Bead mills grind the active ingredient in agrochemical suspension concentrates (SC) and similar formulations to a fine, narrow particle size, which keeps the suspension stable in storage and helps the product perform in the field. The main concerns are reaching the target size consistently, controlling heat for temperature-sensitive actives, and high throughput. INFOR supplies horizontal pin-rod, disc and vertical bead mills with dispersion tanks for these lines.
What the process needs
| Requirement | Why it matters | How the bead mill meets it |
|---|---|---|
| Fine, narrow particle size | Suspension stability and field performance | Multi-pass or circulation grinding |
| Storage stability | Coarse particles settle or grow | Narrow distribution with little coarse tail |
| Temperature control | Some actives are heat-sensitive | Chamber cooling and suitable rotor |
| High throughput | Large seasonal volumes | High-flow horizontal mills |
| Cleaning between products | Cross-contamination between actives | Easy-to-clean chamber and flushing |
Suspension concentrates
An SC suspends a solid active ingredient in water with dispersants and thickeners. Wet bead milling reduces the active to a fine particle size; afterwards thickener is added to keep it suspended.
Process steps
Premixing active, water and additives in a dispersion tank, grinding in one or more bead mills, often in series or circulation, then adding thickener, checking particle size and filling.
Other formulations
Suspo-emulsions, flowable seed treatments and fertiliser suspensions use similar wet grinding steps.
Recommended INFOR equipment
| Stage or need | INFOR equipment | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Premix | Dispersion tank | Complete wetting before grinding |
| High-throughput grinding | NCP pin-rod bead mill | Large flow, 6-1000 L chambers |
| Versatile grinding | Disc bead mill | Water-based systems, easy maintenance |
| Heat-sensitive actives | Disc-pin bead mill | Efficient grinding at low temperature |
| Cooling | Chiller | Keeps chamber temperature in range |
Related: what determines bead mill throughput and bead mill rotor types compared. INFOR runs free material tests at its Dongguan and Hubei test bases; send your material, target fineness and output through the contact page.