Innovative ATEX-certified grinding installation
Employees, production equipment, and buildings are valuable assets. By minimizing the required maintenance and maximizing the service life of expensive grinding installations, it’s also possible to ensure that they are much more cost-effective. In order to further minimize explosion risk, Van Aarsen has introduced an innovative feeding device with an integrated heavy parts separator (also known as a “stone catcher”) for its GD hammer mill. The GD hammer mill with feeding device from Van Aarsen is also ATEX-certified.
Innovative feeding device with integrated heavy parts separator
When dust comes into contact with an ignition source, such as sparks, in an oxygen rich environment, there is a risk of explosion, and that is exactly what happens when the grinding process for grains and organic materials is started or stopped in a hammer mill. Van Aarsen develops and manufactures machines for the production of compound feeds and premixes for the animal feed industry. It is also a leader in developing new techniques for minimising explosion risk without compromising the efficiency and quality of the grinding process. As such, Van Aarsen has now introduced an innovative feeding device with an integrated heavy parts separator for metal objects, stones, and other heavy objects. The heavy parts separator detects such objects and removes them to prevent them from being fed into the hammer mill and causing sparks. Van Aarsen has optimised its heavy parts separator by automating the removal of metal objects and stones and by the combination of this removal with the screen exchange process. By ensuring that the automated removal of heavy objects and the exchange of the screens take place at the same time, the downtime of the hammer mill is reduced and its capacity is increased. In order to provide a controlled release of pressure in case of an explosion, van Aarsen has also fitted the bin beneath the hammer mill with a pressure relief valve. This feature ensures that the hammer mill also complies with the specific ATEX standards that apply in Germany for hammer mills.
Maximising the service life of screens and reducing maintenance and downtime
The new feeding device has a compact design and can easily be integrated into the GD hammer mill and the automated screen exchanger. Besides minimising the risk of explosion, Van Aarsen’s new feeding device with integrated heavy parts separator also prevents damage to the screens. This greatly increases the service life of the screens and significantly reduces machine downtime and maintenance. The GD hammer mill from Van Aarsen is ATEX-certified and therefore complies with the strict European guidelines for the prevention of explosions. Van Aarsen also offers a range of other options for further minimising the explosion risk associated with the grinding process, including temperature monitoring and spark detection.
More information
Van Aarsen will be showcasing its new feeding device with integrated heavy parts separator for the GD hammer mill at the EuroTier in Hannover, Germany on stand 21J13, or visit the company\'s website.
