Fast Shake Mixing Control with Low Air Entrainment

In this study, a fast shake mixing control system that allows control of the quantity of air entrainment, involving low mechanical stress and fluid bubbling by means of the suppression the sloshing of a fluid’s surface, is developed. Mixing by means of horizontal shaking in a circular motion is addressed, with a CFD simulator being used for analysis of the liquid’s behavior, and the quantity of air entrainment during mixing evaluated. To design a fast mixing control system, the hybrid shape approach was applied. In addition, a 3DOF robot manipulator was used to achieve an arbitrary mixing trajectory and velocity. As a result, air entrainment caused by the sloshing of the liquid’s surface is elucidated. The effectiveness of the mixing control technique employing sloshing suppression is shown by simulations and experiments.