Granulation of salts to reduce dust and waste
In many industries, dust is produced that is either a reusable waste material in itself or still contains components that can be recovered and reused. Before these valuable materials can be handled or recovered, the dusts need to be agglomerated. In most cases, the dusts can simply be converted to granulate via build-up agglomeration in a mixer (photo). But in the past, build-up agglomeration was not an expedient solution when it came to agglomerating salts. This company has now developed a method using a feed of superheated steam to achieve high-strength granulates — of more than 30 N — using a combination of a mixer and a disk pelletizer. The method requires far less energy input than the use of crystallizers, and it also makes it possible to add further substances at the build-up agglomeration stage and incorporate them into the granules. Systems with an output of up to 50 ton/h have already been configured. — Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich GmbH & Co KG, Hardheim, Germany