HIGH SPEED ORBITING BALL MEDIA PROCESSORS

摘要

According to one embodiment, a ball mill for working generally spherically shaped target particles into a flake-shaped end product is provided. The ball mill includes a milling tube, one or more milling balls disposed within the milling tube, and a vibration source that is positioned and adapted to move the milling tube such that its central axis follows along a substantially circular path. The continuously changing direction of the acceleration of the milling tube results in each of the milling balls following a respective, substantially orbital path about the milling tube's central axis. As the milling balls follow the respective, orbital paths, the milling balls come into contact with and transform the target particles into flakes. In a further embodiment, the ball mill may further include a virtual particle separator configured to route intermediate particles back to an inlet portion of the milling tube for additional processing time.