High speed homogenizers for Chemical Rubber Solutions

Rubber solutions are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, sealants, paints, carpet backing compounds, tire compounds, etc. In addition to natural rubber, synthetic rubbers such as Neoprene and butadiene are also used for these applications.

The Process 

The manufacturing process, product viscosity and ingredients used vary according to the end use of the rubber solution, however, a typical batch would traditionally be prepared as follows:

• The process vessel is charged with the solvent. Many types of solvent are used, including acetone, toluene, MEK, hexane, etc. 
• Rubber can be supplied in either powder, crumb or block form. Blocks and large crumbs normally require chopping or granulating before they can be added to the solvent.
• The mixer is then started. Mixing continues for several hours until the rubber is fully solubilized.
• Finally, other ingredients such as pigments, fillers, stabilizers and lubricants are added and dispersed into the mix. 

The Problem 

Several problems can be encountered when using conventional agitators to solubilize the rubber:

• Long mixing times are required to complete solubilization.
• Chopping or grinding of rubber adds to operating costs and process time.
• Pre-crumbed/powdered rubber is expensive as the cost of crumbing is passed on to the user.
• Solvent loss must be minimized. 
• Synthetic rubbers such as Neoprene are extremely tough and require a certain degree of shear to disintegrate and solubilize them.
• The solids must be prevented from sinking to the base of the vessel, as they will rapidly form a large agglomerated mass. This is virtually impossible to re-incorporate into the mix and extremely difficult to remove when cleaning the vessel.

The solution 

Bonve offers its High speed homogenizers for Chemical Rubber Solutions. It is an efficient type machine with mixing, dispersion, breaking, dissolution, refinery, homogenization and emulsifying. An ideal machine to be instead of colloid mill, ball mill and high pressure homogenizer. The machine can greatly simplify the traditional productions and upgrade the production efficiency and product quality. 

WORKING PRINCIPLE

High speed homogenizers main parts are stators and rotors. At centrifugal and fluid forces created by rapid turning of the rotors, the stators exercise on the materials with strong power shearing, centrifugal pressing, breaking, fluid friction, turbulent. The processed materials (solid, fluid and gas phase) are quickly refined, homogenized, dis-aggregated and emulsified. The repeat of this process can result in stable and high-quality products. 

TECHNICAL PARAMETERS FOR REFERENCE

Above datas are for BONVE single stage High speed homogenizers, for a greater shearing and dispersing, three-stage High speed homogenizers can short processing time. Below are the technical parameters.

WORKING PROCESSING DIAGRAM

① High speed homogenizer working with power liquid homogenizing mixer

② Bottom type high shear mixer working with FHM1 High speed homogenizer 

③ Low speed agitator working with FHM3 High speed homogenizer

④ Multi-pipe FHM3 High speed homogenizer continuous production process