Cryo-grinding and deflashing
Cryo-grinding, or freeze-grinding, involves cooling a material to low or very low temperatures with a cryogenic fluid – typically liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide – in order to produce particles with a narrow size distribution. Cryogenic technology makes it possible to process soft or heat-sensitive products more efficiently without the risk of degradation. In addition, cryo-grinding can increase productivity and lower power costs. By embrittling the material, fine powder can be obtained easily and with a minimum expenditure of energy. In general, this technique allows greater amounts of substance to be treated, however, overall quantities usually remain relatively small, around several kilograms per hour.