Intermittent Mixing

One of the biggest advantages of PULSAIR is the energy savings achieved with intermittent mixing.

Once the liquid is put into motion by the patented technology of PULSAIR (see How PULSAIR Works), liquid momentum continues the motion and the mixing process even though the PULSAIR system is between pulses. The operator takes advantage of liquid momentum by adjusting the dwell up until there is never more than one bubble in the liquid column at one time. Intermittent mixing is energy efficient because the PULAIR is not consuming compressed air between pulsing. In larger tanks, there is often enough liquid momentum that the system can be shut down for up to 15 minutes per hour (in some liquids, the PULSAIR can be shut down for hours).

While intermittent mixing might seem possible using a propeller mixer, the propeller stays in the tank during the "off" cycle, acting as a brake and slowing the liquid with its surface area. With PULSAIR, the bubbles that put the liquid into motion do not conversely slow the liquid because they exit the liquid and never work against the liquid currents that they generate..

With multiple tank controllers, PULSAIR can cycle from one tank to the next, allowing the liquid momentum to continue to mix one tank while the next one is being pulsed. PULSAIR refers to this as "loop mixing" and it is an excellent energy management technique.

Intermittent mixing gains effectiveness as the liquid level increases. More momentum can be generated at higher liquid levels because more mass is put into motion and the bubble has a longer working residence time before exiting. Increased stored momentum translates to longer periods of mixing during the PULSAIR off cycle.

In order to take advantage of intermittent mixing, PULSAIR customers are increasingly purchasing the optional Remote "On/Off" feature or our PULSAIR Programmable Controller (PPC), which allows the PULSAIR to be turned on and off from a remote location.