ROSEMONT, ILL. — Orenda Automation Technologies Inc. unveiled its new pulverizer technology at Rotoplas — using air cooling instead of water for the first time, officials said.

Orenda calls the patented design Airforce.

Airforce is much more efficient than water-cooled pulverizers, Orenda officials said. They say the air-cooled mill can double the production rates, while using 50 percent less energy than traditional water-cooled systems.

The Airforce also allows a wide range of materials to be pulverized, according to Mario Sisca, international sales manager of Orenda, based in Markham, Ontario. That includes materials with complex thermal properties, such as low melting points. That’s a big selling point for a rotomolding industry that is seeking new materials and applications, he said.

It also eliminates the need for infrastructure such as chillers, water towers, pipes and pumps.

Water cooling carries risks, since it can leak or lead to condensation on the surface of the mill, said Nicholas Tsouras, project engineer on the Airforce.

And a forgetful operator can start up the mill but forget to turn the water on, creating a huge mess.

Airforce uses a disc with teeth on both the top and bottom, mounted on a carrying plate. An air intake section fits together with the teeth on the bottom, acting like a fan to suck in air as the disc spins. The air is what cools the mill.

When it’s time to change the disc, you merely turn it over and get a brand new disc with sharp teeth.

“The beauty of it is, it’s really simple but it’s effective,” Tsouras said.