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.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of the acceleration of material with the aid of centrifugal force, with the aim of causing the accelerated grains or particles to collide at such a speed that they break. According to a known technique, the material can be introduced into the central chamber of a rotor and accelerated along guide elements, after which the material is propelled outwards in all directions. The invention provides a method and installation which makes it possible to propel the material outwards from the rotor along one or more streams, the flow regions which the material describes being essentially in a predetermined, fixed location. This makes it possible to allow the material to impinge essentially free from interference on one or more stationary impact elements which are arranged around the rotor. It is also possible to distribute or to spread the material from the rotor in one or more predetermined directions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for comminuting and drying material utilizing a closed-loop cyclonic system including a cyclonic comminution chamber, and further incorporating heated or dried air for desiccation of the material, as well as reducing the air pressure of the system to provide enhanced drying of the material. The present invention further contemplates to a cyclonic mill system configured to fiberize and dewater cellulose and other materials in a highly efficient and cost effective manner. The present system employs indirect heat drying and fiberizing for the continuous drying and processing of moist cellulose (i.e., bagasse, paper, etc) material by cyclonically agitating same in a hot air flow via a specially designed cyclonic mill, which is configured to effectively dewater and decimate wet cellulose material from a variety of sources for form fiberized cellulose material suitable for thermal insulation or other products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus (1) for comminuting particles (2). The apparatus (1) comprises at least one tube (8,8′) for collecting a given amount of particles (2), the particles (2) forming a plug (12) inside the tube (8,8′). The apparatus (1) further comprises at least one pressure pulse unit (13, 13′) for generating pressure pulses, in which context the plug (12), subjected to a pressure pulse, is propelled from an exit aperture of the tube (8,8′) to hit a baffle (6) located downstream of the tube (8, 8′) and comprising apertures (7). Finally, the apparatus (1) comprises a collection chamber (4) following on to the baffle (6), in which the particles (2), comminuted by the impact against the baffle (6) and passing through the apertures (7), are collected.

Abstract: A centrifugal tumbling granulating apparatus 1 comprises a fixed wall 7 having a grain contact portion 7a which is in contact with powder grains 2 and of which a horizontal section is formed in a circular shape, and a rotating disk 5 provided a clearance 12 away from an inner side of the fixed wall 7 and rotating in a horizontal direction by a motor 13, wherein an air supply device 21 for supplying drying air 22 to an upper surface side of the rotating disk 5 is provided above the rotating disk 5. The air supply device 21 has a cylindrical straight tube portion 25, and an air supply port 23 formed in a cone shape, and is disposed in a centrifugal tumbling chamber 6 to be movable in an up-and-down direction. During a granulating step, the air supply device 21 stops to supply the dry air 22 and waits at an upper position H. After the granulation processing, the air supply device is lowered at a lower position L and supplies the dry air 22 onto the rotating disk 5 to dry granulated substances.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing platelets, wherein a material to be processed into platelets is applied in a flowable or gaseous state to a substrate, consolidated, removed from the substrate, and subjected to a crushing or grinding process, wherein the material is applied to the substrate in succeeding layers such that after application, a lamina pack is present which, in cross section perpendicular to its surface, has individual laminae of a thickness of between 0.2-1000 &mgr;m, and said lamina pack, having been stripped from the substrate, is treated in such a way that the material disintegrates into individual laminae and the individual laminae are reduced in size to a particle size of 0.5-10000 &mgr;m.

Abstract: An improved two-stage comminuting and dehydrating system is efficient, environmentally sound, and may be employed to process sticky materials. The system includes a pair of cyclone structures for comminuting and dehydrating. Injection ports are positioned for injection of viscid substances directly into the low pressure region of each cone. The secondary cyclone structure is equipped with a lower exit port. A single blower is coupled with the cyclone structures to form an air flow loop from the primary cone bottom to the secondary cone top and from the secondary cone top to the primary cone top. Airflow for cycling material between the cones is controlled by feedback from moisture and particle size monitoring devices in a collection unit coupled with the secondary cone.

Abstract: A separation device includes a casing and a first and a second rotation blade. A pulverization chamber is defined between the casing, the first, and the second rotation blade. Operating an urging device and at least one of the first and the second rotation blades, creates channeling vortices within the pulverization chamber. Fly ash containing unburned carbon is feed into the pulverization chamber, and through at least repeated self-collision, unburned carbon is segregated and reduced in size while remaining particular matter is similarly segregated and reduced in size. A method implements the separation device and provides simple results.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for separating target particles from surrounding materials such as separating gold particles from the clays in placer deposits. The enveloping material is converted to a slurry, then pumped into a collision chamber through pairs of opposing nozzles. Sets of slurry collide, dislodging target particles from surrounding material. The outgoing slurry is then further processed to separate the particles dislodged by the collision.

