In modern industrial separation technology, centrifuges, as a high-efficiency separation equipment, have been widely used in many industries such as chemical industry, medicine, food, biological products, environmental protection, etc. Among the many centrifuge products, tubular centrifuges and disc centrifuges are the two major representatives in the field of high-precision liquid-liquid or liquid-solid separation. Although both are high-speed centrifugal equipment, there are significant differences in structure, performance, processing capacity, applicable working conditions, etc. This article will focus on “performance” as the core keyword, and conduct an in-depth comparative analysis of these two types of equipment from multiple dimensions to help users scientifically select and reasonably purchase to achieve maximum separation benefits.
Comparison of technical principles
1. Principle of tubular centrifuge
The core component of tubular centrifuge, also known as high-speed tubular separator, is a slender high-speed rotating cylinder (tubular drum). The separation process is based on the following principles:
The mixed liquid enters the high-speed rotating drum through the bottom feed port;
Due to the high-speed rotation of the drum (usually up to 20,000rpm or even higher), the material is quickly stratified under the strong centrifugal force;
The solid or liquid with high density is thrown to the inner wall of the drum to form a solid phase layer;
The liquid with low density approaches the center, gradually rises, and is discharged from the top overflow port.
The drum of the tubular centrifuge has a small diameter, high speed, and strong centrifugal force, which can achieve high-precision separation at the submicron level.
2. Principle of disc centrifuge
The disc centrifuge uses a short cylindrical drum with multiple conical discs as the core component. Its basic working process is as follows:
The mixed liquid enters the drum through the feed pipe;
The liquid flows between multiple sets of discs and slides along the surface of the discs under the action of centrifugal force;
Substances with different densities are quickly stratified in the disc channels;
The light liquid passes through the light phase outlet, and the heavy liquid or solid is discharged along the heavy phase channel.
The advantage of the disc structure is that the separation area is large. Although the speed is not as fast as that of the tubular centrifuge, the combination of multiple discs can efficiently complete the separation and processing of large flow materials in a short time.
The best choice for different application scenarios
1. Typical application scenarios of tubular centrifuges
Due to their excellent separation accuracy, tubular centrifuges are particularly suitable for the following high-end applications:
Impurity removal and decolorization of Chinese medicine extracts
Protein separation, plasma separation, biological fermentation liquid separation
Precision separation of plant extracts (such as tea polyphenols, anthocyanins, etc.)
Removal of fine impurities from high-purity liquids
Deep clarification of cosmetics and fine chemical solutions
Especially in the field of biomedicine and natural product extraction, tubular centrifuges have become a “weapon” for scientific research and pilot production due to their extremely high centrifugal force and fine separation capabilities.
2. Typical application scenarios of disc centrifuges
Disc centrifuges are more effective in continuous production and large processing volume, such as:
Fat separation and whey clarification in the dairy industry
Edible oil refining, degumming, and dewaxing
Yeast removal in beverage industries such as beer and wine
Phase separation and purification in the production of biodiesel
Oil-water separation and waste liquid purification in the environmental protection field
Large-scale separation and extraction of blood products, enzyme preparations, and microbial fermentation broth
Disc centrifuges can be automatically controlled by PLC to achieve unattended operation, and are suitable for modern industrial systems with a high degree of continuity and automation.
Customer Procurement Suggestions
1. Clear separation goals
First, users need to be clear: whether to remove fine impurities with high precision, or to quickly separate impurities in large quantities or achieve phase separation. If the goal is precision purification, the tubular type is preferred; if flow rate is king, the disc type is more suitable.
2. Consider material characteristics
If the material has low viscosity, extremely low solid content, and very fine particles, choosing a tubular centrifuge can achieve better clarification effects;
If the solid content in the material is high, the particles are large, or if automatic slag discharge is desired, it is recommended to use a disc centrifuge.
3. Budget and maintenance capabilities
The structure of the tubular centrifuge is relatively simple, and the initial investment is low, but because it requires manual cleaning and high maintenance frequency, the long-term labor cost is high;
The initial investment of the disc centrifuge is relatively high, but it is suitable for automatic operation and has a long maintenance cycle, which is more suitable for large-scale enterprise users.
Tubular centrifuges and disc centrifuges each have distinct performance characteristics and market positioning. The former is precise and sensitive, while the latter is efficient and powerful. The two are not substitutes for each other, but complement each other and serve the complex and ever-changing industrial separation needs together. For production companies, only by fully understanding their own material characteristics, process requirements and production capacity goals can they select the model that is truly “suitable for themselves” from the dazzling array of centrifugal equipment and maximize their benefits. As an experienced Chinese centrifuge manufacturer, we are committed to providing customers with personalized customization solutions and full-process technical support to help your separation process go more steadily and further.
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