This paper investigates the way modelling mixing phenomena occur in unsteady stirring conditions in agitated vessels. In particular, a new model of torus reactor including a well-mixed zone and a transport zone is proposed. The originality of the arrangement of ideal reactors developed here lies in the time-dependent location of the boundaries between the two zones. This concept is applied to model the positive influence of unsteady stirring conditions on homogenization process: the model avoids a mass balance discontinuity when the transition from steady to unsteady stirring conditions is performed. To ascertain the reliability of the model proposed, experimental runs with highly viscous fluids have been carried out in an agitated tank. The impeller used was a non-standard helical ribbon impeller, fitted with an anchor at the bottom. The degree of homogeneity in the tank was observed using a conductivity method after a tracer injection. t is shown that for a given agitated fluid and mixing system, model parameters are easy to estimate and that modelling results are in close agreement with experimental ones. Moreover, it would appear that this model allows the easy derivation of a control law, which is a great advantage when optimizing the dynamics of a mixing process. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.