Vortex mill for controlled milling of particulate solids
AssigneeSuper Fine Ltd.
InventorYan Beliavsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved vortex mill for milling a substantially particulate solid material, which includes one or more working chambers. The mill also includes one or more working fluid inlets and one or more discharge ports. One or more working fluid inlets together with one or more discharge ports facilitate the vortex flow within the one or more working chambers. There are also one or more feed inlets to provide milling of the solid material, which is discharged from one or more discharge ports. In addition, there is apparatus for inducing controlled perturbations in the flow of the working fluid in the one or more working chambers, thereby to improve the milling of the solid material in the vortex flow.
Claims63
An improved vortex mill for milling a substantially particulate solid material, said mill including at least one working chamber having
- a) a side-wall defining a generally cylindrical, inward facing surface;
- b) a first end wall and a second end wall arranged transversely to said side-wall and having respective end surfaces formed contiguously with and transversely to said inward-facing surface, thereby to define therewith said at least one working chamber;
- c) at least one working fluid inlet for introducing a generally tangential flow of working fluid into said at least one working chamber thereby to create a vortex flow therein;
- d) at least one discharge port formed in at least one of said end walls, said at least one working fluid inlet and said at least one discharge port cooperating so as to facilitate a vortex flow of the working fluid introduced via said at least one working fluid inlet, said at least one discharge port permitting discharge of working fluid and milled material from said at least one working chamber;
- e) at least one feed inlet for introducing a substantially particulate solid material into said at least one working chamber so as to be taken up in a vortex flow of the working fluid, thereby to provide milling of the solid material, milled inlet material being discharged via said at least one discharge port;
- and
- f) apparatus for inducing controlled perturbations in the flow of the working fluid in said at least one working chamber, thereby to improve the milling of the solid material in the vortex flow.
An improved vortex mill for milling a substantially particulate solid material, said mill including at least one working chamber having
- a) a side-wall defining a generally cylindrical, inward facing surface;
- b) a first end wall and a second end wall arranged transversely to said side-wall and having respective end surfaces formed contiguously with and transversely to said inward-facing surface, thereby to define therewith said at least one working chamber;
- c) at least one working fluid inlet for introducing a generally tangential flow of working fluid into said at least one working chamber thereby to create a vortex flow therein;
- d) at least one discharge port formed in at least one of said end walls, said at least one working fluid inlet and said at least one discharge port cooperating so as to facilitate a vortex flow of the working fluid introduced via said at least one working fluid inlet, said at least one discharge port permitting discharge of working fluid and milled material from said at least one working chamber;
- e) at least one feed inlet for introducing a substantially particulate solid material into said at least one working chamber so as to be taken up in a vortex flow of the working fluid, thereby to provide milling of the solid material, milled inlet material being discharged via said at least one discharge port;
- and
- f) at least one mechanical insert element disposed in said inward facing surface of said side-wall thereby to induce controlled perturbations in the flow of the working fluid in said at least one working chamber.
A process for milling a substantially particulate solid material using an improved vortex mill, said process including:
- a) introducing a generally tangential flow of working fluid into a generally cylindrical working chamber thereby to create a vortex flow therein;
- b) feeding substantially particulate solid material sought to be milled into the working chamber such that the material is taken up in suspension in the vortex flow, thereby to apply comminution stresses to the suspended solid particles;
- c) inducing controlled perturbations in the vortex flow, thereby to regulate the comminution stresses applied to the suspended solid particles and thus also the rate of milling thereof;
- and
- d) discharging milled particulate solid material together with working fluid from the working chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.