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Munson Machinery has introduced a new sanitary paddle blender designed to blend, de-agglomerate and disperse a wide range of food ingredients, including dry bulk solids, pastes, slurries and emulsions.

The new Model HD-24-SSI Sanitary Paddle Blender combines paddle agitation with dual high-speed intensifiers to provide enhanced shear and improved mixing performance for difficult-to-blend materials. The system is engineered for batch processing applications up to 0.34 cubic meters and is suited for food manufacturers seeking uniform blends while maintaining sanitary processing standards.

At the heart of the unit is a paddle shaft configured with 16 radial arms and short-length paddles. Unlike traditional ribbon agitators, the paddles move product through smaller mixing zones over shorter distances, generating greater cutting action to break down material and promote homogeneity.

To further improve blending efficiency, the system incorporates two independently driven tulip-shaped intensifiers, commonly referred to as high-speed choppers. The intensifiers provide additional shear to disperse agglomerates and incorporate ingredients that are typically difficult to blend, helping processors achieve consistent product quality across a variety of formulations.

According to Munson, the combined action of the paddles and intensifiers enables the production of uniform dry blends as well as mixtures containing low or high percentages of liquid ingredients, resulting in smooth pastes and slurries.

The blender is constructed from stainless steel and finished to sanitary standards for use in food processing environments. Its one-piece welded design, heavy-gauge walls, and reinforced end panels allow paddles to operate within 1.6 to 3.2 millimetres of the vessel wall, minimising product build up and reducing the amount of residual material that must be removed during cleaning.

Maintenance and servicing have also been simplified through a flange-mounted agitator assembly that can be hoisted vertically from the vessel, providing easier access to internal components.

Standard features include hinged and gasketed cover sections, removable safety-interlocked grating and a bottom discharge valve.

The new blender expands Munson's portfolio of mixing and blending equipment, which includes rotary batch mixers, Vee-Cone blenders, fluidised bed mixers, rotary continuous mixers and variable-intensity mixers. The company also manufactures a range of size-reduction equipment for bulk solids processing applications.