In modern industrial production, solid-liquid separation is a key process that cannot be ignored. It is widely used in many industries such as municipal sewage treatment, chemical industry, food, pharmaceutical industry, petroleum, papermaking, etc. With the continuous improvement of environmental protection requirements and the enhancement of resource recycling awareness, separation equipment is also constantly upgrading. Decanter Centrifuge, as an efficient, continuous and highly automated solid-liquid separation equipment, is becoming a “separation tool” for many industrial enterprises with its powerful technical advantages.
Decanter Centrifuge Structure
Decanter Centrifuge is a horizontal, continuous feeding and continuous discharging sedimentation centrifuge. Its main structure includes the following parts:
Drum
The core component of the horizontal screw centrifuge is a high-speed rotating cylindrical or conical container. The material is subjected to strong centrifugal force in the drum to achieve solid-liquid separation.
Screw Conveyor
Installed inside the drum, coaxially rotating in opposite directions or in the same direction at differential speeds. Its function is to continuously push the solid phase material settled on the inner wall of the drum to the slag outlet to achieve continuous slag discharge.
Differential
It is used to adjust the relative speed between the drum and the screw, and is a key device for controlling the slag conveying speed and dryness.
Feed System
Usually a hollow shaft structure, the material to be separated is fed into the drum through the internal channel.
Discharge system (Liquid and Solid Discharge Ports)
Generally includes two outlets: one for the discharge of clarified liquid and one for the discharge of concentrated solid.
Electronic control and drive system
Includes main motor, auxiliary motor, control cabinet, inverter, etc., used to adjust the operating parameters of the equipment and realize intelligent management.
Physical mechanism of centrifugal separation
1. High-speed rotation produces strong centrifugal force
The core working principle of the horizontal screw centrifuge is “sedimentation centrifugal separation”. When the mixed material enters the drum from the feed port, the drum rotates at a high speed of thousands of revolutions per minute, forming a stable and strong centrifugal field inside it.
This centrifugal force can reach thousands of times the acceleration of the earth’s gravity, causing the solid particles with higher density to quickly settle to the inner wall of the drum, while the liquid with lower density gathers in the inner layer, thus achieving physical separation.
2. Screw conveying achieves continuous discharge of solids
The settled solid matter will gradually accumulate on the inner wall of the drum. If it is not cleaned in time, it will affect the normal operation of the equipment. At this time, the screw conveyor rotates slowly with a certain differential speed with the drum, pushing the deposited solids along the direction of the drum cone to the slag outlet, achieving continuous slag discharge.
3. The clarified liquid is discharged from the other end
The clarified liquid separated from the solid phase is discharged from the liquid outlet at the other end after adjusting the baffle to control the liquid level. In this way, efficient and continuous separation of solid and liquid phases can be achieved.
Key parameters affect separation effect
The separation effect of the horizontal screw centrifuge is not only related to the design of the equipment itself, but also closely related to various parameters during operation:
1. Drum speed
The higher the speed, the greater the centrifugal force and the higher the separation efficiency. However, too high a speed will increase energy consumption and increase equipment wear. Therefore, a reasonable speed should be set according to the properties of the material.
2. Differential speed control
The differential speed determines the propulsion speed of the screw conveyor, which in turn affects the slag discharge speed and dryness. Generally speaking, the smaller the differential speed, the longer the material stays in the drum, and the better the solid phase dehydration effect.
3. Feed concentration and flow rate
Excessive feed flow or high material concentration may lead to incomplete separation, or even blockage or overflow problems. The appropriate feed rate should be set according to the properties of the material.
4. Liquid level depth
By adjusting the height of the liquid baffle or liquid weir, the depth of the liquid phase layer can be controlled, affecting the clarification effect and equipment load.
Technical advantages that can adapt to various working condition
The reason why the horizontal screw centrifuge can be widely used in many industries is inseparable from its many technical advantages:
1. Continuous operation and automatic control
The horizontal screw centrifuge can achieve 24-hour continuous operation and is equipped with a PLC control system, with one-button start and stop, parameter adjustment, remote monitoring and other functions.
2. Adapt to high-solid content materials
Traditional centrifugal equipment has low requirements for feed solid content, while the horizontal screw centrifuge can handle high-concentration materials with a solid content of 10~40%, and has a wider range of adaptability.
3. Good sealing and environmental protection performance
The closed structure of the equipment can prevent odor leakage and the spread of harmful substances, which meets the requirements of modern environmental protection production.
4. A variety of materials and anti-corrosion solutions are available
According to the corrosiveness and wear degree of different materials, the equipment can choose stainless steel, Hastelloy, titanium alloy and other materials to extend the service life.
The core charm of the decanter centrifuge lies in the scientific power behind it – the powerful centrifugal field formed by high-speed rotation elevates the traditional gravity sedimentation to a new level, achieving efficient, stable and continuous solid-liquid separation.
In the current era of energy saving, intelligent manufacturing and green development, the decanter centrifuge is not only a piece of equipment, but also an advanced industrial concept. In the future, with the integration of more intelligent technologies and process innovation, the decanter centrifuge will play a greater role in more industries around the world, helping industrial production enter a new era of greater efficiency, cleanliness and intelligence.
