Vertical Blenders

Ribbon Blenders

Ross Ribbon & Vertical Blenders

2

WORLD CLASS MANUFACTURING – AND WORLD CLASS VALUE

Ross has been building the most advanced mixing and blending equipment

for more than 150 years. Our Ribbon Blenders, Paddle Blenders, Vertical

Blenders and Vacuum Dryers are used today in all the process industries, and

in virtually every industrialized nation.

Now, with sophisticated manufacturing facilities on four continents,

Ross can deliver a combination of economy, productivity and fast

delivery that no other company can match.

3

THE BLENDER THAT FITS YOUR APPLICATIONPERFECTLYThe space available on a plant floor is

often a key factor in selecting the

blender that will deliver the right

combination of performance and space-

efficiency. When floor space is tight, a

Vertical Blender can provide excellent

blending performance in a very small

footprint. When overhead space is

limited, a Horizontal Ribbon Blender

offers easy charging, gentle blending

and thorough discharge – without

having to raise the roof. To make sure

you are selecting the right blender, you

should consider both alternatives.

Since Ross manufacturers a complete

line of both horizontal Ribbon Blenders

and Vertical Blenders, we can guarantee

that you will find a Ross blender that

solves your blending requirements.

THE ROSS DIFFERENCE –INNOVATIVE DESIGN Take a close look at a Ross RibbonBlender or Vertical Blender. You willsee that all blenders are not alike.

Ross design innovations – like theabsence of a lower support bearingin our Vertical Blender – give Rosscustomers a terrific advantage. AllRoss Vertical blenders are built withan “unsupported screw,” becauseour sophisticated engineering andfabrication facilities are uniquelyequipped to handle the job (evenin very large sizes).

THE ROSS DIFFERENCE –SUPERIOR FABRICATION Clean design and a meticulousfinish can produce faster blending cycles, more thoroughdischarge, and easier clean-up. With fabrication facilitiesthat dwarf those of our competitors, we can buildvirtually any blender in-house, from start to finish. This is

the best assurance you can have ofconsistent quality and low prices.We canengineer a Ross Blender to meet anyrequirements you may have – fromvacuum/pressure or sanitary operation tofabrication with advanced alloys to meetyour process requirements. We can alsobuild blenders to meet virtually anyindustry-specific regulations.

THE ROSS DIFFERENCE –IMMEDIATE DELIVERYRoss maintains the world’s largest inventory of mixersand blenders in stock, so you can have the blender youneed when you need it – now.

If we have a Ribbon Blender in stock that meets yourspecifications, we will ship it within 48 hours.

If you need a custom design, or a blender withfeatures we do not normally stock, we can provide agreat alternative – a trial/rental blender that will giveyou an immediate increase in capacity while your newblender is being built. A trial/rental also gives you anopportunity to confirm your blender selection on yourown process line before you buy it.

Ribbon Blenders

Ross Ribbon Blenders meet the toughest stan-dards for quality and long-term performance –ours. Our attention to detail is meticulous,because every detail in design and fabricationtranslates to an increase in production.

BALANCED RIBBON DESIGNPrecisely designed and fabricated ribbons andtroughs ensure that blending cycles are fast,with well-balanced lateral and radial transferof your ingredients. All Ross Ribbon Blendersinclude inner and outer ribbons to acceleratethe blending cycle.

4

DRIVES FOR SLOW START-UP ANDVARIABLE-SPEED BLENDINGBy equipping your blender for slow start-up, youeliminate the need for an oversized motor and shaft –which would otherwise be necessary for a dead-loadstart. Optional electronic soft start controllers can beprogrammed to allow a slow start under full load andprotect the system against a spike in start-up torqueand amperage.

Variable-speed blending can be advantageous inmany applications – especially for R&D or in anysituation where numerous products are blended andchangeover is frequent. By adjusting the speed of the ribbon, you can “tune” the blender to reach thegreatest possible efficiency for each product. Variablefrequency drives provide an excellent choice,especially for materials of low to medium density.These drives allow both a slow-speed start andinfinitely adjustable speed control during the blending cycle.

