Wet milling

Wet milling with IKA's inline machines is a safe and efficient alternative to dry grinding.

Dry grinding creates a lot of dust which causes the need for proper filtering systems. This can be of particular importance during grinding of substances whose dust, when mixed with aerial oxygen, can result in explosive mixtures. Elaborate technical solutions such as systems for dust removal and inert gas overlay are often necessary to achieve the required level of safety. The cost for these filtration machines often significantly exceeds that of the actual mill.

The wet milling of such substances with rotor-stator machines offers a multitude of advantages:
  • The resulting fine fraction is bonded directly in the suspension, so that a dust formation is avoided from the outset.
  • The substances to be ground remain in the system, unlike dry systems, allowing for a significant reduction of losses. Therefore, wet milling is well-suited for organic chemistry, particularly high-quality substances or for the grinding of poisonous substances.
  • Product feeding and dosing are easier with wet milling than with a dry process.
Wet milling is successfully used for many applications in the pharmaceutical industry because it works well with API (active pharmaceutical ingredients).

IKA dispersing machines can be directly integrated into the substances' synthesis process. This allows for the wet milling process to occur simultaneously with other processes and enables the elimination of subsequent process steps. In addition to saving time, the number of required systems and the size of the surfaces that come in contact with the product can be significantly reduced. Inline machines used for wet milling are perfectly suited for CIP or SIP cleaning. The wet milling machine benefits make them attractive investments.

IKA wet milling machines are based on the rotor-stator principle. Exhibiting a high level of shearing energy input, milling machines can achieve particle sizes of 10 µm and below. IKA wet mill machines are capable of processing products with a broad spectrum of viscosity. Because of these capabilities, IKA machines are used for a multitude of applications such as the wet milling of textile paint, lacquers, paper coating colours, and lubrication grease.

In order to customize the process based on numerous customer demands, IKA offers the following, on a lab as well as a production scale:
  • Wet milling with the three-stage high-shear dispersing machine DISPAX-REACTOR
  • Wet milling with the colloid mill MK
  • Wet milling with the conical mill MKO
Our solutions:

Inline disperser
Process plants
Solid-liquid mixer
Pilot plants