Controlled, close-clearance milling for stable emulsions and uniform dispersions.
The Waukesha Cherry-Burrell Colloid Mill uses a serrated rotating cone and serrated conical stator to produce controlled, highly sheared, uniform dispersions and stable emulsions. It is a strong fit for products such as salad dressings, mayonnaise, liquid egg, tomato-based sauces, lotions, creams, and similar sanitary process applications where texture and uniformity matter.
A milling/emulsifying head that depends on controlled feed.
The milling head is built around two serrated surfaces: a rotating cone and a stationary conical stator. Product is forced through the controlled clearance between those surfaces, creating the shear needed to produce uniform dispersions and stable emulsions of moderate fineness.
Adjust in 0.001-inch increments
A calibrated ring adjusts clearance from 0.010 to 0.240 inches / 0.254 to 6.096 mm, giving operators a repeatable way to tune the milling result.
Stator moves, not the shaft
Clearance adjustment moves the stator while shaft, bearings, and seals remain fixed. The manufacturer notes this supports longer shaft, bearing, and seal life.
Simple inspection and cleaning access
The brochure notes that the stator can be removed without tools and the unit has only seven basic mill parts, helping make inspection and disassembly straightforward.
Where the colloid mill fits.
Use the colloid mill conversation when the process target is a controlled high-shear emulsion or uniform dispersion through a precise rotor/stator clearance.
| Application area | Examples | What Triplex checks |
|---|---|---|
| Food emulsions | Salad dressings, mayonnaise, oil/water systems, and formulated sauces. | Stability target, droplet/globule expectations, viscosity, temperature, and allowable pressure. |
| Sauces and dispersions | Tomato-based sauces and other products requiring uniform dispersion and texture. | Solids, seed/skin behavior, target texture, recirculation/pass count, and cleaning method. |
| Liquid egg | Liquid egg homogenization as listed in the manufacturer brochure. | Use the term carefully; confirm whether a colloid mill or high-pressure homogenizer is the right technical tool. |
| Personal care | Lotions, creams, and similar products needing stable texture and uniformity. | Viscosity, oils/waxes, temperature sensitivity, seal flush, and material compatibility. |
Waukesha Cherry-Burrell Colloid Mill specs.
Values below come from the Waukesha Cherry-Burrell Colloid Mill brochure FH-1717 and instruction manual 95-03028, both 09/2019. Confirm final configuration against current manufacturer documentation.
Rotation is counter-clockwise when facing the outlet port. Seal flush is water-cooled face seal per manual. Do not exceed the 150 PSI feed-pressure limit.
Build the system around controlled feed.
The colloid mill requires a separate feed pump. The Waukesha manual recommends a Waukesha Cherry-Burrell positive displacement pump, which is often the starting point for sanitary viscous products.
Waukesha PD / rotary lobe
A natural first review for controlled sanitary feed to the mill, especially for sauces, dressings, viscous products, and duties where metered positive-displacement flow matters.
Twin screw options
Worth discussing when high viscosity, particulates, entrained air, suction conditions, or product-and-CIP duty make a twin screw platform attractive. Triplex can confirm the best current platform for the duty.
Complete process fit
Feed pump selection affects flow, pressure, residence time, heat input, cleaning, and final texture. It should be reviewed with the mill, not after the fact.
Cleaning, seal flush, and operating cautions.
The mill is service-friendly, but the operating details matter. Flush water must be connected to the marked IN and OUT seal ports and throttled to the manual's specified range. If no solenoid turns flush water on with the mill, turn the flush line on before starting.
Cleaning
The mill may be flushed while operating in some cases, but water can remain in the bottom of the cone-shaped stator. If retained water is unacceptable, dismantle for cleaning.
Pressure and rotation
Keep the mill within the 150 PSI pressure limit. Confirm counter-clockwise rotation when facing the outlet port; incorrect rotation can damage the mill.
Colloid mill or SP4 shear pump?
If you are comparing this mill with the Waukesha Cherry-Burrell SP4 Shear Pump, start with the process result. The SP4 is typically used as an inline shear/mixing device with controlled feed. The colloid mill is the better conversation when the target is close-clearance milling for stable emulsions and uniform dispersions.
Colloid mill documents.
Use these documents for application review, installation, dimensions, clearance adjustment, operating limits, seal flush, troubleshooting, and maintenance planning.
Technical questions, answered directly.
Does the colloid mill need a feed pump?
Yes. The Waukesha Cherry-Burrell manual states that the mill must be fed with a pump and recommends a Waukesha Cherry-Burrell positive displacement pump.
What controls the milling result?
The rotor/stator clearance, feed rate, product viscosity, temperature, pressure, and number of passes all affect the final result. The clearance adjusts from 0.010 to 0.240 inches in 0.001-inch increments.
Can it be cleaned in place?
The brochure notes that the stator can be cleaned in place depending on application. The manual adds that water may remain in the bottom of the cone-shaped stator after flushing, so dismantling may be required when retained water is unacceptable.
Need to confirm the right high-shear setup?
Tell Triplex what you are making, what texture or emulsion result you need, and what pump is feeding the process. We will help compare the colloid mill, SP4 shear pump, homogenizer, and feed pump options.
