Nauta Conical Screw Mixer
The Nauta conical screw mixer delivers gentle, low-shear batch mixing of powders, pastes and slurries, preserving particle integrity while achieving high homogeneity
Principle of Operation
The Nauta mixer is a convective, low-shear batch mixer that combines axial, radial and tangential flow to achieve thorough, precise homogenisation. A rotating, cantilevered (free-hanging) mixing screw conveys the product upward along the wall of the conical vessel, while an orbiting arm moves the screw around the cone. Gravity-driven recirculation delivers uniform, energy-efficient, low-shear mixing while preserving particle integrity.
Product is loaded from the top—manually, by big bag, or via pneumatic/mechanical transfer. Typical speeds are ~70 rpm for the screw and 1–2 rpm for the orbiting arm; screw tip speed can range from 0.5–2 m/s, depending on the product characteristics.
A bottom discharge valve enables complete emptying, reduces manual intervention/cleaning and minimises cross-contamination between batches (standard on most executions; ball segment valve options available). After discharge, product proceeds to packaging or the next step (e.g. tableting, extrusion, sieving).
Beyond mixing, the system can be configured for heating/cooling, drying (including vacuum), and humidification, and can operate as a live (agitated) hopper to feed downstream equipment such as fluid bed dryers—with or without back-mixing.
Features
Gentle mixing of free-flowing, fragile or segregative powders
Consistent mixing quality at 15–100% fill levels
Heating, cooling, drying and humidification capabilities
Bottom discharge valve for complete emptying
Optional CIP/SIP cleaning
Optional operation under vacuum or pressure
Optional operation as live (agitated) hopper for cohesive and/or segregative materials
Outstanding energy efficiency with low power consumption
Fully ATEX-compliant for all explosion zones
Available in sizes from 5–100,000 L
Process Flexibility
Nauta mixers are suitable for a broad range of processing operations. Typical applications include:
Gentle, low-shear mixing of free-flowing and segregative powders, pastes, slurries and liquids
Humidification of powders
Coating of solids with liquids (using an intensifier)
Granulation
Heating / Cooling
Drying at atmospheric pressure or under vacuum, with optional solvent recovery
Nauta Minimix Lab Mixer
Following the concept of the famous classical Nauta mixer, this small scale model has been made available for lab environments. Although small in size, the advantages remain: high mixing accuracy, gentle mixing, complete discharge and flexible filling range. The Nauta Minimix is able to provide reliable results from only 0.3 litres powder content.
Specifications
| Size | Vessel diameter | Vessel height | Height incl. motor | Typical motor power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 145 | 175 | 225 | 2.2 |
| 1000 | 180 | 225 | 290 | 5.5 |
| 2000 | 210 | 280 | 350 | 7.5 |
| 5000 | 285 | 380 | 470 | 15 |
| 10000 | 355 | 500 | 620 | 22 |
| 20000 | 440 | 600 | 730 | 37 |
| 50000 | 570 | 825 | 965 | 55 |
| 100000 | 700 | 900 | 1030 | 90 |
experimental verification
Before investing in new equipment, please conduct tests on the materials used at the Hosokawa Testing and Process Development Center based on actual production conditions. Our experienced experts will assist you in determining the most effective mixing, granulation, or drying processes, helping you transition from laboratory trials to a comprehensive production testing phase. Whether you need to test the performance of a single machine or evaluate the entire production line, we can provide tailored testing services and process optimization solutions to ensure reliable system operation and excellent performance.
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