Stainless Steel Mixing Tank

A stainless steel mixing tank is the workhorse of every liquid fertilizer plant. It dissolves, blends, homogenizes, heats, and cools water-soluble fertilizer, liquid NPK, foliar formulations, suspension fertilizers, and organic liquid products before they move to filtration, storage, or filling.

LANE Machinery designs each mixing tank around your formula, batch size, and production process rather than selling a standard catalog model. Our tanks are available from 500 L to 50,000 L in SS304 or SS316L, with application-matched agitators, jacket temperature control, PLC automation, and the same engineering and commissioning support we provide across complete fertilizer production lines.

Product Overview

The LANE stainless steel mixing tank is a vertical, top-entry agitated vessel engineered for fertilizer service. It is used throughout a liquid fertilizer plant as a dissolving tank, mother liquor tank, formulation tank, additive dosing tank, and intermediate storage tank.

The tank body and all wetted parts are fabricated from stainless steel, with SS316L recommended for formulas that contain chloride, phosphoric acid, organic acids, or aggressive micronutrient salts. Internal surfaces are polished to reduce buildup, improve cleaning, and prevent material shedding, which is critical for product consistency in water-soluble, foliar, and suspension fertilizer production.

Every tank is customized by capacity, agitator design, heating and cooling method, instrumentation, and automation level so it matches the raw materials and target products of your plant.

Features and Advantages

Corrosion-resistant construction

• Wetted parts are made of SS304 or SS316L stainless steel.
• SS316L contains molybdenum, giving it stronger resistance to chloride ions, acid fertilizers, and organic acids.
• Internal and external surfaces are polished with a smooth finish that resists buildup and is easy to clean.
• Material test certificates can be provided for traceability and third-party inspection.

Application-matched agitation

• Propeller or turbine agitators for fast dissolving of water-soluble solids.
• Anchor agitators for high-viscosity liquids, gels, and products with suspended solids.
• High-shear or dual agitator configurations for suspensions, emulsions, and concentrated mother liquors.
• Variable frequency drive control so mixing speed matches each step of the process.

Precise temperature control

• Full jacket, dimple jacket, or internal coil options.
• Steam or hot water heating and chilled water or glycol cooling.
• Temperature sensors linked to the control system to protect heat-sensitive ingredients and prevent salt precipitation.
• Insulation options to reduce energy loss and improve operator safety.

Weighing, dosing, and PLC automation

• Load cells allow gravimetric batching of water and liquid raw materials.
• Dosing pumps and valves add chelating agents, acids, micronutrients, and stabilizers in the correct sequence.
• PLC and HMI control supports recipe storage, batch repeatability, and data logging.
• Optional remote monitoring is available for plants with limited on-site engineering support.

Cleanable and maintainable design

• Manway, sight glass, sampling port, and bottom discharge outlet as standard.
• Optional CIP spray balls for automated cleaning between formula changes.
• Mechanical seals reduce leakage and prevent contamination.
• Skirt or leg supports matched to plant layout and load requirements.

Long service life and warranty

• Fabrication is controlled under LANE’s ISO 9001 quality system.
• CE-certified equipment and optional SGS or BV third-party inspection.
• Five-year warranty, spare parts supply, and overseas installation support by LANE engineers.

Working Principle

The working principle of a liquid fertilizer mixing tank is straightforward: the motor drives an agitator inside the sealed tank, creating axial and radial flow that moves the material through repeated shear, diffusion, and bulk circulation until the batch is uniform.

A typical batch cycle works as follows:

1. The PLC or operator charges process water into the tank through the inlet and level control system.
2. Solid or liquid nutrient raw materials are added by load cell weighing or dosing pumps while the agitator runs.
3. The agitator disperses the solids, dissolves soluble components, and homogenizes the mixture.
4. The jacket or coils heat or cool the batch to the target temperature for dissolution, chelation, or storage stability.
5. In-line recirculation and sampling ports allow the operator to check pH, density, viscosity, and clarity before the batch is accepted.
6. The finished liquid is discharged through the bottom valve to filtration, a reactor, a storage tank, or the filling line.
7. Rinse or CIP cycle cleans the tank before the next formula is produced.