Constant torque mechanical variable-speed drivesare available to provide speed control for blendingmaterials of higher density.

• All interior corners have a radius to preventmaterial from collecting in corners and creatingproblems during the discharge/cleaning cycle.

• Clearances are meticulously controlled.

• All internal welds are ground smooth.

• A manually-actuated Slide Paddle Valve or SlideKnife Gate Valve is generally the first choice for aRoss Ribbon Blender. For applications includingvacuum or pressure operation, a Spherical DiskValve, Knife Gate Valve or Ball Valve provides apositive seal. If no dead space can be tolerated, aFlush Plug should be considered.

This continuous ribbon, designed for center discharge, is thepreferred choice for most blends. It provides vigorous lateral andaxial movement of your bulk material.

An interrupted ribbon draws less power than a continuous ribbon.

Running at about 2/3 the speed of a comparable RibbonBlender, the Ross Paddle Blender provides gentler blending withless heat development. It also offers lower risk of bindingmaterial between the agitators and the trough.

5

DESIGN OPTIONSRoss offers a broad selection of options,including:

• High speed choppers to quickly breakapart agglomerates.

• Special ribbon/paddle designs toaccommodate virtually any application

• Spray nozzles to uniformly add liquids

• Special-alloy wear plates and coatings toprotect against premature wear whenblending abrasive materials

• Many choices for valves, seals and stuffingboxes (see page 9 for details)

Model 42N-25 Ribbon Blender –25 cu. ft., 10 HP. This Ribbon Blender,

built in stainless steel and designed forcenter discharge, is equipped with acontrol panel designed and built by

Ross Systems & Controls.

Model 42A-100 Ribbon Blender –100 cu. ft., 25 HP. Ross offers manysanitary Ribbon Blender designs to meetthe specifications of virtually any industry.This sanitary Paddle Blender is equippedwith an insulated and sheathed dimpledjacket for close control of interiortemperatures during the blending cycle.

Model 42N-1 Ribbon Blender –1 cu. ft., 3/4 HP, stainless steel.Ross offers a complete line of RibbonBlenders, with sizes for laboratorydevelopment and small-scaleproduction through high-volumeproduction.

Model 42A-36 Ribbon Blender –36 cu. ft., 10 HP. The ribbons in thehorizontal blender work together tomove the bulk in both axial andtransverse directions.

SIZES

Standard sizes range from 1/2 cu. ft. to515 cu. ft.

Vertical Blenders

6

GENTLE AND FAST BLENDING, WITH NO HEAT BUILD-UPRoss Vertical Blenders provide an excellent design alternative for applications when yourproduct is shear sensitive or your processparameters are critical

Products that require low-impact blending are best handled in a Ross Vertical Blender. Theblending action of the slow-turning blendingscrew is far more gentle than the agitators in aRibbon Blender of the same working volume.

Slower speed blending is also advantageousfor heat-sensitive products, since the blendingaction of a ribbon can generate more heat thanthat of a mixing screw.

BATCH FLEXIBILITYBecause of the geometry of the cone, the RossVertical Blender can operate efficiently withbatches as small as 10% of blender capacity. (A ribbon blender generally requires a minimumof 30-40% of full capacity.)

THOROUGH DISCHARGE AND EASY CLEANINGThe Ross Vertical Blender is also your best choicewhen you need virtually 100% discharge, with aminimum of cleaning. With no lower bearingneeded to steady the blending screw, the Ross“unsupported screw” design is especially efficientin discharge – and it completely eliminates anotorious maintenance headache in most VerticalBlenders. The Vertical Blender is easier to cleanthan a ribbon blender, since you never have todisassemble packing glands.

LOWER RISK OF CONTAMINATIONIf your application requires the greatest possibleprotection, the right choice is a Ross VerticalBlender. With no packing gland in the productzone, and with special seal designs available toprovide the ultimate protection from drive lubricants,your products are safe from the contaminationproblems that are common in other blender designs.

