Side entry mixing technology
Throughout many industry sectors, there is a growing demand for raw, semi-processed and processed products in liquid states to be held in large storage tanks. As a result, leading mixer manufacturers are reporting an upturn in business, with the major growth sectors being in the crude oil, biofuels and petroleum products industries.
In order to keep such materials and products homogenous and, more specifically in the oil and biofuels industries, to prevent a build up of Bottoms Sludge and Water (BSW) tanks need to be fitted with a mixing device. Other benefits that mixers provide include heat transfer or temperature uniformity and blending.
With big tank storage and blending, where for instance in the oil industry a tank can be larger than 100m wide or can have a capacity of some 240,000m3 (1.5 million barrels), side entry mixers provide the most effective solution for keeping the tank contents homogenous. For smaller tanks, it is the norm to employ top entry mixers. However, even in a tank of say 7m diameter x 7m height, which is relatively small by current refinery standards, a top entry mixer would typically require a shaft of at least 5m length and a heavy duty gear drive that would need substantial supports on top of the tank. This would be far more expensive both to manufacture and install than a side entry mixer attached to a flange on the side of the tank.
