Impellers in agitated tanks are used to mix fluids or slurry in the tank. This can be used to combine materials in the form of solids, liquids and gas. Mixing the fluids in a tank is very important if there are gradients in conditions such as temperature or concentration.
There are two types of impellers, depending on the flow regime created (see figure):
* Axial flow impeller
* Radial flow impeller
Radial flow impellers impose essentially shear stress to the fluid, and are used, for example, to mix immiscible liquids or in general when there is a deformable interface to break. Another application of radial flow impellers is the mixing of very viscous fluids.
Axial flow impellers impose essentially bulk motion and are used on homogenization processes, in which increased fluid volumetric flow rate is important.
Impellers can be further classified principally into three sub-types:
*Propeller
*Paddles
*Turbines