Abstract: A system and method for producing foundry quality sand from non-conventional starting materials through the combination of oolitization and classification. Incoming particulate matter is first directed into a controlled energy attrition unit where the particles are made to collide with one another. Such collisions clean and round the particles by chipping away surface projections and coatings without crushing the particles. The particle stream is then directed through a multi-fraction classifier where it is separated into two or more useable grades of foundry sand. An air classifier is preferred for the classification stage.

Abstract: Raw material containing precious metals and heavy minerals is introduced into a comminuting chamber. The raw material falls onto rotating chains which drive the material against the side wall of the chamber with sufficient velocity to cause the raw material to fracture. Air flows upwardly at the side wall and classifies the particles into a first fraction which falls to the floor of the chamber and a second fraction which is carried upward to a trommel. Large particles from the trommel are recycled to the chamber while fines are discarded as tailings. The rate of upward flow of air in the chamber, the rate of rotation of the chains and the size of particles separated by the trommel are all adjusted in order to ensure that the particles that collect on the floor of the chamber are rich in precious metals and heavy minerals.

Abstract: A process for preparing ground resin particles is provided by modifying a jet mill with opposed fluidized bed, wherein the grinding efficiency can be dramatically increased, the operating conditions can be relieved, and smaller device size and reduced running cost can be achieved. By using a jet mill having a plurality of jet nozzles disposed at predetermined positions in a barrel of a grinding chamber toward the injection point of the grinding chamber and a bottom wall having a flat surface in part or in whole, parallel to the jet nozzles, or a jet mill having a plurality of jet nozzles disposed at predetermined positions in a barrel of a grinding chamber toward the injection point of the grinding chamber and a bottom wall having a conical projection immediately below the injection point, resin particles to be ground are jetted with or without water, thereby being ground to obtain ground resin particles of an intended particle size.

Abstract: A fine flaky copper powder having an average major axis diameter of 4 to 10 &mgr;m and a flakiness of 2 to 20, has a bulk density of 2 to 4 g/cm3 and a BET specific surface area of 0.4 to 1.5 m2/g; A process for producing the copper powder includes introducing a copper slurry into a medium type agitation mill and flattening the powder.

Abstract: A finely divided, stable dispersion of a solid is produced by: spraying at least two streams of a preliminary dispersion, each through a separate nozzle by pumps, onto a collision point in a reactor chamber enclosed by a reactor housing; passing water vapor through an opening into the reactor chamber so that a vaporous atmosphere consisting mainly of water vapor prevails in the reactor chamber; and removing the finely divided dispersion and a) vapor, b) partially condensed vapor consisting mainly of water or c) a combination of a) and b) from the reactor chamber by excess pressure of an incoming water vapor on the gas inlet side; wherein the solid has an average particle size of from 10 nm to 10 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method comprising grinding a contaminated material in a pulverizing mill to inactivate parasite or microorganisms is claimed. The contaminated material is exposed to an alternating mechanical energy field. Oscillating stress and pressure amplitudes is created in a macrosonic field of mechanical energy.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for treating fluids, a pump delivers a fluid flow from a fluid source to a manifold. The manifold divides the fluid flow into first and second fluid flows, which are delivered from the manifold to a housing. The housing includes therein a first vortex nozzle positioned in opposed relationship to a second vortex nozzle. The first fluid flow enters the first vortex nozzle to create a first rotating fluid flow, and the second fluid flow enters the second vortex nozzle to create a second rotating fluid flow. The first and second vortex nozzles impinge the first and second rotating fluid flows in a collision chamber, thereby treating the fluid.

Abstract: The invention is an improved method of generating fine medicament powders suitable for inhalation. A fluid energy mill is used with conventional milling fluids such as air or nitrogen. The milling fluid is treated to have a controlled relative humidity of between 30% and 70%. This produces a fine medicament powder with a median particle size below 10 micrometer but with little or no amorphous content generated during milling. Scale formation in the mill chamber is also greatly reduced.

