CHEMICALS

Process technologies for tomorrow.

CROP PROTECTION AGENTS

The Hosokawa Group offers a number of processing solutions tailored for the production of crop protection agents – including biopesticides, in a range of fine particle sizes and dispersible granule forms. Typical applications include herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides.

Our equipment encompasses essential mechanical process operations such as drying, size reduction, separation, air classification, mixing, agglomeration / extrusion, conveying, product collection, and feeding. With our diverse product range, we can design flexible process systems capable of meeting the rigorous requirements of high-volume production, consistent particle size, and dispersibility for crop protection agents.

Given the toxic and potentially explosive nature of many crop protection agents, they come hand in hand with strict storage and labelling requirements, emergency clean-up procedures, safety equipment and handling procedures as well as directives for use and disposal. The same applies for their production.

To address these challenges, we have ensured that all our processing equipment for crop protection agent production focuses on crucial factors, including rapid and uniform dispersion in water, stable suspension, production of dust-free and free-flowing granules, storage stability, and densification.

TYPICAL EQUIPMENT FEATURES

At Hosokawa, we ensure that our processing equipment meet all regulations regarding handling, storage and operator and environmental safety. Typical equipment features for crop protection agents include:

  • Explosion-proof systems according to ATEX directives
  • Optimum process control and automation
  • State of the art containment solutions to protect operators
  • Easy cleaning up to full CIP solutions
  • Energy efficient processing
  • Wear-protected design for abrasive materials
  • Special design features for sticky products

PROCESSING SOLUTIONS FOR CROP PROTECTION AGENTS

Flexomix mixer/agglomerator Flexomix mixer/agglomerator

The result is high-quality solutions that are ideally suited to the production of pesticides:

  • Drying raw materials:
    » Thermo sensitive materials > Nauta vacuum drying technology
    » Non-thermo sensitive materials > Drymeister flash drying technology
  • Formulation:
    » Buffering / feeding before micronising > Nauta mixing technology
    » Batch mixing active ingredient with filler, etc. > Nauta mixing technology
    » Homogenising after milling / micronising > Nauta mixing technology
  • Formation of Water Dispersible Granules:
    » In agglomerate form > Flexomix continuous agglomeration technology
    » In extrudate form > Flexomix / Bextruder extrusion technology

Water Dispersible Granules (WDG)

The concept of a water dispersible granule (WDG) combines the advantages of fine powder forms with those of the liquid form. To produce high-quality WDG pesticides, Hosokawa Micron offers an ideal solution that integrates a Flexomix, a Bextruder with a fluid bed dryer, and a sieving machine. This setup enables the production of WDG pesticides with a high bulk density and uniform particle size diameter of 0.7 mm for the granulate. The process is supported by fully automated controls to ensure safe and reliable operation.

MILLING & CLASSIFYING

AFG fluidized bed opposed jet mill AFG fluidized bed opposed jet mill

Achieving the optimal surface area and particle size distribution often necessitates size reduction or micronization of the powder. The specific application, whether it's a spraying or dusting agent, wettable powder (WP), or water dispersible granules (WDG), determines the desired end fineness, top size, and particle size distribution.

Fine dust, free from coarse grits that may clog the spraying device, is essential for spraying agents. Jet milling is commonly employed for processing water dispersible granules, micronizing the mixture of active ingredient, carrier substance, and auxiliary agents to achieve end finenesses below 10 μm. Jet mills are also utilized for micronizing pure active ingredients. Conversely, wettable powders typically require larger particle sizes in the range of 40-75 μm, with minimal dust content. In such cases, an air classifier mill is often the most suitable equipment for the application.

Hosokawa Alpine offers comprehensive solutions for milling and micronizing crop protection agents. UPZ fine impact mills and AFG fluidized bed opposed jet mills, for example, are commonly employed for this purpose. The AFG mill, in particular, allows the milling of complex pesticide formulations with active ingredient contents of up to 80% without any issues.

BIOPESTICIDES

Nauta vacuum dryer Nauta vacuum dryer

Hosokawa Micron's process technologies are deployed successfully in many manufacturing processes for powdery crop-protecting agents. Recent research has shown that their vacuum drying and mixing technologies are also suitable for the manufacture of biopesticides.

The market for biopesticides is growing rapidly. To gather more knowledge about biopesticide products and the production processes involved, Hosokawa Micron asked a group of chemical/process engineering students from the University of Applied Sciences in Utrecht, the Netherlands to conduct research into the subject.

The study concluded that Hosokawa Micron's process technologies can be deployed in many processes for the manufacture of biopesticides, with the low-temperature (vacuum) drying and mixing technologies being particularly suitable.

TESTING & PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

To help producers when developing new (bio)pesticide products or production processes, Hosokawa Micron offers extensive test and development facilities. It offers unique possibilities for testing your product to determine the most efficient process, system or plant prior to final design.

Trials can range from laboratory-level to production-scale testing (from 1 up to 6000 litres). A team of skilled and experienced process engineers are available to help determine the most efficient process, system or plant prior to final design.

We offer process equipment and technologies from individual units to large scale bespoke system solutions. Our principle is to deliver high performance yet affordable solutions that meet our customers' demands and long term challenges.

Let our expert help you

Talk to our seasoned experts and let them help you craft the perfect solution for your powder and bulk solids processing needs, ensuring optimal efficiency and peak performance.

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SUSTAINABLE PROCESSING SYSTEMS

Hosokawa Micron B.V. is certified according to ISO 14001. Our certification covers all environmental themes of ISO 14001: air, soil, energy, waste, water, noise and hazardous substances. In addition, Hosawa Micron was awarded an EcoVadis Silver Medal for its sustainability achievements. EcoVadis determined that the company was among the top 15% of companies rated by EcoVadis in the special machinery industry.

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