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Colloid mill homogenizer: the principle of operation

Solutions

Homogenizer. Industrial homogenizers are designed for homogenization of various substances and are widely used in the food, chemical, pharmaceutical industry and road construction.

Among the variety of homogenizers the most prominent place is held by the colloid mill as the ultrafine grinding device (1 micron grinding fineness).

One of the best examples is the colloid mill is a KLM-18 by GlobeCore. It consists of:

  • Housing;
  • Front and rear bearing;
  • Housing flange;
  • Stator;
  • Rotor;
  • Seal.

The principle of the colloid mill is “wet milling”, i.e. to achieve the desired result, one of the processed media has to be liquid. When the product enters the gap between the rotor and the stator, its particles revolve around their own axis at high speed and get subsequently broken by the centrifugal force.

The KLM-18 colloid mill features adjustable gap (0 – 3 mm) between the rotor and the stator. Changing this gap affects the fineness of grinding.

Another advantage of the colloid mills by GlobeCore is their ability to disperse and also homogenize and processed medium. They are used as homogenizers in the production of highly stable colloidal solutions, suspensions and ultrafine emulsions. The heating jacket supplies or removes heat in the grinding zone.

The KLM colloid mill is easily integrated into existing production lines and provides the necessary homogenization of products.

Laboratory Homogenizer for sample preparation

Colloid Mill, , ,

Laboratory homogenizer for sample preparation is an  important piece of equipment that makes foods with new flavors, produces medicines and helps in chemical research.

Let’s consider the use of this device in different industries in detail. To compete in the food product market, many manufacturers develop new recipes, new products with improved flavors and longer shelf life, etc. At the stage of research it does not make sense to make the new product in industrial quantities. Simply get a small test sample and continue to work with it, exploring the taste and other factors. A mini-homogenizer, or more precisely, a laboratory model fits this job perfectly. Normally such equipment is smaller in size and capacity, but functions just as an industrial unit.

In the pharmaceutical industry the mass production of medicinal emulsions also starts after medicine undergoes the necessary tests and certification procedures.  Here again a laboratory homogenizer prepares samples, which are then tested for effectiveness of the drug.

Generally, chemical laboratories are small areas, where research takes place in a confined space and there is simply not enough room to accommodate large homogenizing equipment for intensification of chemical reactions. And a laboratory homogenizer is big enough to obtain new materials and chemical patterns with relatively small amounts of reagents. For this purpose and for sample preparation, GlobeCore offers the CLM laboratory homogenizer. This unit uses “wet milling” principle to produce highly stable colloidal solutions, extremely fine suspensions, mixtures and emulsions.

The high quality of homogenization is achieved through an integrated use of a variety of effects and phenomena: the turbulent force (created by a complex micro-relief surface of the rotor), the centrifugal forces, the high relative speed between the rotating rotor and fixed stator, cavitation, and others.

GlobeCore colloid mills homogenize and disperse the product. Thermal jacket supplies heat to the grinding zone.

CLM Laboratory Homogenizer

Colloid Mill, , ,

Laboratory equipment, despite its apparent simplicity, plays a crucial role in industrial processes.

To understand this, recall the whole process of designing machines and mechanisms for the production of consumer products, from the beginning. In the first stage a prototype of the equipment is produced, which is then subjected to all kinds of tests, simulating the situations that may arise during industrial operation.

Homogenizers are used for a homogeneous distribution of one substance in another. They are used in such industries as food, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. In the food industry homogenizers determine the consistency, structure, color, and finally, the palatability of the product. Pharmaceutical and chemical industries also cannot do without homogenizers, because homogenizers affect the speed of reactions in the preparation of suspensions and emulsions.

Laboratory homogenizers are used in the same areas as the industrial ones, but they work with small amounts of substances. As noted above, they are necessary for simulation of industrial production, formulation of new recipes, as well as research.

GlobeCore manufactures a CLM laboratory homogenizer (colloid mill) with the processing capacity up to 1.8 m3 / hour. Unlike its “big brothers”, a laboratory version of the CLM has a compact design (720/700/1330 mm). Depending on the characteristics of the future use of the device it can be made of chemically resistant stainless steel, black metal or stainless steel.

The operating principle of laboratory homogenizers GlobeCore is based on the centrifugal force and the high relative velocity between the rotor and the stator, achieving homogeneity of semi-liquid materials.

CLM  homogenizers’ great advantage is that they can also disperse the processed products in the process of homogenization.

Colloid Mills

Colloid Mill

Colloid Mills. Colloid pulverization is such processing of materials which produces partices of colloidal sizes (several micron and smaller).

At certain conditions, this degree of pulverization can be achieved with just about any industrial grinding equipment. But if the process is considered from the economic and technological viewpoints, it becomes apparent such tasks are best performed by colloid mills. There is no coagulation of particles in the colloid mills, since the process occurs in dispersing media (liquids or, seldom, gases).

Colloid pulverization is almost always a “wet” process. The ratio of solid and liquid phases varies with the nature of the material and can be anywhere from 1:2 to 1:6.