Abstract: A low-fiber method for obtaining a fiber material (21) that is suitable for use as a raw material for insulation purposes, for the production of fiber mattresses or as a filing or padding material, from the fruits of poplars, willows, composites or similar plants. The closed fruits of said plants are dried and/or opened using an air flow and agitated in a treatment chamber (17), whereby the fiber material (21) contained in the fruit capsules (19) is substantially separated from the other constituent parts of said fruits.

Abstract: A pulverization/classification apparatus including a cylindrical vessel having an inner wall, on a surface of which a layer including a release agent is located; a pulverizer configured to pulverize a material such as toner raw materials in the cylindrical vessel using a compressed air to prepare a particulate material; and a classifier configured to classify the particulate toner material to prepare a powder of the material. Alternatively, the inner wall of the cylindrical vessel has a circumferentially projected portion. A method for manufacturing a powder such as toners using the pulverization/classification apparatus is also provided.

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.

Abstract: Malleable material, such as manure, and municipal sludge, food waste, and the like, is dried and the average particle size of the material is reduced in a simple and effective manner without the use of an external heat source. The material with a first moisture content and average particle size is fed into an air stream, and the speed of the air flow with entrained particles is increased so that it is super-colonic, typically have a bullet profile with a substantially zero velocity at the periphery of the air flow and a velocity of about 400-500 mph at the center of the air flow. The material is then caused to be reduced in particle size by material to material collisions in one or more cyclone-shaped vessels with retention air-affecting inlets at bottom portions thereof, and the speed of the air flow with entrained material is ultimately reduced so that substantially the entire flow is below super-colonic speed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the comminution of bulk materials comprising synthetic polymers which do not have an elastomeric behavior by mechanical, thermal or electromagnetic loading of the bulk materials, which comprises treating the bulk materials, before and/or during the loading, with oxidants which have a redox potential of greater than 1.5 V or subjecting them to corona, UV or plasma treatment without complete oxidation of the synthetic polymer taking place.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the fine division of pigments which comprises spraying a coarsely crystalline crude pigment and/or a poorly dispersible prepigment in suspension form through nozzles to a point of conjoint collision in a reactor chamber enclosed by a housing in a microjet reactor, a gas or an evaporating liquid being passed into the reactor chamber through an opening in the housing for the purpose of maintaining a gas atmosphere in the reactor chamber, and the resulting pigment suspension and the gas or the evaporated liquid being removed from the reactor through a further opening in the housing by means of overpressure on the gas entry side or underpressure on the product and gas exit side.

Abstract: An improved two-stage comminuting and dehydrating system is efficient, environmentally sound, and may be employed to process sticky materials. The system includes a pair of cyclone structures for comminuting and dehydrating. Injection ports are positioned for injection of viscid substances directly into the low pressure region of each cone. The secondary cyclone structure is equipped with a lower exit port. A single blower is coupled with the cyclone structures to form an air flow loop from the primary cone bottom to the secondary cone top and from the secondary cone top to the primary cone top. Airflow for cycling material between the cones is controlled by feedback from moisture and particle size monitoring devices in a collection unit coupled with the secondary cone.

Abstract: Malleable material, such as manure, and municipal sludge, food waste, and the like, is dried and the average particle size of the material is reduced in a simple and effective manner without the use of an external heat source. The material with a first moisture content and average particle size is fed into an air stream, and the speed of the air flow with entrained particles is increased so that it is super-cyclonic, typically have a bullet profile with a substantially zero velocity at the periphery of the air flow and a velocity of about 400-500 mph at the center of the air flow. The material is then caused to be reduced in particle size by material to material collisions in one or more cyclone-shaped vessels with retention air-affecting inlets at bottom portions thereof, and the speed of the air flow with entrained material is ultimately reduced so that substantially the entire flow is below super-cyclonic speed.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for comminuting source material by fluidizing said source material in a gaseous stream and thereafter projecting said source material against a plurality of impact surfaces contained in, along, or about the periphery of a rotating rigid rotor.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the fine division of pigments which comprises dissolving coarsely crystalline crude pigments in a solvent and precipitating them with a liquid precipitation medium by spraying the pigment solution and the precipitation medium through nozzles to a point of conjoint collision in a reactor chamber enclosed by a housing in a microjet reactor, a gas or an evaporating liquid being passed into the reactor chamber through an opening in the housing for the purpose of maintaining a gas atmosphere in the reactor chamber, and the resulting pigment suspension and the gas or the evaporated liquid being removed from the reactor through a further opening in the housing by means of overpressure on the gas entry side or underpressure on the product and gas exit side.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of comminuting materials are provided. In one embodiment, the comminution/drying apparatus comprises a comminution/drying cyclone having an input and an output, a blower having a blower output connected to the input of the comminution/drying cyclone, a material feed connected to the input of the comminution/drying cyclone, and a separation cyclone having an inlet connected to the output of the comminution/drying cyclone, the separation cyclone having a material discharge and an air outlet. In another embodiment, the comminution apparatus comprises a comminution cyclone having an input and an output, a blower having a blower output connected to the input of the comminution cyclone, a material feed connected to the input of the comminution cyclone, and a wet filtration system having an inlet, a material discharge and an air exhaust, the inlet of the wet filtration system connected to the output of the comminution cyclone.

