Particle size reduction is a crucial initial step in the production of countless end products across all manufacturing industries. Think of wheat that needs to be ground in the production of flour, or rocks and rubble that must be crushed in order to make sand, and pharmaceutical ingredients that need to be finely milled for incorporation into drugs.
There are many available particle size reduction methods. Your method of choice needs to be best suited to the properties of your feedstock or raw material. For example, you would choose different processing equipment for different materials based on whether they are hard, soft, abrasive, moist, sticky, flammable, heat sensitive etc. You also need to take into account your feedstock particle size, and the properties of your end product.
Let’s take a look at a few common mechanical particle size reduction methods, and some of their common uses in industry:
Cutting equipment: Often used in the food industry for cutting down meat, vegetables and fruit. A bowl chopper, for example, consists of a large shallow bowl which revolves underneath a sharp, rotating knife.
Milling equipment: Can be divided into crushers or grinders. Crushers compress material and are often used in the sugar industry to crush raw sugar cane. Grinders use shear and impact to grind larger particles into smaller ones. Examples of grinders include roller mills (used in producing wheat flour), ball mills (widely used in producing cement, ceramics and pigments), and hammer mills (often used in waste management to break down large materials).
Homogenizing equipment: Homogenization is the process of combining two immiscible liquids together into an emulsion - where tiny particles of one substance are dispersed throughout the second substance. A high-pressure homogenizer works by forcing liquid at high pressure through a very narrow nozzle. Through the application of several forces (cavitation, turbulence, impact and shear), the liquid that flows out of the homogenizer now has a reduced and more uniform particle size.
BEE Brand High Pressure Homogenizers: A Fast & Reliable Particle Size Reduction Method
Pion's BEE brand High Pressure Homogenizers provide efficient, consistent particle size reduction for your laboratory, pilot plant or manufacturing facility. We also gladly provide customized solutions for even the most demanding environment or industry requirements.
Contact Pion to discuss your equipment needs and to find the right fit for your product. We also provide support in developing new products or improving existing ones.
