The actual output of an aluminum hydroxide (ATH) closed‑circuit grinding‑classification line depends heavily on target fineness, product grade, raw‑material condition, and full‑process configuration (flash drying, deagglomeration, surface modification unit). Finer cable‑grade ATH delivers lower hourly output; coarser artificial‑stone‑grade ATH achieves much higher throughput. All capacity data below refers to finished powder output under stable continuous operation.
Typical Capacity Range by Application & Fineness
1. Laboratory / Pilot‑scale ATH Line
- Hourly output: 50 kg/h – 300 kg/h
- Target product: D97 2‑10 μm
- Use case: formula development, small‑batch trial production for new grades, lab testing.
- Usually compact closed‑circuit mill‑classifier unit, without full‑size flash drying and large modification station.
2. Medium‑size Industrial Line (Most common commercial ATH plant)
LSZH cable‑grade ATH (D97 2‑8 μm, narrow PSD, low‑iron, ≤0.25 % free moisture)
- Typical capacity: 1.0 t/h ~ 4.0 t/h per single closed‑circuit loop
Note: Finer D97 2‑3 μm cable‑grade will drop to 0.8‑2 t/h due to higher grinding difficulty.
General‑purpose ATH for plastics, rubber (D97 8‑15 μm)
- Typical capacity: 3 t/h ~ 7 t/h
Artificial‑stone / solid‑surface ATH (coarser PSD D97 10‑25 μm)
- Typical capacity: 5 t/h ~ 10 t/h per line
3. Large‑scale Mass‑production ATH Plant
- Multiple parallel closed‑circuit grinding‑classification loops deployed in one workshop.
- Total plant finished powder output: 10 t/h ~ 25 t/h.
- Annual output can reach 80 000 ~ 180 000 tons under 8000 operating hours per year.
Jet mill for ultra‑fine ATH: much lower capacity, normally 50‑300 kg/h, mainly for special high‑end small‑batch grades, not for bulk industrial filler production.
Key Factors That Reduce Actual Production Capacity
- Target particle size: Finer D97 directly cuts throughput. For example, switching from D97 8 μm to D97 3 μm can reduce output by 50 % or more on the same equipment.
- Filter‑cake feed condition: High and fluctuating filter‑cake moisture increases load on flash drying‑deagglomeration section and limits overall line feed rate.
- Strict quality requirements: Cable‑grade ATH requires sharp top‑cut, low iron contamination, narrow PSD, and low free moisture; these technical constraints sacrifice certain throughput compared with general‑grade ATH.
- Surface modification integration: If dry surface‑modification station runs inline after classification, extra residence time will slightly lower overall line capacity.
- Temperature constraints: ATH line must keep material temperature below 110 °C to preserve crystal water; cooling‑system limits prevent pushing equipment to maximum theoretical mineral‑grinding throughput.
Important Distinction: Theoretical vs Real‑world Capacity
- Mill vendor catalog data is often based on calcium‑carbonate reference material. Do not directly apply these figures to ATH. ATH is softer but heat‑sensitive and easy to agglomerate, so real ATH output is 30‑60 % lower than carbonate reference capacity on identical equipment frame.
- Annual capacity calculation = hourly finished output × annual effective operating hours (normally 7000‑8000 h, excluding maintenance and grade‑switch downtime).
For mainstream industrial ATH projects:
- Cable‑grade ultrafine ATH (D97 2‑8 μm): 1‑4 t/h per single closed‑circuit grinding‑classification line.
- General‑purpose and artificial‑stone ATH: 3‑10 t/h per single line.
- Large factories adopt multiple parallel grinding loops to reach total plant capacity of 10‑25 t/h finished powder.
When selecting equipment, specify target PSD (D50, D97), grade requirement, filter‑cake moisture, and whether inline surface modification is required; these parameters define the real achievable capacity for your ATH production line.
