The method of lowering the average diameter of the particles of solid material is micronization. Orthodox micronization methods rely on mechanical means, such as milling and grinding. Current approaches make use of supercritical fluids’ properties and exploit solubility concepts. The term micronization commonly refers to a decrease in the micrometer range of average particle diameters, but may also describe a further reduction in the width of the nanometer. The processing of active chemical ingredients, food ingredients, and pharmaceuticals is widely used. To improve effectiveness, these chemicals need to be micronized.
To minimize particle size, conventional micronization strategies are based on friction. Milling, bashing, and grinding provide certain techniques. A traditional modern mill is made up of a metallic cylindrical drum that typically comprises spheres of steel. The spheres inside collide with the solid particles as the drum rotates, thereby crushing them into smaller diameters. The solid particles are produced in the case of grinding, as the grinding units of the instrument brush against each other while the solid particles are stuck in between.
To minimize particle diameter, procedures such as crushing and cutting are still used, but more rough particles are formed relative to the two previous techniques (and are therefore the early stages of the micronization process). Crushing uses hammer-like devices by way of force to smash the solid into tiny particles. To cut the rough strong parts into smaller ones, cutting utilizes sharp knives.
The feed content is inspired by a foray into the jet mill micronizer chamber. In the highly turbulent region around the chamber rim, compressed gas jets, arranged tangentially around the grinding chamber, speed up the particles, creating outer-particulate effects. The intense velocity of the jets and the energy of the fluid is quickly distributed through the particles. Larger particles are held by centrifugal forces within the outer circulation mass, while fine particles escape the current of steam. An important classifying mechanism is provided by the combination of centrifugal and drag forces acting inside the grinding chamber. Furthermore, an adjustable guard ring at the center of the chamber limits the movement of overweight particles either to an integral cyclone or to a separate collector before substance and gas pass from the chamber.
