Mechanical Processing  
PROCESS Woldwide-01-2004

Small and uniform
Dust-free granulation from the melt


The recent expansion of Sandvik Process Systems’ widely used Rotoform family means
it is now possible to solidify
almost any chemical and
food product directly from
the melt into free flowing granules.

The Rotoform process involves loading the product onto a continuously running steel belt by means of a specially developed feeding device, the Rotoformer. As the steel belt is cooled from below by means of sprayed water, the molten product is solidified into pastilles as it is transported along the system, before being discharged at the end of the steel belt cooler. The key
advantages of this process include:
Production of free flowing pastilles, of a uniform size and shape, directly from the melt. Subsequent grinding, crushing or other breaking processes are unnecessary.
Elimination of any possi-
bility of cross contamina-
tion between cooling media (water) and processed pro-duct.
Short cooling times (due to excellent thermal conductivity of the steel belt) mean little vapor or gas can get into the atmosphere and little oxygen can penetrate the product.
Production of dry, dust-free granules which are ideal for handling, blending, storage and further processing (granules can be moved up to 15x between production and re-use, so friability and related dust formation are very important considerations).


Ongoing development of this process has resulted in it being specified for an increasingly wide range of applications and there are now more than 1000 units now in operation worldwide. Typical applications include:
Refinery products: Sulfur, waxes, bitumen
Intermediates: Resins, hot melt adhesives, aluminum sulfate, rubber and plastic additives
Fine chemicals: Fatty acid and fat alcohol, caprolactam, stabilizer
Food products: Chocolate, cheese, chewing gum base, soup concentrates.
Guide to nine model pastillation range
With details of all nine Rotoform models plus an introduction to the principle behind this 1,000+ installation pastillation technology, Sandvik Process Systems’ latest brochure is its most comprehensive granulation guide to date. The brochure, sub-titled ‘New performance standards in premium pastillation’, offers an overview of the processes involved in product cooling, solidification and pastillation, and provides details of key process parameters. The major difference between this and previous Sandvik Rotoform brochures is that the company now produces a complete family of models to cope with different production requirements.

Sulfur, as a by-product of oil, gas or chemical processing, is produced in liquid form at a temperature of between 125-145 °C and then pastilled.

 Usefull Links 
Download or order a new Rotoform brochure from Sandvik (URL: http://www2.sandvik.com/C1256AFB002F8616/frameseti?OpenPage)




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