Dispersers
High-shear dispersers are engineered to break down agglomerates, reduce solid particle size, and achieve fine, homogeneous mixtures across a wide range of processing applications. Unlike standard industrial mixers that create fluid motion for blending or liquid suspension, high-shear dispersers utilize high-speed dispersion blades to impart intense mechanical shear directly into the fluid medium. This makes them essential for incorporating dry powders into liquids, disintegrating solids, and creating stable emulsions or fine suspensions.
Whether you are formulating paints and pigments, dispersing resins into solvents, pulverizing food solids into pastes, or manufacturing personal care creams and lotions, selecting the appropriate disperser ensures batch-to-batch consistency and optimal process efficiency. Sizing a high-shear disperser depends on fluid viscosity, solids content, batch volume, vessel geometry, and safety requirements, such as explosion-proof motors for volatile chemical processing.
At INDCO, we manufacture high-shear dispersers in the U.S., engineered for long-term reliability. From fractional-horsepower benchtop lab dispersers to heavy-duty 20 HP floor-mounted production units, our equipment features fast lead times, direct-from-manufacturer pricing, and dedicated application engineering support. Don't see exactly what you need? Contact us to discuss fully custom-engineered options to perfectly suit your application.
No two dispersion applications are identical. Material rheology, shear rate requirements, and batch sizes dictate equipment design. INDCO offers a complete line of high-shear dispersion equipment tailored for laboratory development, pilot testing, and full-scale manufacturing:
1. Benchtop Air Stirrers (up to 1.5 HP)
- Ideal Applications: Quick, versatile high-shear blending in open-top cans, pails, or lab ring-and-rod stands.
- Features: Lightweight pneumatic drive units equipped with precision stainless steel dispersion blades and chuck/shaft assemblies. Excellent for explosive or solvent-heavy environments requiring intrinsically safe operation. Ring-and-rod mounting system.
- Popular Series: AS Series Air Stirrer & Blade Packages (AS50D, AS15D-S).
2. Tabletop & Benchtop Dispersers (0.5 HP - 4 HP)
- Ideal Applications: Laboratory formulation, R&D, small-batch pilot testing, and benchtop production up to 5-gallon containers.
- Features: Compact footprint with integrated bases or heavy-duty support stands. Includes variable-speed pneumatic (air) motors and electric options (TEFC or explosion-proof) with optional digital/mechanical tachometers for precise operational monitoring.
- Popular Series: HSM (3 HP Electric Lift Mixer), HSD (Air Dispersers with Benchtop Base/Stand), and HS Series (Electric Variable-Speed Lab Dispersers).
3. Floor-Mounted Production Dispersers (up to 20 HP)
- Ideal Applications: Industrial-scale mixing and large-batch dispersion in drums, tanks, and mobile process vessels up to several hundred gallons.
- Features: Heavy-duty steel frame construction designed for continuous industrial operation. Available with integrated air or hydraulic-assisted lift stands for smooth shaft insertion and removal from tall containers. Configurable with inverter-duty 3-phase electric motors, explosion-proof controls, and variable-frequency drives (VFD).
- Popular Series: HS-5 through HS-20 Series Floor-Mount Dispersers.
- Intense Particle Size Reduction: High-rim-velocity dispersion blades generate intense localized shear, breaking down particle agglomerates into fine dispersions.
- Available Variable-Speed Control: Precise speed adjustment enables controlled low-speed powder wetting followed by high-speed dispersion without excessive air entrapment or splashing.
- Available Torque- or Speed-Priority Controls: Set the motor controller to adjust its speed to maintain a stable torque value; this is ideal when handling non-Newtonian fluids.
- Available Digital Tachometers: For applications where precise speed monitoring is necessary.
- Rugged 304 & 316 Stainless Steel Wet Components: Corrosion-resistant shafts and dispersion blades ensure product purity, easy cleanability, and compatibility with harsh solvents or corrosive chemicals.
- Hazardous Location Options: Explosion-proof (EP) electric motors and pneumatic air motor configurations provide safety when processing flammable coatings, solvents, or volatile chemicals.
- Tungsten Carbide-Coated Blades Available: For highly abrasive slurries, such as titanium dioxide or silica suspensions, INDCO offers hardened or coated dispersion impellers for extended wear life.
- Configured or Fully Custom Solutions Available: Don't see exactly what you need? Have a unique application where there is no current commercially available solution? We are happy to provide a configured or fully custom quote to suit your unique needs.
| Industry | Primary Use Case | Recommended Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Paints, Coatings & Inks | Dispersing dry pigments, fillers, and additives into solvent- or water-based resins. | HS Series Explosion-Proof Benchtop or Floor-Mounted Dispersers |
| Chemical & Adhesives | Dissolving polymers, homogenizing synthetic resins, and blending fine chemical slurries. | High-Torque Variable-Speed Dispersers (Air or Electric) |
| Cosmetics & Personal Care | Emulsifying oils and water, dispersing thickeners, and micronizing solid ingredients into lotions and creams. | Stainless Steel Benchtop Dispersers with Sanitary Impellers |
| Food Processing | Pulverizing solid food ingredients and creating uniform sauces, condiments, and smooth pastes. | Sanitary Stainless Steel High-Shear Mixers |
1. How does a disperser differ from a standard industrial mixer?
A standard mixer, such as a direct-drive or gear-drive agitator with marine propellers or hydrofoils, is designed to create bulk fluid turnover and circulation. A disperser operates at significantly higher shaft speeds using a high-shear dispersion blade with a sawtooth design. Instead of just moving fluid, the blade's high peripheral speed creates high shear forces that shatter solid particle agglomerates and reduce drop size in emulsions.
2. What is the ideal dispersion blade size relative to tank diameter?
For optimal dispersion action, the dispersion blade diameter should typically be 1/3 of the tank diameter. The blade should be positioned approximately 0.5 to 1 blade diameter off the bottom of the vessel to achieve proper flow patterns, forming a deep vortex without drawing excess air into the batch.
3. Should I choose an air motor or an electric motor for my disperser?
- Air Motors (Pneumatic): Intrinsically safe, lightweight, infinitely variable speed, and ideal for hazardous or flammable solvent environments. They cannot burn out under stalled loads. Typically only available in fractional to 4 HP ranges. Be aware that air motors require a substantial volume of lubricated, dry, compressed air.
- Electric Motors: Offer consistent RPM speed holding under changing viscosities, higher energy efficiency, and quiet operation. Available in TEFC (Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled) or EP (Explosion-Proof) options.
4. How do I know if I need a benchtop unit vs. a floor-mounted disperser?
Benchtop/tabletop dispersers (0.5 to 4 HP) are designed for containers up to 5 gallons and lab-scale development. If you are working with 30-gallon to 55-gallon drums, intermediate bulk containers, or large production vessels requiring up to 20 HP, a floor-mounted model with an integrated lift stand is required.
Selecting the correct motor horsepower, speed range, and blade design is critical to achieving target dispersion results. Contact INDCO's application engineering team today for personalized selection support:
- Phone: 1-800-942-4383 / (812) 945-4383
- Email: Sales@indco.com
- Online Orders & Specs: www.INDCO.com