Excluder Seals

Buna excluder seal kits are available in many sizes.

Excluder seals are a type of lip seal that actually rotates with the shaft. The skirt extends out and slightly downward to seal small tank openings.

Sharpe Mixers' excluder seal kits have really gained in popularity over the last couple of years, especially in the food industry. Seals are are available in almost any size from 1.0" to 6.63" as a standard. They are available in both Buna N and Viton material.

Sharpe excluder seal kit

Buna excluder seal kits are our most popular, and suitable for most applications. They are stocked and available for quick shipment (excluding large quantity orders).

Viton excluder seal kits are designed for higher temperature applications, and can ship in 1-2 weeks.

For more information, visit our web site at http://www.sharpemixers.com/!

Sharpe Sanitary Mixer in the News!

Sharpe sanitary portable mixer.

Our sanitary mixer design has been getting a lot of attention lately, and rightly so!  Starting at only $1,595.00 and available from stock, our all stainless portable mixer is perfect for blending juices and adding ingredients to sauces such as meat or poultry, yogurts, and a wide range of other products.

See the recent press release on the KING 5 News web site, or learn more details directly from our web site.

Want us to size a mixer for your specific needs?  We can do that too!

Stainless Steel Mixers Upgrade for USDA – FDA – 3-A Acceptance

Sharpe Mixers is working with the USDA and 3-A to be sure our all stainless steel mixers are acceptable for use in plants that comply with USDA, FDA and 3-A standards.

One of the issues they address is nameplates. The typical nameplate is a stainless steel plate, with pertinent information embossed on the plate. The nameplate is then attached to the mixer drive with rivets.

This creates a possible space behind the nameplate which may be difficult to clean with CIP or COP procedures.

Nameplate data can be laser or chemical etched directly on the mixer, in lieu of adding a physical nameplate.

This is called electrochemical marking.

Sharpe Mixers has purchased a Lectroetch VT15A power unit.

It operates a process that utilizes enzymes and electrical current to etch the surface.

The procedure for creating a “nameplate” is as follows:

Apply the stencil.

Apply enzyme solution.

Apply current and rub the saddle across the stencil to etch the surface.

Neutralize.

Repeat process for addition of order specific information, Model and serial number.

“All Stainless Steel” mixers are now supplied with this “clean” nameplate.

Submitted by Fred DeCicco

Side-Entry Impeller Positioning



Side-Entry drawing by Geoff Graham

 How do we achieve maximum mixing in a side-entry application? It's not by chance, or trial and error. Rules definitely apply here. Let's take a look:

The rule of thumb for positioning a side entry impeller is a minimum of 1/3 the impeller diameter off the wall.

• H = Distance off wall

D = Impeller diameter

“Suction” area = pD x H

“Discharge” area = pD²/4


Suction = discharge in order to avoid “starving” impeller flow.

pD x H = pD²/4
H = D/4

So, for a flat wall H is constant.

For a curved wall, H is going to vary. 1/3 D is pretty close to ¼ D, and as it is slightly longer, more forgiving of wall curvature, etc.

Sharpe Mixers has been sizing side-entry mixers for for many years. These industries include asphalt mixing, pulp & paper, waste water, petroleum, storage tanks and more. How can we assist you? Let us know what your needs are and we can size a side-entry mixer for you today!

Submitted by Steven F. Drury, P.E.

Industrial Laundry Wastewater Treatment

Ever been to a process plant where personnel wear uniforms?

Ever seen uniform rental trucks driving to and from those plants?

All those uniform rental companies washing all those dirty clothes.

And what happens to all the waste water from all those laundries?

The EPA requires that all industrial laundry wastewater be pre-treated before being discharged to the municipal treatment plant.

The wastewater must have pH adjusted; dirt, oil and grease removed.

A common pre-treatment operation consists of two equalization-pH adjustment tanks followed by DAF, Dissolved Air Flotation, to remove dirt, oil and grease.

The equalization-pH adjustment tanks are in the 5,000 – 10,000 gallon range.

Each is equipped with top entry mixer.

The DAF system uses polymer as a coagulant aid. The polymer is usually mixed ahead of the DAF using a gear drive portable mixer.

Sharpe Mixers has been working with one of the world’s largest uniform rental companies for over 10 years, supplying the mixers for their waste treatment plants. We have shipped mixers to their plants all over North America and the United Kingdom.

So, next time you see a uniform rental company truck driving down the road, follow it back to the laundry and see what they are doing for pre-treatment of their industrial laundry wastewater.

2011 ISPE Delaware Valley Chapter Vendor Night

Sharpe Mixers exhibited at the 2011 ISPE Delaware Valley Chapter Vendor Night that took place on Feb 9, 2011 at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team.

The ISPE, International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers, through its local chapters, sponsors these table top exhibits around the country. This gives local members a change to get out and meet with their peers, enjoy a drink and some excellent food, and visit with their suppliers, new and old. They are a great opportunity for us to meet local customers in the biotech and pharmaceutical markets.

Like the Boston Chapter Product Show that takes place at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots football team, the Philadelphia show had outgrown the hotel venue and was moved to Citizens Bank Park.

And like the Boston show, this move proved to be an excellent choice. This was the 21st annual Vendor Night and, according to the ISPE-DVC, the most successful and best attended in the event’s 20 year history. Part of the success is probably due to the venue. People like visiting these sports stadiums. We hope that this is also a sign of an improving business climate.
Sharpe Mixers was supported by our local sales representative, Tom McDonough with Matak LLC. Tom worked with the ISPE DVC so that several of his suppliers were side by side at the exhibit. We called the area “McDonough Place”!

We are encouraged that business in the biotech and pharmaceutical markets will see some growth this coming year, based on conversations we had with customers and suppliers, alike.
If you are involved in the biotech – pharmaceutical industries and you would like Sharpe Mixers to participate in a local chapter Vendor night, please let us know.


Submitted by Fred DeCicco

Special Mixer Stand Design

Sometimes "out of the box" simply doesn't work. Sharpe Mixers has known this for years. In fact, much of our success in the mixing industry has come from our willingness to work with our customers and our ability to design around their needs.

Here is a great case in point. Recently, a customer in the soap industry approached us with their special need: Rather than angle mount their Sharpe portable mixer in traditional fashion, they required a center cantilevered mount for their iBC Tote.

The answer? A floor mounted mixer stand with extended arm over the tote, coupled with our Quick-Connect coupling.

This design allows our customer to position a tote under the permanently mounted mixer with the shaft removed, insert the shaft assembly into the Quick-Connect coupling, mix the product, and then quickly and easily remove the mixer shaft in preparation for the next tote to be brought in.

Sharpe Mixers has been designing and building innovative mixer stands for many years, starting with our basic MS floor stand and working all the way up to our high end ELS (electric lift) and ALS (air lift) stands. Our mixer stands can be found in many industries and applications, including sanitary and pharmaceutical installations. How can we help you?

Our mixer stands come with many accessories, including casters and tank straps. They can be provided in epoxy painted carbon steel or SS316 construction.

Want to learn more? Contact us with your questions! We'll offer a solution to fit your exact needs.