Colloid solutions, unlike normal ones, are heterogeneous. Colloid particles have sizes much larger than the molecules of the dispersion media, which causes formation of phase boundary between liquid and solid phases. The height of this surface increases with increased dispersion of the material.

GlobeCore presents the CLM colloid mills for food, road construction, chemical and other industries. This product is designed specifically for fine pulverization of materials and production of highly stable suspensions, emulsions and solutions. Passing through the gap between the rotor and the stator of the mill, product particles rotate. Centrifugal force tears the particles apart. There are other effects, such as cavitation, which facilitate high quality of dispersion and homogenization.

The CLM colloid mills feature the following advantages:

  • adjustment of pulverization degree and pumping characteristics;
  • production of highly stable materials at the required rate;
  • high degree of homogenization;
  • production of colloid mills from carbon steel, food grade stainless steel or chemically resistant stainless steel on customer request;
  • the mills can be equipped with general purpose or intrinsically safe motors depending on production conditions.

Colloid Mill for Bitumen Emulsion Production

Road construction industry

Bitumen Emulsion Production. A colloid mill is a special device which performs superfine pulverization of materials. Using colloid mill allows to produce particles of one micron or even smaller.

The first colloid mill was designed by K. Plausson in the first half of the 19th century. It consisted of a stator, a rotor and a body. When particles enter the gap between the rotor and the stator, they rotate rapidly, and the centrifugal force tears the particles apart. The grade of pulverization can be adjusted by changing the gap between the rotor and the stator.

GlobeCore has developed colloid mills to be used in production of bitumen emulsions. They can produce both regular bitumen emulsions and emulsions modified by polymer.

The interaction between the rotor and the stator is optimized so that the size distribution range of the pulverized bitumen particles is narrow. This allows to make stable bitumen emulsion with high viscosity, which is especially important in production of high bitumen content emulsion.

The CLM colloid mill allows to disperse and homogenize bitumen at the same time. A heating jacket is provided to apply heat in the pulverization area.

GlobeCore colloid mills feature high rate of processing and pulverize bitumen to 1 micron particles. The CLM mill can be retrofitted easily into existing bitumen emulsion and modified bitumen production lines.

For high quality of grinding, it is necessary to supply the raw material at a certain proportion of solid and liquid phase at constant rate.

Another advantage of GlobeCore equipment is the ability to adjust the grade of pulverization and the pumping performance.

Colloid Mill for Starch Dispersion

Solutions,
Colloid Mill

Colloid Mill. The first mention of starch being partially soluble in water dates to the late 19th century. To achieve this, the substance had to be finely ground.

Pulverization of starch was described in the research of several scientists, such as Lampitt, Gess and others.

Preliminary dispersion of gelatinized phosphate starch in cold water allows to use it in ice-cream and instant-dessert powder products.

GlobeCore offers the CLM colloid mill to food producers. This device is specifically designed for pulverization of starch and making stable mixes with it. One of the main advantages of this device is the simultaneous homogenization of the processed media. The product is a high quality mix with does not separate even in long term storage.

The principle of colloid mill operation is based on the effects of several physical processes and phenomena. First, it is the difference of gap width at the inlet and outlet of the device for wet grinding. Second, it is the complex micro-relief of the rotor surface for increased turbulence, which tears the starch particles. Third, it is the centrifugal force, as well as the high speed of the rotor relative to the stator. Fourth, it is the grinding and cavitation effects. The combined effect of these factors make the processed material uniform, even and finely dispersed.

A heating/cooling jacket allows to perform homogenization with application or dissipation of heat.

Depending on the properties of the material, the grade of milling and pumping can be adjusted.

Ultrasonic Homogenizer for Production of Sour Milk Products

Food industry,
Ultrasonic Homogenizer

Balanced nutrition is impossible without fermented dairy products. They are especially important for the elderly people and for recovering patients. Dairy products improves metabolism and digestion.

One of the most important stages of making sour milk products is the mechanical processing of the raw materials in the process of homogenization. The main purpose of this process is to prevent separation of fat for better product quality. Homogenization improves consistency and taste, digestion of the product by the human body and allows to fully utilize all vitamins and other nutrients.

At present stage, dispersion of milk is performed by rotary and valve homogenizers, as well as devices based on electrohydraulic and ultrasonic processes.

An ultrasonic homogenizer is an electrical, mechanical and hydrodynamic device, designed to create sonic and ultrasonic waves in the processed medium. The best known device of this type is the so called hydrodynamic whistle. In this device, the liquid flows through an area of maximum ultrasonic influence, created by the flow itself. The flow is divided into many smaller jets, which intertwine and create intensive turbulence and high frequency waves.

In practice, the ultrasonic method of emulsification has shown high efficiency. The process can achieve emulsification up to 95%, with particle size as low as 0.1 – 0.5 micron. The emulsion demonstrates high stability in long term storage.

