Chemineer Greerco User manual

COLLOID MILL I. O. & M
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION 2
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION 2
ADJUSTABLE GAP SETTING 3
MOUNTING CONFIGURATION 3
COLLOID MILL SET-UP 4
WIRING 4
DIRECTION OF ROTATION 5
SHAFT SEALING METHOD 5
COLLOID MILL ELASTOMERS (SEALS & O-RINGS) 6
JACKETED STATOR HOUSING 7
PRODUCT PROCESSING GUIDELINES 7
DAILY MAINTENANCE & CLEANING 8
3-WAY VALVE MAINTENANCE & CLEANING 9
RECOMMENDED LUBRICANTS 9
COLLOID MILL EXPLODED VIEW (W250H-B EXAMPLE) 9
COLLOID MILL DISASSEMBLY 10
COLLOID MILL RE-ASSEMBLY 12
GAP SETTING CALIBRATION 17
NOTES ON MACHINE REBUILDS 19
SPARE PARTS 20

COLLOID MILL I. O. & M
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EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION
You have just purchased a Greerco ® Colloid Mill. The Greerco ® Colloid
Mill is a high speed, high shear mixer capable of batch or in-line processing.
Although a “colloid m ill” is comm only considered a particle destruction
unit, it is actually a dispersion piece of equipment. The machine will blend,
emulsify, de-agglomerate and produ ce a thorough wetting of dispersed
substances resulting in a com pletely homogeneous product. However, the
colloid mill will NOT dry grind.
For example, assuming that the basic p article size in an agglomerated slurry
is 1 to 3 m icrons, a colloid mill set w ith the proper gap clearance is capable
of destroying all the larger agglom erates of those particles to produce a
distribution of that basic particle size . The proper gap se tting, which refers
to the ope ning between the tapered plan e faces of the rotor and stator, can
only be determined by pilot plant or production test runs.
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
Like most high shear devices, the Greerco ® Colloid Mill employs a high -
speed rot or runni ng in close proxim ity to a fi xed stator to perform its
shearing operation. In this colloid m ill, the gap between the rotor and stator
is adjusta ble. Product is processe d as it passes t hrough t he shear zone,
where intense hydraulic and shear forces result in a product that has been
broken down into i ts prim ary particle size and/or the dispersion of the
dispersed phase throughout the carrier phase.
The Greerco® Colloid Mill consists of a hi gh-speed, hardened rotor turning
inside a matching, fixed, hardened stator, which is surrounde d by a jacket.
As the rotor turns, t he upper blades for ce the m aterial into the first she aring
zone of sharp teeth m illed into the st ator. The m aterial then passes through
the second shearing zone where fine serra tions in the rotor channel the fluid,
with increasing velocity, towards th e adjustable gap between the ult ra-
smooth, lapped, hardened surfaces of the rotor and stator. Finally,
centrifugal force impinges the fluid against the stator-housing wall for
further refinement.

COLLOID MILL I. O. & M
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ADJUSTABLE GAP SETTING
On this colloid mill, the rotor-stator clearance is continuously adjustable and
may be done “on-t he-fly”. Gap adjust ment m ay be m ade by turning the
handwheel on the unit. This wheel acts as a gap s etting micrometer. Three
precision-machined gears regulate shaft movement that resul ts in the gap
setting adjustm ent. On the gear case of the hand wheel, you will find
indicator markings provi ding the appr opriate turning dire ction for gap
adjustment. Clock wise rotation will cl ose the gap while cou nter-clockwise
rotation will open the gap.
The colloid m ill also com es com plete with an index wh eel. A Plexiglas ®
window allows the operator to view the index wheel. The m arkings on this
wheel are unit-less. They are a nominal number scale that may be correlated
to gap setting of the unit.
NOTE:
The “ZERO” designation is a nominal value.
When your machine left the factory, zero was a 0.003-0.005” gap setting.
Your machine is configured to prevent against metal-to-metal contact.
MOUNTING CONFIGURATION
A Greerco® Colloid Mill is available in one of two configurations, horizontal
or vertical. There is no difference in the milling head or mixing processes in
these configurations, merely the machine’s orientation.
Horizontal Configuration – “H” Model Designation
If you have purchase a W H model colloid m ill, you will be receivi ng
a horizontal colloid m ill. Intended as an in-line piece of processing
equipment, this configuration will allo w for “hard plum b”, directly to the
mill as with other system com ponent. The m ill is equipped with standard
Tri-Clamp Ferrules for quick disconnect and sanitary services.
Vertical Configuration – “V” Model Designation
If you have purchase a W V model colloid m ill, you will be receivi ng
a vertical colloid m ill. Intended as a batch-processing device, v ertical
models come complete with stainless steel hoppers and recirculation pi ping.
A three-way valve on the recirculation tu be allows for flui d discharge at the
conclusion of the processing cycle.