Mining Magazine > Panorama > New emulsion homogeniser from AEL

Panorama

AEL Mining Services, an international leader in blasting solutions and its sister company, Lake International Technologies (a speciality chemical developer, providing coating agents and emulsifiers to AEL), have jointly developed a new generation Homogeniser for more efficient bulk emulsion explosives.
 
An emulsion explosive comprises oil and an oxidiser (water phase), which are refined to produce a fine blend of droplets in a continuous oil phase. The new Homogeniser ensures the secondary refinement of the emulsion, where large droplets held together by the surfactant (surface activating agent) are elongated and broken to form smaller and more consistent sized droplets, which translate to a more stable, consistent emulsion explosive with a prolonged shelf life.
 
“AEL and Lake, are working together on a number of cutting edge technologies. The Homogeniser is just one which demonstrates our capability of marrying engineering with science, underpinned by our drive towards enhancing quality and safety in the explosives environment,” says Larry Wilson, group technical manager at AEL.
 
The new and more sophisticated Homogeniser is an evolution from the original Y-Design unit that had a single stage refinement, where emulsions were pumped in one side and out the other using a plunger/spring design. The new generation three stage refinement Homogeniser, technology and internal design, patented by Lake, uses a high quality off-the-shelf global valve which is extremely cost effective.
 
This unit is available in two sizes depending on the customer's requirements with a flow rate of production of 220kg/min and 330kg/min respectively.  The new Homogeniser keeps the plant pressure down to below 10bar, which is critical as emulsions perform adversely under high pressures.
 
The Homogeniser is currently undergoing its final evaluation at AEL's Central Bulk Plant in Modderfontein, South Africa and will be rolled out globally to AEL operations in South Africa, Central African regions and select international markets shortly.