Reactors with enhanced heat transfer requirements at elevated viscosities are often equipped with radially working mixing systems as anchor-, blade- or frame-type impellers.

To exceed their performance EKATO has developed the VARIOBLADE, which is a flexible, modular impeller with an optimized split between axial and radial flow components. Compared to standard grid - or blade type impellers, the blend times – especially in the mid-viscous range – can be reduced by up to 50%.

The VARIOBLADE is not a close-wall-clearance system but operates in the center of reactors - typically with coils - where radial flow components are required. The positioning of the three elements – outer blade, inner blade and bottom anchor - can be varied. Therefore this impeller can handle different mixing task combinations with varying viscosities up to 50,000 cP.

As an example the modular inner blade can be adjusted to achieve a high dispersion effect. This is a significant advantage for multi-phase applications such as gas-liquid or liquid-liquid reactions.