Working principle and function
The horizontal screw centrifuge, also known as the horizontal screw discharge sedimentation centrifuge, works on the principle of using the centrifugal acceleration generated by high-speed rotation to quickly settle the solid particles in the liquid and deposit them on the inner wall of the drum. After the material is pumped into the cavity through the feed pipe, the drum and the screw conveyor rotate at high speed in the same direction at a differential speed, so that the solids are precipitated on the inner wall of the drum, and then discharged through the screw conveyor, and the clarified liquid phase is discharged from the liquid outlet weir at the other end of the drum, thereby realizing the continuous feeding, separation and unloading of the material, and finally achieving the effect of solid-liquid separation.Working principle and function
The operation of a decanter centrifuge is as follows:
Feed introduction: The mixture of fermentation solids and liquid obtained during the fermentation process is introduced into the decanter centrifuge.
Centrifugal separation: After entering, the drum rotates rapidly, generating centrifugal force. This force causes the denser solid particles to migrate outward to the periphery of the drum, while the lighter liquid phase remains near the center.
Screw conveying: As solid particles accumulate along the drum edge, the screw conveyor continuously moves them to the discharge port. This ensures efficient extraction of solids from the liquid phase.
Liquid discharge: At the same time, the clarified liquid phase moves towards the center of the drum and leaves through a separate outlet.
Fine-tuning: The speed differential between the drum and screw conveyor can be adjusted via a gearbox, allowing the operator to optimize separation efficiency based on factors such as particle size, density and desired product quality.
Construction
Decanter centrifuges consist of three main components:
Drum section: This section includes the cylinder and cone and acts as the outer shell for the separated materials. As the drum rotates, centrifugal force helps in the separation of solids and liquids.
Screw conveyor: Located inside the drum. As the drum rotates, the screw conveyor helps in the continuous removal of solids, ensuring efficient separation.
Drive mechanism: The drive mechanism consists of a motor and a gearbox and is responsible for coordinating the rotation of the drum and the screw conveyor. By regulating the differential speed between these components through the gearbox, the operator can fine-tune the separation process to specific requirements, thereby optimizing efficiency and performance.
Application in ethanol production
1. DDGS lees dehydration:
In the process of ethanol production, DDGS lees is one of the main by-products. Through the treatment of the decanter centrifuge, the excess water in the DDGS lees can be effectively removed to obtain dry DDGS products.
The decanter centrifuge improves the use efficiency and economic value of the DDGS whole tank, and is an indispensable key equipment in the DDGS lees dehydration process.
2. Improve production efficiency:
The decanter centrifuge has the characteristics of compact structure, continuous operation, stable operation, strong adaptability, and large production capacity, which can meet the needs of efficient and stable solid-liquid separation in the ethanol production process.
3. Environmental protection and energy saving:
In the solid-liquid separation process, the decanter centrifuge can realize the continuous feeding, separation and unloading of materials, reducing the pollution to the environment. At the same time, due to the high separation efficiency of the decanter centrifuge, it can significantly reduce energy consumption and achieve the goal of energy saving and consumption reduction.