ECONOMICAL BLENDINGThe Vertical Blender consumes up to 50% less powerthan a comparable Ribbon Blender. The efficiencyof the Vertical blender can reduce operating cost,due to its low horsepower to volume ratio.

SIZES

Standard sizes range from 1 cu. ft. toover 500 cu. ft.

Model V-32 Vertical Blender – 5-1 HP.This vacuum blender is built in stainless steeland includes a jacket for heating or cooling, ahigh speed chopper and a spray nozzle forliquid introduction.

7

In a Vertical ConeScrew Blender, the

blending screw orbitsthe vessel wallwhile it turns andgently lifts materialupward. Blendingand heat transferare extremely

efficient. Discharge isfast, especially with an

innovative screw designthat is unsupported at the

lower end.

Model V-1 Vertical Blender –1 cu. ft., 1/2-1/3 HP. VerticalBlenders are available for thelaboratory through pilot plant andfull-scale production.

High speed choppers areadded to many VerticalBlender designs to acceleratethe blending process bybreaking down lumps.

DESIGN OPTIONSRoss offers a broad choice of options for RibbonBlenders and Vertical Blenders.

Option Ribbon VerticalBlender Blender

Vacuum/pressure, with ✓ ✓ASME stampHigh speed choppers ✓ ✓

Special lower-cone designs ✓for accelerated discharge in difficult applicationsSpray nozzles ✓ ✓

Sanitary design ✓ ✓

CIP/SIP capability ✓ ✓

Special-alloy wear plates ✓ ✓and coatings to protect against premature wear when blending abrasive materialsA variety of discharge ✓ ✓valve designs (see page 9 for details)

Model V-64 VerticalBlender – 64 cu. ft.,

15-1 1/2 HP. A vacuum modelconstructed in stainless steel.

The interior of this unit is polished to a 140 grit finish. The cone includes

a sectionalized dimpled jacket with aremovable bottom section.

VACUUM DRYINGTrust the experts for controlled drying andefficient solvent recovery. Requiring onlygentle heat to drive off moisture orsolvents, vacuum drying is an excellentmethod for drying heat-sensitive materials –including many foods, botanicals andpharmaceutical products – without fear ofthermal degradation. Vacuum allows youto take the batch material quickly througha series of changes in physical state –from slurry to a paste, and from a pasteto a dry powder.

A well-equipped vacuum drying systemallows you to draw off solvents so theycan be condensed and captured. Thisprevents them from contaminating theatmosphere (both inside and outside theplant). They are then available for re-use,or they can be safely discarded to meetenvironmental requirements.

Vacuum Dryers

8

Ross Vacuum Drying System Once vacuum is applied, low vapor pressure, gentle heatand slow agitation quickly force moisture from the bulkmaterial. The vapor passes through a filter and condenser,then is transferred to a receiver. The vessel is jacketed tocontrol internal heat.

Model 42A-90 Ribbon Blender – 90 cu. ft., 40 HP.Ross Vacuum Dryers, like this one built for a medical application,can be fabricated in a wide variety of materials. All wetted partson this unit are Hastelloy. A space-saving drive design helps toconserve space on the plant floor.

Model 42C-150 Ross Cylindrical Dryer –150 cu. ft., 100 HP is extremely efficient,thanks to its cylindrical design. Products thatpersistently hang up on the trough of an ordinaryU-shaped Ribbon Blender remain in the batch,since they are continuously removed by the outerribbons. Heat transfer is also highly effective,since the jacket surrounds the entire cylinder.

Filter

Condenser

Vacuum Pump

Receiver

Model V-10 Vertical Blender – 3-1 HP.This stainless steel blender is designed for

vacuum/pressure operation to 90 psi. It alsoincludes a 125 psi insulated and sheathed jacket

and a sampling port through the cone wall.

STANDARD DESIGNSAND OPTIONSRoss Ribbon Blenders, VerticalBlenders, and Vacuum Dryersare available with plenty offlexibility in standarddesigns, and many options.

