Milling Mentor: Heat -- an enemy to effective milling
Milling operations generate heat. Whether you’re using an airjet mill, roller mill, or hammermill, the mill is going to generate heat. This column discusses heat’s harmful effects during milling and how to limit heat generation in the mill.
In many cases heat generation causes process problems. Materials can become plastic and cause problems like material buildup on the mill parts, mill screen blinding, or inadequate particle milling. After the milling operation is stopped, the buildup can harden on the mill parts and become nearly impossible to clean off without using water or another liquid to melt the material. Once a liquid is used to clean the mill, crucial operating time is tied up getting the mill dry again for more milling. So, it’s beneficial to keep the mill cool and prevent buildup from occurring.