Biscuit and Cookie Production

Food industry,
Biscuit and Cookie Production

In the production of pastry, the most promising direction is implementation of modern technology and equipment and improvement of the product range by using new flavors, alternative raw materials and new packaging materials.

The main component of pastry, which significantly defines the quality of the dough is flour. Most of such products require flour with medium or weak extensible gluten in the amount of at least 28%.

The grade of flour milling also plays an important role, since the rate of dough formation depends on particle size. The larger the particles, the slower the swelling and formation of gluten, the dough remains elastic.

If the size of the particles is smaller, and the mean surface is larger, the ability of the flour to absorb water grows sharply, the dough becomes viscous and elastic.

The dispersion of fat also influences the product. In dispersed emulsion, which is added to the dough, the droplets of fat are very small. This forms a good structure of the product. If the fat coagulates into larger droplets, it does not envelop flour particles, cannot stay within the product and precipitates in storage. This process is characteristic of, for instance, vegetable oil. Solid fat with high melting point is viscous and distributes poorly between flow particles.

In the process of pastry production, it is very important that all components, especially fat, are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Such production involves mutually insoluble products (milk, water and fat). Dosage of the mix with one portioning device is only possible if the material is a stable emulsion without separation.

To obtain such an emulsion from two insoluble liquids, the system requires the third component, an emulsifier, which reduces the interfacial tension on the phase boundary and envelops the particles with a thin film to prevent coagulation.

The stability of emulsion depends on the type and concentration of emulsion, as well as fat dispersion: the higher the dispersion, the higher the stability of the emulsion, all other factors being equal.

A common choice for emulsifier are edible phosphatide concentrates and surfactants.

Surfactants can adjust flour properties, weaken or strengthen gluten and intensify the technology process.

Using emulsion facilitates even distribution of the dispersed fat in the dough and creates favorable conditions to make the most elastic dough for easy molding. Biscuits made with an emulsion is easy to form, absorbs moisture well, is more porous and brittle.

The process of dough preparation can be divided into two stages: obtaining the emulsion and making the dough with the emulsion. Emulsion may be made using a CLM colloid mill. The finished emulsion is pumped into an intermediary tank, equipped with a mechanical agitator and a heat exchange jacket. The time of emulsion preparation depends on the recipe and varies from 10 to 20 minutes.

To improve emulsion stability and to slow the process of staling of the product, it is recommended to add 0.5% fat. The addition of fat into the dough may be reduced by 1.5%.

Milk homogenizer: What is the Price of a High Quality Device

Food industry,

Milk homogenizer. One of the important processes in dairy production is mil homogenization. Homogenized milk has many advantages compared to non-homogenized. In particular, the taste and ‘feel’ of the milk improve, as well as storage and transportation stability, no traces of fat in milk containers.

The quality of the products made from homogenized milk is much higher. That is why homogenization became a must in most processes to make milk, dairy products, ice-cream, cheese etc.

Due to the development of homogenized component technology, the requirements to product dispersion are high. The main problem of making fine emulsions are the limited capabilities of homogenizers. Development of devices and methods to make finely dispersed emulsion with the ability to adjust dispersion and with high capacity, is rather important.

To homogenize milk and dairy products, valve homogenizers are mostly used. But analysis of valve homogenizer designs shows that there are significant flaws: large size and weight, high material and energy costs, rapid wear of the valve and a high price tag. Other types of homogenizers either fail to achieve the required degree of fat dispersion, or have significant disadvantages in use.

GlobeCore offers food production businesses homogenizers for milk processing with improved characteristics. We can manufacture a device based on your individual specifications for your production line. If necessary, GlobeCore specialists will visit the site, set up the production line and commission it. The “homogenizer prices” issue will be a thing in the past after you see our homogenizers in action!

Choosing a Homogenizer

Solutions,

Choosing a Homogenizer. The modern market economy demands that production costs must be reduces as much as possible without degrading the quality of the product.

In this context, the most promising direction is saving on resources and energy. One way of achieving this is to replace the existing equipment with new, power efficient system and to develop more efficient production technologies.

Choosing a Homogenizer. The above motivates businesses to perfect their technology processes and equipment. One of the examples of this approach is to improve certain processes and using colloid mill homogenizers, which are successfully used in the food industry in production of mayonnaise, milk, juice with pulp and various mixed foods. Hence the interest of many businesses in homogenizers and the question of which product to choose. The essence of the process is mixing of various components (liquids or powders). The quality of the resulting product is controlled by uniformity and texture.

Colloid mill homogenizers show a range of advantages compared to other types of devices.

The advantages are as follows:

  • ability to combine the processes of homogenization and dispersion of the product;
  • a heating or cooling jacket allows to control process temperature;
  • high degree of homogenization (particle size as small as 1 micron);
  • easy retrofitting of the mill into existing production lines;
  • ability to adjust pulverization and pumping depending on the properties of the processed materials.

Therefore, colloid mill homogenizers are the most efficient type of equipment for intensive hydromechanical and mass exchange processes.