Industrial Centrifuge
Industrial centrifuges are used primarily to separate, purify, extract and wash various materials and solutions in industrial settings. Centrifuges are used in many different industrial applications. Industrial centrifuges are commonly used in manufacturing as well as at water treatment plants and power plants.
Quick links to Industrial Centrifuge Information
Application of Industrial Centrifuges
Industrial centrifuges are used to separate, purify, extract and wash various materials and solutions in industrial settings. For example, a wastewater treatment plant uses centrifuges to clean and purify waste water by separating liquids from suspended solids. Another example of industrial centrifuge use is in a power plant where they are used to purify fuel and lubricants and clean metal parts.
Industrial centrifuges can also be used in dairy plants in order to churn butter, pasteurize milk and separate the whey when making cheese. It is also used to thicken municipal or industrial sludge in a decanter industrial process.
Types of Industrial Centrifuges
A centrifuge basket is one example of a specific industrial centrifuge and is also the most common design. A centrifuge basket spins at high velocity to create centrifugal force, a force that can be twenty thousand times more powerful than gravity. The centrifugal force separates materials based on their density, meaning the denser, heavier materials or particles drift toward the bottom and the less dense, lighter materials or particles drift toward the top.
Continuous centrifuges are also popular for industrial uses and are often used in wastewater treatment plants. Continuous centrifuges spin constantly, or appear to do so, through a series of closely connected cycles. If one of the cycles is off, it will most likely throw the entire system off causing an imbalance.
Design of Industrial Centrifuges
A centrifuge’s balance is incredibly important because even the slightest imbalance can place stress on the centrifuge and cause machine failure or personal injury for the user. Centrifuges can be made of metal, metal alloy or plastic and are available in a variety of designs. They are usually powered by an electric motor that begins the whole spinning process. The principle of one size fits all does not apply to centrifuges as they can be used for hundreds of applications and most often need to be customized to each application. Centrifuges are not mass produced like other electronic equipment. Because of this, the cost associated with buying a new centrifuge is often higher.