MATERIALS OFCONSTRUCTIONType 304 Stainless Steel is standard. Optionalmaterials include CarbonSteel, Hastelloy, abrasion-resistant steels, and otherspecialty stainless, carbonand alloy steels.

JACKETING FORHEATING/COOLINGStandard double-wall baffledor dimpled jackets areavailable, along withthermocouples and all othersystem components to ensureclose thermal control duringthe blending cycle. ASMECode stamp is also available.

COVER OPENINGSAND MANWAYSRoss fabricates its RibbonBlenders and VerticalBlenders from start to finishin our own fabrication plant,so you have complete controlover your vessel and coverdesigns. Special coveropenings are available, alongwith manways and suchsafety features as grates foroversized charging ports.

DISCHARGE VALVESStandard Slide Paddle Valve (A)or Slide Knife Gate Valve (B) –available for manual orpneumatic operation.

Optional Knife Gate Valve –ideal for dust-tight, liquid-tight, or vacuum-tightoperation.

Optional Ball Valve – Forvacuum/pressure blending orliquid/solid blending.

Optional Flush Plug Valve –equipped for manual orpneumatic operation, theFlush Plug Valve eliminatesdead spots in the RibbonBlender trough.

Optional Spherical Valve –pneumatically operated, thisvalve minimizes dead space

and provides a largedischarge opening.

STUFFING BOXESAND SEALS

Standard Stuffing Box – asplit housing is easilydisassembled for cleaningand re-packing. A Teflon-impregnated, braidedpacking is standard.

Optional Sanitary StuffingBox – Easily disassembledwith hand tools, thisstuffing box includesspecial molded Chevron-Teflon packing rings.

Optional Air Or Liquid Seal –Air or liquid enters the sealthrough a Lantern Ring andprovides positive pressure toprevent the intrusion ofcontaminants that mightthreaten the shaft and sealintegrity.

9

(A)

(B)

Test Center & Support

10

THE ROSS DIFFERENCE –SEE IT FOR YOURSELFThe Ross Test and Development Center gives you anopportunity to test using your own ingredients, and avariety of equipment. A close simulation of actualconditions on your process line is essential to accuratelypredict machine performance.

Once you’ve identified the right blender for yourapplication, our engineers will help you fine-tune yourprocess. Sophisticated analytical instruments enable us todocument each test sequence and proceed methodically.

To learn more about our extensive test facilities, visit ourwebsite: www.dryblenders.com.

CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR BLENDING AND DRYINGRoss can provide a control system ideally configured forany blending application – atmospheric blending, vacuumblending or vacuum drying. The control can be equippedto regulate all process variables and maintain optimallevels of shear, vacuum and heat transfer. Changing parameters can easily be programmed into the controlto accommodate a variety of product formulations and to ensure consistency from batch to batch.

With many options available, Ross can build multi-agitator and PLC/PC-based control systems with all thefunctionality you need for efficient process control and data acquisition.

SUPPORT YOU WON’T FIND ANYWHERE ELSERoss Ribbon Blenders and Vertical Cone Screw Blenders are engineered to provide many decades ofservice. Throughout the life of your blender, Ross stands beside you with a complete package of support.With the world’s largest inventory of spare parts, we ship most orders in less than 48 hours.

Contact Ross today for detailedinformation on any of the

products and services we offer, or to schedule a test in the

Ross Test & Development Center, call 1-800-243-ROSS in the USA,

or 631-234-0500. Fax: 631-234-0691.

E-mail: sales@mixers.com. Or visit Ross on the web: www.ribbonblenders.com www.verticalblenders.com

www.mixers.com

Charles Ross & Son Company710 Old Willets PathHauppauge, NY 11788-0615USA Tel.: 800-243-ROSSOverseas: 631-234-0500Fax: 631-234-0691E-mail: sales@mixers.comInternet: www.mixers.com

BL-11/00-7.5