Pellet

Name:
Pellet
Detailed information:
A small unit of a light, bulky material compressed into any of several shapes and sizes, usually either spherical or rectangular. The operation is performed on a pellet mill, which consists essentially of a pair of steel rollers around which rotates a circular perforated metal die. Material is fed into the chambers above and below the inner face of the die. As the die turns, in contact with the rollers, the latter also turns thus compressing the material and forcing it through the holes in the die at the point of tangency, where the extruded segment is sheared off by knives. Pelletizing is advantageous for fluffy particulates that are difficult to handle in loose form, e.g., carbon black, clays, plastic molding powders, etc. Binding materials called excipients are often used.