Selection and comparison of equipment for deagglomeration processes

The unique properties of nanoparticles and nanoparticle clusters show high potential for nanomaterials to be formulated into numerous products. In this paper, nanosuspensions are formulated by braking up agglomerates in high-shear flows. The flows are generated in the specific equipment, and this paper serves as a guide for equipment selection based on mechanistic modelling. A general model based on the power input to the system is formulated to model agglomerate disintegration in different types of equipment including stirred tanks, the rotor-stator disintegrators, the high-pressure nozzle systems and bead mills. The results of computations based on the rate of energy dissipation are presented in terms of the specific energy input, which is typical of industrial applications. In the considered deagglomeration devices the stresses are generated due to various mechanisms including the effects of hydrodynamic stresses, cavitation and bead collisions. The model includes the effects of agglomerate structure on the suspension viscosity. The results of the simulations are compared with the experimental data.