Abstract: An improved two-stage comminuting and dehydrating system is efficient, environmentally sound, and may be employed to process sticky materials. The system includes a pair of cyclone structures for comminuting and dehydrating. Injection ports are positioned for injection of viscid substances directly into the low pressure region of each cone. The secondary cyclone structure is equipped with a lower exit port. A single blower is coupled with the cyclone structures to form an air flow loop from the primary cone bottom to the secondary cone top and from the secondary cone top to the primary cone top. Airflow for cycling material between the cones is controlled by feedback from moisture and particle size monitoring devices in a collection unit coupled with the secondary cone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for comminuting and drying material utilizing a closed-loop cyclonic system including a cyclonic comminution chamber, and further incorporating heated or dried air for desiccation of the material, as well as reducing the air pressure of the system to provide enhanced drying of the material. The present invention further contemplates to a cyclonic mill system configured to fiberize and dewater cellulose and other materials in a highly efficient and cost effective manner. The present system employs indirect heat drying and fiberizing for the continuous drying and processing of moist cellulose (i.e., bagasse, paper, etc) material by cyclonically agitating same in a hot air flow via a specially designed cyclonic mill, which is configured to effectively dewater and decimate wet cellulose material from a variety of sources for form fiberized cellulose material suitable for thermal insulation or other products.

Abstract: An apparatus for the preparation of penicillin G procaine comprising a first vessel containing a suspension that includes particles of penicillin G procaine. A first conduit connects the first vessel to a microfluidizer and the suspension passes through the microfluidizer to a second conduit having a mesh screen. The particles pass through said microfluidizer whereby said particles are reduced in particle size and are delivered by the second conduit to a holding vessel.

Abstract: The invention is an improved method of generating fine medicament powders suitable for inhalation. A fluid energy mill is used with conventional milling fluids such as air or nitrogen. The milling fluid is treated to have a controlled relative humidity of between 30% and 70%. This produces a fine medicament powder with a median particle size below 10 micrometer but with little or no amorphous content generated during milling. Scale formation in the mill chamber is also greatly reduced.

Abstract: Organic fertilizer produced from raw manure, and systems and methods related to the production thereof. A high-velocity air stream is injected into at least one substantially-closed chamber, where it interacts with a supply of raw manure; the raw manure can be bovine or other animal waste products. The high-velocity air stream pulverizes and dries the raw manure, whereby an end product having a moisture content substantially less than the initial moisture content and a live bacteria content substantially equal to the initial live bacteria content of the raw manure is produced. In a preferred embodiment, a cyclonic comminution apparatus is used to pulverize and dry the raw manure; alternatively, a first cyclonic comminution apparatus can be used to substantially pulverize the raw manure and a second cyclonic comminution apparatus can be used to substantially dry the raw manure.

Abstract: In a rotary mineral crusher a method of either localising the wear on a weir tip (1) in the crusher and/or focusing the output of the rotor (7) into its interaction chamber and/or reducing mineral erosion of the exterior of the rotor (7) by mineral piece particles energised by the output from the rotor (7). The rotary mineral crusher is of a kind having a rotor (7) into which the mineral pieces to be reduced in size, that is crushed, are fed from above and least substantially axially over the axis of rotation of the rotor (7) to thereafter migrate on an acceleration locus or loci of migration there retained bed or retained beds of mineral pieces from the rotor (7) substantially radially of the rotor (7) into the surrounding interaction chamber capable of retaining the lining of the mineral material.

