Magnetic Stirrer Simulation

PHARMACEUTICAL ENGINEERING · INTERACTIVE LAB

Magnetic stirrer

Educational simulation

AssemblyNormalCutawayExplodedMagnetic field

Ready

Drag to orbit · Scroll / + − to zoom · Click components to inspect

Motor · simulated0 rpm

Stir bar · simulated0 rpm

Tracer dispersion index—

Inspect component

Guided demonstration

Eight steps from beaker placement to controlled stopping.

Stirring conditions

Motor setpoint

400 rpm

0–1500 rpm · illustrative range

Volume · 600 mL beaker

300 mL

500 mL working limit leaves headspace.

ViscosityLow · water-likeMedium · thicker solutionHigh · viscous liquidPTFE stir-bar length20 mm · small30 mm · medium45 mm · large

Instrument mode

Magnetic stirrerHotplate magnetic stirrer

Playback & experiments

Simulation clock

1×

Readable rotation · 1:20Reduced motion

Readable rotation slows only the rotating parts. RPM values remain operating speeds. Pause freezes all model time.

Experiment presetChoose experiment…Moderate speed / low viscosityHigher viscosityLarger liquid volumeExcessive speed / coupling lossHeating with stirring

Start at low speed and increase gradually. A deeper vortex does not necessarily mean better mixing.

Model assumptions & training notes

Code and model checks passed; browser preview verification was unavailable. Fluid circulation, vortex depth, tracer dispersion, magnetic coupling thresholds and heating are qualitative educational approximations, not CFD, validated process predictions or instrument measurements. The tracer dispersion index is an internal animation index, not a measured homogeneity result. Viscosity categories are illustrative; no formulation-specific rheology is modeled.

The conventional motor rotates a drive magnet below the plate. Magnetic torque makes the separate PTFE stir bar inside the beaker follow, with a load-dependent phase lag. If modeled load exceeds available torque, the bar slips and wobbles; reducing speed allows recapture. Real behavior depends on vessel geometry, magnetic strength, spacing, bar shape and fluid properties.

Heating uses a two-temperature lumped approximation with thermal lag, 22 °C ambient and a 120 °C plate-setpoint limit. Only hotplate mode supplies heat. Turning heating or power off does not instantly cool the plate. Mode changes and Reset initialize a new room-temperature setup. Exploded view pauses time because separated components are not an operating arrangement.

External probes and separate heating/stirring controls are used on real hotplate stirrers; features vary by model. Reference: IKA RET control-visc manufacturer description. This generic training model is not a representation of that instrument's performance.