaken to investigate the effects...

Effects of Glycerol and Diameter of Holes in Breaker Plate on Performance of Screw Mixer for Nanocomposites

Publié en ligne: 21 déc. 2017

Pages: 15 - 26

Reçu: 01 juin 2017

Accepté: 01 sept. 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/agriceng-2017-0032

Mots clés
breaker plate, mixing index, nanocomposites, screw mixer

© 2017 A. Fadeyibi et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Effects of Glycerol and Diameter of Holes in Breaker Plate on Performance of Screw Mixer for Nanocomposites

Publié en ligne: 21 déc. 2017

Pages: 15 - 26

Reçu: 01 juin 2017

Accepté: 01 sept. 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/agriceng-2017-0032

Mots clésbreaker plate, mixing index, nanocomposites, screw mixer

© 2017 A. Fadeyibi et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
breaker plate, mixing index, nanocomposites, screw mixer