Abstract: An improved eductor-mixer system in which pressurized working fluid is discharged through a cylindrical annular nozzle as a translational high speed jet flowing longitudinally past a end of a solute inlet tube into a tubular discharge passage having a uniform inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the annular nozzle, for generating a vacuum thereby to positively draw a pressure transportable material such as a granular, powdered, or other particulate solid, or a liquid or a gas, through the solute inlet tube and into the tubular discharge passage for mixing with the working fluid to form a dispersion.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the separation and recovery of fractional components of used carpet. The nylon fiber component separated from the carpet pieces fed into the cyclonic comminuter are lighter than the other fractional. components and can be extracted from the comminuter chamber through an extraction valve located in the top wall of the comminuter chamber. The nylon extraction valve includes a valve body with an opening extending generally vertically therethrough and a shaft extending therefrom in a horizontal orientation. The valve body is moved to expose the opening to the interior of the comminuter chamber on an intermittent basis to extract accumulated nylon fibers without disrupting the air flow through the comminuter chamber and the associated comminuting operation. Preferably, the valve body is oscillated back and forth, instead of rotated, in order to minimize the trapping of nylon fibers at the valve opening.

Abstract: A process and device for fluidized-bed jet milling, in which solid particles to be milled, which are suspended in a flowing fluid, are disintegrated into particles of a smaller size by using at least one fluid jet induced to enter the fluidized bed with high energy to bring about an exchange of energy between the particles of the fluidized bed. The interaction between particles and the fluid jet entering the fluidized bed with high energy is influenced, especially in the area of entry of the jet, by a centrifugal force, which acts on the particles in the fluidized bed, in the vicinity of the site of entry of the fluid jet.

Abstract: A pulverizer is disclosed which comprises a fan which sucks air through a pipe. A hopper receives material which is to be pulverized, the hopper having an open lower end which communicates with the pipe. Between the hopper and the fan there is a venturi. Air flows through the venturi at a speed of Mach 1 or above. Pieces of frangible material dropped into the hopper are sucked to the venturi where they are blown apart and reduced to powder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for comminuting and drying material utilizing a closed-loop cyclonic system including a cyclonic comminution chamber, and further incorporating heated or dried air for desiccation of the material, as well as reducing the air pressure of the system to provide enhanced drying of the material. The present invention further contemplates to a cyclonic mill system configured to fiberize and dewater cellulose and other materials in a highly efficient and cost effective manner. The present system employs indirect heat drying and fiberizing for the continuous drying and processing of moist cellulose (i.e., paper) material by cyclonically agitating same in a hot air flow via a specially designed cyclonic mill, which is configured to effectively dewater and decimate wet cellulose material from a variety of sources for form fiberized cellulose material suitable for thermal insulation.

Abstract: Separated graphite nanostructures are formed of thin graphite platelets having an aspect ratio of at least 1,500:1. The platelets have an angular geometric structure and may be fully independent from an original graphite particle, or partially attached to the particle. The graphite platelets have an average thickness in the range of 1-100 nm. The graphite nanostructures are created from synthetic or natural graphite using a high-pressure mill. Fluid jets of the high-pressure flaking mill cause fluid to enter the tip of cracks in the graphite particles, which creates tension at the tip. This tension causes the cracks to propagate along the natural planes in the graphite so that small particles of the graphite separate into platelets. The platelets can be treated after the milling process by drying the platelets in a spray dryer. The platelets may optionally be introduced into a hydrocyclone to separate the platelets by size.

Abstract: A rotary mineral breaker of the type having a rotor (1) able to rotate about a substantially vertical axis. The rotor has an inlet for mineral pieces which are to be broken. The inlet is substantially parallel to the rotary axis when viewed from above. The rotor also has at least one peripheral exit port (9) for such materials, that is minerals after breaking, to exit radially of the rotor into a surrounding mineral material interaction zone (6). The rotor has a feature that at the or each peripheral port, but carried by the said rotor, there is means providing an exit port geometry which at least includes a mineral piece there to accumulation weir (3) to encourage by the appropriate profiling of the bed, those mineral pieces accelerating, in use, on the bed of retained mineral pieces (5) to exit over the weir (3) away from the upper regions of the retained bed (5).

Abstract: An apparatus including: a grinder adapted to grind toner particles; a classifier in communication with the grinder adapted to separate sized toner particles from unsized toner particles; a conduit in communication with the classifier which conduit is adapted to convey the sized toner particles away from the grinder; a heater adapted to heat and smooth the surface of the sized toner particles received from the conduit; and a particle separator adapted separate the resulting mixture of smooth surface toner particles and debris particles received from the heater.

Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining fine powders having narrow particle size range from non-conducting solids comprising the steps of: 1) creating an electrostatic charge on particles of a solid mixture formed by mechanical means, 2) grinding the mixture and neutralizing the electrostatic charge during grinding with a potential sufficient to create a corona discharge, 3) separating the powder according to particle size, and 4) collecting the finely ground finished powder product. The method is applicable to the manufacture of high quality cement powders.

