HAMMERMILL Meaning and
Definition
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A hammermill refers to a heavy-duty machine used in various industrial processes to pulverize or crush materials into smaller particles or granules. Designed with a robust body and a rotating assembly of hammers or blades, a hammermill operates by forcefully impacting the materials against the rotating hammers. This continuous impact leads to fragmentation and size reduction of the materials.
In most hammermills, the hammers or blades are affixed to a central rotor that rotates at a high speed, typically around 600 to 1,800 revolutions per minute. The materials to be processed are fed into a cylindrical chamber through an inlet, where they come into contact with the rotor and the hammers. As the rotor spins, the hammers strike the materials with considerable force, rapidly reducing their size.
The crushed or pulverized materials then pass through a screen or perforated plate, which ensures that only particles of the desired size are discharged through the screen while larger particles are further reduced inside the chamber. This allows for precise control over the size distribution of the final product.
Hammermills find applications in a wide range of industries, including agriculture, mining, recycling, and food processing. They are commonly used to process various materials such as grains, wood, biomass, plastics, and minerals to produce fine or coarse powders, flakes, or granules. Whether in laboratories, manufacturing plants, or milling facilities, hammermills are an indispensable asset for size reduction and material processing.
Etymology of HAMMERMILL
The word "hammermill" is a compound word formed by combining two separate words: "hammer" and "mill".
1. "Hammer" - This word has its origins in Old English, where it was spelled as "hamor" or "hamer". It can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word *hamarō, meaning "stone-breaking hammer" or "rock-crusher". It is believed to have derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kakmrós, which means "stone".
2. "Mill" - This word also has a long history, originating from the Old English word "mylen" or "mǣlen". It can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word *maliną and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root *melh₂-, meaning "to rub, grind".
