How to choose the right laboratory disperser?

The laboratory disperser is a common instrument and equipment in the coating and ink industry. This article mainly shares several key selection factors in the selection process of the laboratory disperser.

what sample to disperse

The first question to answer is what are you spreading out? If the product is difficult to disperse such as organic pigments or carbon black, the disperser will need to use grinding media.

volume and viscosity

The volume and viscosity of the millbase are the second criteria to consider. For higher volumes and/or viscosities, larger dispersing motors are required. The horsepower and torque of the electric motor should be considered. The torque (rotational force) of the motor at a selected shaft speed is an important criterion. If the motor maximizes torque at low speeds (<5,000 rpms), a lower horsepower motor can be selected.

This laminar flow pattern is obtained when the diameters of the vessel and impeller and the distance between the plane of the disc and the bottom of the vessel match each other. Image courtesy of VMA Getzmann.

Rotating speed

The remaining question is rev range. Do you need to achieve a certain tip speed with dispersing blades?

solvent

Finally, a final consideration is that when using solvent-based coatings, explosion proof models may be required.