Abstract: A material grinding apparatus (10) includes an annular upper enclosure (12) defining an upper chamber (34) into which material to be ground is introduced from above, a conical lower enclosure (14) defining a lower chamber (36) and supported in tandem with the upper enclosure (12), and one or more angled slots (56) defined in the sidewall of the upper enclosure (12) through which compressed air is introduced relatively circumferentially into the upper chamber (34) so as to generate a circular vortex flow of air and material in the upper enclosure (12) for grinding and drying to take place. The air flow is exhausted by a pipe (92) through an upper end of the upper enclosure (12) and the dried ground material is discharged through an open lower end of the lower enclosure (14). The lower enclosure (14) is a downward continuation and extension of the upper enclosure (12) so as not to extend upwardly into nor past the upper chamber (34) thereof.

Abstract: A process comprising: methods, apparatus formulae; and factors, for: creating factors of vortexian energy sources; treating, processing; pasteurizing, dissociating; and comminuting: materials, bio-solids; and sewage; whereby space energy sources are released; drying and elimination of pathogens takes place; further comprising a feed assembly with conical section and inlet tube having a discharge area and inlet area for the passage of air and material and a rotor for creating reverse vortices in a cyclonic air-stream within the conical section and inlet tube; comprising Mark Youds', ‘Factors of Vortexian energy sources’, within the apparatus, and his formulae for utilizing those factors, so as to configure the invention, and any similar apparatus, in such a manner that it will also create a harmonic complex pitch wave, to assist the treatment and processing of the material, and a centripetal ‘boundary cylinder’ with ‘boundary envelope’ inside the conical section.

Abstract: A method for creating ultra-fine particles of material using a high-pressure mill is described. The method includes placing a material in a first chamber and subjecting the material to a high-pressure liquid jet to divide it into particles. These particles are then transferred to a second chamber in which they are subjected to cavitation to further divide the particles into relatively smaller particles. These relatively smaller particles are then transferred to a third chamber, in which the particles collide with a collider to still further divide them into ultra-fine particles of the material. The mill of the present invention includes a first chamber having an high-pressure liquid jet nozzle, first and second slurry nozzles, a second cavitation chamber and a third chamber which houses a collider. Sensors may be located throughout the mill to collect data on the comminution process and to use the data to control the resultant particle size.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for the preparation of a solid particles of a compound. The process includes milling the compound in the presence of milling media composed of ceramic particles having an average size of 0.1 to 20 mm. The ceramic particles are composed of a tetragonal zirconia core and a continuous hard case shell comprising cubic zirconia, monoclinic zirconia, spinel or zircon.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrophotographic toner having a mean particle diameter of more than 5 &mgr;m and less than 10 &mgr;m. For manufacturing the above size of toner, coarsely pulverized particles are pulverized to medium pulverized particles having a mean particle diameter of more than 10 &mgr;m and not more than 19 &mgr;m at first. Subsequently, the medium pulverized particles are further pulverized to small diameter particles having a mean particle diameter of more than 5 &mgr;m and less than 10 &mgr;m, and thereafter the small diameter particles are classified by a rotor type classifier.

Abstract: The invention concerns a micronizing device comprising a grinding housing with an outlet opening at one end, two coaxially positioned rotatably driven hollow axles entering the grinding house through two opposite side walls thereof, each of said axles having an inner end provided with a conically enlarging disc defining a grinding chamber, a circumferential outlet gap being formed between said discs, each disc being provided with at least one concentrically positioned ring of axially directed taps or wings near the circumference of the disc, the rings having different diameters, so that said discs can be driven to rotate in opposite directions, two acceleration nozzles are brought into the grinding chamber through the hollow axles, said nozzles being directed towards a common point in the grinding chamber away from a center point of said grinding chamber. The invention concerns also a method using said device.

Abstract: In a method for granulating and comminuting liquid slags, especially metal-oxide-containing slags, coal, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or coal/water mixtures or coal slurries are driven into the slag or the slag jet. The liquid slag is transferred into an expansion and granulation chamber and subsequently into a mill, especially a jet or impact mill. In the device for carrying out the method provided with a slag tundish and a lance arranged coaxially to the axis of the tundish tube the tundish tube is designed as a hole-type nozzle. Devices for applying carbon carriers and/or water nozzles are arranged radially outside of the mouth of the tundish tube.