R&D provides solutions for water management problems

Constant research and development (R&D) has been key to the growth and success of 34-year-old industrial agitator and specialised mixing-equipment for water and wastewater treatment company, Mixtec, says the company’s sales and project manager Rudi Swanepoel.

The Mixtec global group of companies offers a wide range of specialised mixing equipment for water and wastewater treatment systems for applications such as flocculation, anoxic and anaerobic mixing, and anion exchange processes.

“Water resource management has increasingly become a primary focus of communities globally, as a result of population growth and a better understanding of the health concerns associated with the quality of potable water, and the proper treatment of wastewater.

“Our ability to solve mixing problems using the latest technology and expertise is solely as a result of our extensive R&D facilities. With the aid of extensive computational fluid dynamics, we assess mixer performance under a variety of conditions to aid development of improved agitator design.”

Swanepoel says Mixtec is known for producing high-quality mixers to the latest international standards and quality controls while offering affordable technology and mechanical hardware.

He adds that whether the requirements are simple reagent blending or neutralisation to more exact standards of gas dispersion or oxygen transfer, the company has the capability and experience to meet the requirements of clients.

He indicates that a highly efficient drive and shaft design results in considerable cost savings in capital and operational costs.

Swanepoel says Mixtec has a proven record of almost 44 years in the water and wastewater industries, with “thousands of installations”, as well as in other applications such as industrial mixer and agitators.

“All mixing applications are different, each with its own unique problems. At Mixtec, we understand these problems and, therefore, we custom-design each product to match client requirements.”

Using the company’s latest and advanced technologies ensures that the correct mechanical selection and best mixer for the job is supplied, he adds.

Swanepoel explains that one of the most common mixing problems is poor mixing, owing to impeller rag entanglement, where conventional “open-blade” hydrofoil geometry allows for rags, bags and other particulate matter to tangle on the blade.

This leads to a decrease in pumping and mixing, but Mixtec’s swept-back blade geometry and bolt-free construction minimise rag entanglement, he adds.

Water, as a limited resource, can meet the needs of society and nature through water reuse and implementing modern technologies, adds Swanepoel.

“Mixer equipment has been designed so that servicing is reduced to the minimum and maintenance is made easy by incorporating special design features,” he concludes.