High-Shear Mixer Tip Speed & Shear Rate Calculator
Calculate rotor-stator high-shear mixer peripheral tip speed, shear rate in the narrow rotor-stator gap, shear stress, and droplet deagglomeration metrics.
Rotor-Stator Geometry & Speed
Fluid Properties & Emulsion
Shear Mechanics & Performance
Recommended Tools & Equipment
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Frequently Asked Questions
What tip speed is considered "high shear" in industrial rotor-stator mixers?
Standard prop and turbine mixers operate at tip speeds of 5 to 10 m/s (1,000 to 2,000 ft/min). Industrial high-shear rotor-stator homogenizers (such as Silverson, Ross, or IKA) typically operate at peripheral tip speeds of 18 to 35 m/s (3,500 to 7,000 ft/min).
How does the rotor-stator gap clearance affect shear rate and droplet breakup?
Shear rate is inversely proportional to gap clearance (γ̇ = v_tip / δ). Decreasing the radial gap from 1.0 mm to 0.2 mm multiplies shear rate by 5× (e.g. from 20,000 s⁻¹ to 100,000 s⁻¹), generating intense hydraulic stress that shatters emulsion droplets down into the 1 to 3 micron range.
What is the Capillary Number (Ca) in droplet deformation and breakup?
The Capillary number represents the ratio of deforming viscous shear stress pulling the droplet apart to the restoring Laplace pressure of interfacial tension holding it together: Ca = (τ * r) / σ. When Ca exceeds a critical threshold (~0.4–0.8), hydrodynamic shear tears the droplet into daughter droplets.