Colloid Mill

Both colloid mills and homogenizers can produce equipment for shearing, emulsifying, dispersing and mixing materials, so many customers will compare colloid mills with homogenizers, but in fact, colloid mills and homogenizers are two principles. Equipment with completely different structures and effects.

The colloid mill is a kind of grinding equipment, the structure is very simple, so the maintenance is also very convenient, the colloid mill is suitable for materials with higher viscosity and larger particles. The working principle of the colloid mill is that the motor drives the rotor and the stator to rotate at a relatively high speed. When the processed material passes through the gap between the stator and the rotor, it is subjected to strong shearing force, frictional force, high-frequency vibration and other physical effects. The materials are effectively emulsified, dispersed and crushed to achieve the effect of fine crushing and emulsification of the materials.

The homogenizer is to form uniform oil-water phase or water-oil phase small particles through high-pressure and high-speed shearing of oil, water, emulsifier and other liquid materials. Generally used for ice cream production, flavor production, chemical industry and other liquids with oil and water , Emulsifier and other components must be used equipment. The principle of the homogenizer is that when the material is sheared, compressed, and folded by the mixing blade, it is mixed and then flows down to the homogenizer. The material passes through the high-speed rotating homogenizer rotor and stator to produce a strong force. A series of processes such as shearing, impact and turbulence are quickly broken into particles. Because the emulsification pot is in a vacuum state, the material will not generate bubbles during the mixing process.

From the principle point of view, they all have grinding, crushing, and mixing effects, but the emulsification effect of colloid mills is weaker than that of homogenizers, so colloid mills are generally used for grinding before homogenization or colloidal mills are used to refine solid substances. The structure of the colloid mill is simple and the floor space is small. In comparison, the area of the homogenizer is much larger, and the cost of the homogenizer is much higher than that of the colloid mill. Colloid mills are more suitable for food processing, while homogenizers are generally used for chemical and cosmetic processing.

The colloid mill can be divided into split type(JMF), vertical type(JML), and horizontal type(JMW). According to the purpose, it can be divided into the large colloid mill, small colloid mill, laboratory colloid mill, etc. According to the hygiene level, it can be divided into stainless steel casing and no casing.

The colloid mill is driven by the motor through the belt (shaft) to drive the rotor and the matching stator to rotate at high speed relative to each other. One of them rotates at high speed and the other is stationary.

The processed material is pressurized by its own weight or external pressure to produce a downward spiral. The impact force, through the gap between the stator and the rotor, is subject to physical effects such as strong shear force, friction force, high-frequency vibration, high-speed vortex, etc., so that the material is effectively emulsified, dispersed, homogenized, crushed, and finally reaches the material Ultra smashing effect.

Preparation Before cleaning, turn off the power supply and unplug the machine. Wear protective gear such as gloves and goggles to avoid contact with chemicals or debris.

Disassembly Take apart the colloid mill according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Remove the hopper, rotor, stator, and other parts, and place them in a container for cleaning.

Pre-Cleaning Using a brush or scraper, remove any visible debris, including product residues, dirt, and other contaminants, from the machine’s parts. You can use compressed air to blow away dust and debris that are difficult to reach.

Cleaning Solution Prepare a cleaning solution by mixing warm water with a suitable detergent. Use a non-abrasive and non-corrosive detergent that is compatible with the machine’s material. Avoid using harsh chemicals or bleach that can damage the equipment.

Cleaning Soak the parts in the cleaning solution for at least 30 minutes. Use a soft-bristle brush to scrub the parts gently. Rinse the parts with clean water to remove any remaining detergent.

Sanitization To eliminate bacteria and other microorganisms, sanitize the colloid mill parts by soaking them in a sanitizing solution. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the concentration and contact time of the sanitizer.

Drying and Reassembly Dry the parts with a clean cloth or air-dry them. Reassemble the colloid mill by following the manufacturer’s instructions.

● Connect the feed hopper or feed pipe and discharge port, then connect the discharge circulation pipe, and then connect the cooling water and drain pipe.

● After installing the electric starting device, after connecting the power supply, pay special attention to the direction of the start-up operation to determine whether the motor rotates in the normal direction. You can observe whether the rotation direction is consistent with the 'rotation direction arrow' from the feeding point. Idling and reversing are absolutely prohibited.

● When leaving the factory, the adjusted limit screws have been installed on the block of the equipment outlet, and the gap between the grinding discs is at a standard distance. To adjust the gap between the grinding discs, first loosen the upper limit screw of the block of the discharge port, loosen the two handles on the adjusting disc 'counterclockwise' without turning on the machine, and then turn the adjusting disc 'clockwise'. Stop immediately when there is resistance. The scale of the adjustment dial is 0.01mm for each advance and retreat. Generally, under the condition of meeting the requirements of the fineness of the processed materials, the gap between the grinding discs should be kept as large as possible, and at the same time, the handle should be locked to the adjusting disc, and then the upper limit screw of the feeding port block should be adjusted to ensure the normal operation of the machine.

● After the cooling water is connected, add about 1-2Kg of liquid material or other liquids related to the processing material, and keep the wet material in the state of returning through the circulation pipe. Then the colloid mill can be started, and the material will be put into the colloid mill for processing and production immediately after the operation is normal.

● Before shutting down, add an appropriate amount of water or other liquids related to the processing materials in the hopper or in the cavity, and keep the wet materials in the state of returning through the circulation pipe. When starting up, it is necessary to keep a certain amount of wet material in the hopper in a state that can be returned and put in the material immediately, otherwise it will damage the hard combined seal and even cause leakage and burn the motor.

● Pay attention to the motor load for processing materials, and reduce the feeding if overload is found.

● When the colloid mill is in action, the discharge valve must not be closed, so as to avoid leakage caused by excessive pressure in the grinding chamber.

● The colloid mill is a high-precision machine, with very little gap between the grinding discs and fast rotation speed. The operator should strictly abide by the post, work according to the rules, stop the machine in time when the fault is found, and then start production after troubleshooting.

● After using the colloid mill, it should be thoroughly disinfected and cleaned in the body, so that the material does not stay in the body, so as not to damage the machine due to hard mechanical bonding.