The success story of the Rotoform^® granulation

1 Rotoform 4G

2 Für sehr hohe Leistungen, wie sie z.B. in der Düngemittelproduktion entwickelte Sandvik den Rotoform HS (=High Speed) # Sandvik developed the Rotoform HS (=High Speed) for very high outputs, as they are required, for example, in the fertilizer production

Sandvik Process Systems, the inventor of the Rotoform^® process (1985), will present the versatility and efficiency of this system in the oil, gas, fertilizer, chemical and food industries at this year’s POWTECH.

With granulation plants for so different applications like supercooling melts, thixotropic, abrasive and corrosive products, Sandvik offer the largest field of application. Two examples of this large range – the Rotoform 4G and the Rotoform HS (High Speed) – are the main areas at the POWTECH and will be shown operating as a model of a steel belt cooler.

The steel belt cooler has been designed as integrated system with all components of a complete process, from the Rotoform feed via the automatic belt control up to the feed of the release agent, the exhaust air system and the discharge device. The core of any plant is a steel belt from Sandvik. The “Rotoform family” comprises 9 different types and has been developed for very specific tasks. However, they always operate according to the same basic principle. In the meantime, more than 2000 Rotoform plants are operating worldwide and make this system to one of the most widespread solutions for granulation tasks.

At the heart of every system is a special drop depositor – the Rotoform itself – which feeds droplets of the molten product onto a continuously running steel belt. This is usually cooled by water from the underside. Due to the cooling the drops solidify quickly and are discharged at the end of the steel belt as solid, dry, free-running and dust-free pastilles, which are ideal for handling, storage and further processing. The process is very environmentally friendly due to the indirect cooling, since there is no contact between the cooling medium and the product. Consequently, contaminations are impossible. The cooling time is very short due to the thermal conductivity of the steel belt. Thus, only small amounts of vapour or flue gases may get into the atmosphere. On the other hand, only little oxygen may penetrate into the product.

With this very flexible high-tech process, melts of up to a feed temperature of 320 °C and up to a viscosity of 50 000 mPas can be processed. Depending on the product, pastilles in the range of 1 to 30 mm can be produced.

Rotoform 4G is the standard design and can be used for many purposes, e.g. for the production of pastilles of so different products like hot-melt adhesives, resins, sulphur and waxes. Sandvik developed the Rotoform HS (= High Speed) for very high outputs, as they are required, for example, in the fertilizer production.

Sandvik has the know-how and the organisation to supply complete plants including the loading, unloading and storing plants and the corresponding service. Complete solutions are the strength of Sandvik – starting with project studies via basic engineering up to the design, delivery, erection and commissioning of turnkey plants.

Sandvik runs various test centres where all types of Rotoform can be tested and presented with products from the customers. Furthermore, they have some mobile plants for tests and pilot production in plants and laboratories of the customers.

Hall 4A, Stand 107

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