Buhler recently launched the Granulex 5 Series hammer mill, enabling a leap forward in production throughput rates, energy efficiency, an optimal granulation profile, and easier maintenance and operations across a range of industries. A webinar was hosted for the media briefing of the mill by Dean Ekkaia, product management director of value nutrition at Bühler.
In today’s challenging energy environment, doing more with less has become a pressing requirement for everyone – including all feed and food producers. In their plants, grinding is one of the most energy-consuming process steps and so hammer mill customers are seeking solutions that enable them to get more output with less energy. According to Ekkaia, “Greater energy efficiency is one of the prime benefits of the Granulex 5 series.”
The application
He adds, “The Granulex 5 Series is primarily used for demanding requirements in stringent industries. Grinding of raw materials from very coarse to fine grinding for animal feed, pet food, flour milling, brewing, and general pre-grinding. The feeder is mounted on top of the hammer mill to obtain continuous and even feeding of the raw material into the grinding chamber. The integrated separator and magnet removes impurities such as stones and metal parts. The mill offers excellent access for screen and hammer exchanges through two large sliding doors. For safety reasons, the doors are interlocked with the rotor, the mill cannot be started as long as the doors are opened. Features such as large sliding doors, simple rapid screen clamping system, and a smart hammer change process reduce maintenance efforts and downtime to an absolute minimum.”
Design
“The optimized design of the grinding chamber of the Granulex 5 Series hammer mills results in highly energy-efficient grinding. The newly aligned regrinding chambers ensure that the product is optimally returned to the hammers. A big plus for an optimal granulation curve. Unwanted fines are significantly reduced, and only the energy required for the desired grinding stage is fed into the process. Waste is a thing of the past. All Granulex 5 Series hammer mills have the same sieves installed. Accordingly, operators only need to manage one item. Removal and reinstallation of sieves are carried out via a specially designed quick-release device,” Ekkaia said.
