Micronisation set for bigger times
15 Jan 2000
Fluid energy mills, or micronisers, have long been a very effective way of grinding particulate products down to tightly specified particle sizes and size distributions. But they have tended to be limited in size and throughput. Now, however, what is believed to be the largest spiral Jetmill microniser ever installed has gone into operation at the Be'er Sheva factory of Makhteshim Chemical in Israel.
Designed, fabricated and supplied by Swiss micronisation specialist APTM, the mill has a 36in diameter chamber capable of producing between 1800 and 2000kg/h of a pesticide called Captan, well within a stringent particle size specification. Coulter analyses indicate a reduction in d50 average size from 21.1 to 2.24 microns.
Reduced to the required size in the mill, which is made from 316L stainless steel and lined with PTFE, particles are carried through an internal static classifier and a horizontal discharge to an existing bag filter which discharges by gravity to a packaging area.
According to APTM's UK representative ACM Process, the successful installation of a micronising mill of this size should open up new avenues for the technology in a wide range of industries.