For suspension fertilizers and formulas with poorly soluble solids, a high-shear agitator or recirculation loop keeps particles suspended until the product is packaged.

Application Scope

• Water-soluble NPK fertilizers and mother liquors.
• Foliar fertilizers and fertigation concentrates.
• Liquid NPK blends for drip and sprinkler irrigation.
• Suspension fertilizers and products with suspended solids.
• Chelated micronutrient solutions, including zinc, iron, manganese, copper, and boron formulations.
• Amino acid, humic acid, and fulvic acid fertilizer solutions.
• Organic liquid fertilizer and biofertilizer blending.
• Acid, alkali, and intermediate chemical handling inside a fertilizer plant.

Technical Specifications

Quality, Standards, and Certification

LANE designs and fabricates stainless steel mixing tanks under an ISO 9001 quality management system. Equipment can be supplied with CE certification and material certificates for stainless steel plates, pipes, and fittings.

For projects that require pressure-rated or sanitary vessels, the tank design and fabrication can follow customer-specified codes including ASME Section VIII, PED, GB/T 150, or ASME BPE surface and welding requirements. Hydrostatic or pneumatic testing, weld inspection, and third-party inspection by SGS or BV are available.

Because the final fertilizer product may need to meet market regulations such as Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, LANE’s process design supports contaminant control, clean changeover, labeling, and batch traceability. Our engineering team confirms the applicable compliance requirements with you before fabrication, and we recommend independent certification by the relevant authority for the final product.

Why Choose LANE Machinery

Henan Lane Heavy Industry Machinery Technology Co., Ltd. is a fertilizer equipment manufacturer, not a trading company. Since 2005, LANE has designed, fabricated, and commissioned fertilizer production equipment for plants in more than 50 countries, including a 100,000 tons per year national fertilizer project in Africa.

For liquid fertilizer plants, LANE supplies individual mixing tanks and complete production lines with engineering, installation, commissioning, operator training, and after-sales support. Our engineers can review your raw materials, formula targets, and production capacity, then recommend the right tank size, agitator, material grade, and automation level before you commit capital.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between SS304 and SS316L mixing tanks?

SS304 is suitable for many water-soluble fertilizer formulas and organic liquid products. SS316L contains molybdenum, which provides better resistance to chloride ions, acid fertilizers, and organic acids. We recommend SS316L for formulas that contain potassium chloride, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, or chelated micronutrient solutions that are stored in the tank for long periods.

Can one mixing tank produce multiple fertilizer formulas?

Yes. With PLC recipe management, dosing control, and a CIP system, one tank can switch between water-soluble NPK, foliar concentrates, chelated micronutrient solutions, and other formulas. The main requirement is a clean changeover between batches to prevent cross-contamination.

What agitator should I use for my fertilizer formula?

The correct agitator depends on viscosity, solids content, and whether the product is a true solution, suspension, or emulsion. Propeller and turbine agitators are common for dissolving; anchor agitators suit viscous liquids; high-shear agitators suit suspensions, emulsions, and poorly soluble powders. LANE selects the agitator based on your actual formula and tests the configuration before finalizing the equipment.

How do I prevent salt precipitation or phase separation?

Precipitation and separation are usually controlled by the order of raw material addition, temperature, pH, chelation, and continuous agitation until discharge. LANE reviews the formula with you and configures heating, cooling, recirculation, and high-shear mixing to keep the product stable through the filling stage.

Can the tank be used for heating and cooling?

Yes. Full jacket, dimple jacket, and internal coil configurations support steam, hot water, chilled water, and thermal oil. The temperature control range and heating rate are matched to your process.

What is the delivery time?

Standard mixing tanks can be produced in about 7 days. Custom reactors, pressure-rated vessels, and complete liquid fertilizer production lines are scheduled by project, and LANE confirms the production and delivery plan before manufacturing begins.

What certificates and warranty do you provide?

Equipment can be supplied with ISO 9001 certification, CE marking, material certificates, and third-party inspection reports. LANE provides a five-year warranty, spare parts support, and overseas installation and commissioning services.

Get a Quote for Your Liquid Fertilizer Mixing Tank

Tell us your raw materials, target formulas, batch capacity, and automation requirements. LANE will send a technical data sheet, process recommendation, and quotation based on your actual production plan.