Bentonitic Oil Homogenizer. Homogenization (mechanical treatment) is the main stage of bentonitic oil production.
Homogenization evenly distributes the thickening agent in the oil, increasing its effect, making the oil’s texture more uniform and improving the oil’s appearance. Besides, homogenization breaks the condensation structure and creates coagulated thixotropic structure, improving mechanical and colloidal stability along with other parameters.
Rotational, valve and slotted devices are operating at low and high pressures respectively are mostly used for oil homogenization. These are usually used in the final stage of oil production for a one time homogenization. At the same time, multiple homogenization is performed in continuous processes at each production stage. In this case, the product circulates at a relatively low pressure difference in slot valve homogenizers, installed directly on the process pipeline. Three-roller grinder mills, colloid mills and high pressure homogenizers (slot valve) are mostly used for mechanical treatment of oil. Although these machines operate on different principles, the main method of mechanical treatment is the gradual passage of oil through a narrow slot (0.3 – 0.5 mm) between friction surfaces.
A 50 kg per hour three-roller grinding machine consists of parallel and horizontal china, basalt or metal rollers with smooth surface. The rollers with adjustable gap rotate at different speed: 38, 16 and 6.5 RPM (the latter also oscillates laterally). The different rotation speed, facilitated by the different gears, makes the oil coming from the process pipeline, pass between the rollers. The homogenization occurs due to pulverization of solid particles in the gaps between the rollers, their grinding due to the different rotation speeds and grinding in the gap due to vibration of the third roller.
The colloid mill is designed to make highly stable colloid solutions. The mill is based on wet grinding principle, since the cones of the rotor and the stator have a wider gap at the inlet and more narrow gap at the outlet. The complex micro-profile of the rotor surface ensures fine grinding.
In a high pressure homogenizer, particles are pulverized by passing the material through a narrow slot at pressure up to 20 MPa. Speed and turbulence of the flow sharply increase in the gap, shear forces act on the particles, and cavitation occurs due to the pressure drop. Homogenizer main parts are the bushing and the valve, between which the oil passes.