Introduction

• As product portfolios evolve, manufacturers are increasingly challenged to process higher-viscosity formulations using existing mixing tanks. Although reactors are often designed for moderate-viscosity products, introducing a more viscous process can lead to motor overloading, reduced batch capacity, longer mixing times, and increased operating costs, making reactor modernization a significant engineering challenge.
• Rather than replacing the reactor or installing a larger drive, a more effective approach is to understand the hydrodynamic behavior of the mixing system. The interaction between impeller configuration, power consumption, circulation patterns, and blending efficiency determines whether an existing reactor can be successfully adapted for a new process.
• This case study demonstrates how VisiMix Laminar was used to modernize an existing 2600 L mixing tank with a 2100 L working volume through hydrodynamic simulation, enabling higher-viscosity production without replacing the existing drive.