3. Before understanding what is a granulator machine, we shall understand the few basic
terminology used. This understanding would help you have complete knowledge of this
machine and how effectively can this be used and how it has been designed.
1. Granule/Grain: The smallest possible thing of any substance is called as a grain or a
granule.
2. Granulation: The process of forming grains of substance is called granulation. This
may involve a chemical or mechanical process
3. Granulator: Mechanical equipment which helps in forming grains of a substance is
called granulator. This machine is made out of heavy metals like iron and treated
chemically so that the material of the machine does not react with the substance.
With the above basic knowledge of terms, we should be able to make
out when we read anything about a Granulator Machine.
4. A granulator machine is often confused with a
shredder or a crusher that also turns things into
small pieces. But it should be understood that there
is a clear demarcation between the shredders and
granulators. The difference in the output of each of
the machines makes them unique for each of its
purposes. The size of the output a shredder is often
a compressed or demolished version of the actual
substance whereas the output of a granulator is
granules of the actual input material. The output
size of this is approximately 0.5mm hence there is a
great difference between the machines. To
understand more about shredders and their actual
purpose please read in detail about the same.
5. The granulator machine plays an important role in the recycling industry. The output granules are
further processed using a chemical substance. The resultant product is further processed to make a
new product and is sold in the commercial market.
Hence this machine is important in two ways, one to maintain the ecological balance of nature and
use the resources effectively. The second is the business and the profits that this industry
generates. Either of the ways this helps us to grow economically and ecologically.
For any mechanical equipment, the efficient and accurate design of it defines the quality of the
output of the same. The design of the machine should be able to produce high-quality output
with least wastage and greater efficiency. As the mechanics can be improved time and again, there
have been different kinds of designs for the granulator. The design also changes for the type of
the substance that is used as an input.
The most common design of the granulators uses the rotor knife mill. This can take the larger
components and can turn them into granules. The high speed of the rotor and the sharp edges of
the knife helps to turn the input to grains. There are also granulators that use hydraulics for higher
efficiency.
6. The process of granulation is highly used in chemical and pharmaceutical industry as these are the two industries
that create products based on the mixtures of different inputs at a minute level. The grains are mixed in proper
proportions to make them effective for the purpose. The characteristics of the end product can be changed by
changing the composition of the mix. This change in mixtures can result in the most desired product.
In the process of wet granulation, the powdered input is mixed with a granulation liquid which is
generally an adhesive. This makes the powder turn to granules. The adhesive can of different types
like a solution, a semi-solid or slurry. Each of the types has different characteristics and
capabilities of turning powdered substance to granules. Once a proper adhesive mix is made, both
the inputs are given as an input to granulators which continuously mix them chemicals and
produce granules. The important that plays a key role is the quantity of water mixed.
There are two of Granulation Processes.
The dry granulation is performed for the materials that hydrophobic. Some materials do not have
the characteristic to withstand heat and moisture and hence in this case we go for dry granulation
process. In this process first, the primary input is compressed under high pressure then put into a
tablet or squeezed between high power rotors to for grains of the input product.
Wet Granulation
Dry Granulation
7. The granulators are classified on the type of granulation process involve
and the second classification is based on the input product. There is
another classification of these machines. The third type of classification
is based on the mechanical design of the granulator. The ball type
granulator and the double shaft paddle mixer-granulator are the
examples for the mechanical design classification. The plastic
granulator, the copper granulator and the fertilizer granulator are the
examples of the input type classification of the granulators. With the
above knowledge, you should be able to choose the best granulators for
your purpose.