Downstream processing-Industrial Centrifugation Process

1. Industrial Centrifuge
Dr Sumitha J
Assistant Professor,JBAS College for Women

2. Industrial Centrifuge
An industrial centrifuge is a machine that separates or purifies
materials on large scale by using centrifugal force. Centrifuges
function by spinning a sample at high speeds and separating the
components of the sample based on density, size, or shape.
Industrial centrifuges can be utilized for a variety of purposes,
including the separation of liquids and solids, the purification of
chemicals, and the separation of mixtures based on their qualities.

3. Principle of Centrifugation
The industrial centrifuge spins quickly, with many revolutions per
minute (rpm). This rotation generates an inner centripetal force and
an outward relative centrifugal force. This relative centrifugal force
is several hundred times more than the gravitational pull we
experience on Earth. A heterogeneous mixture of solid in liquid will
separate due to gravity and result in a sediment at the bottom of the
container if given enough time. The same process is at action
inside the industrial centrifuge, but because of the immense
centrifugal force, the separation occurs in minutes.

4. Types
Industrial centrifuges are classified into three
types:
decanter centrifuges,
filter centrifuges, and
sedimentation centrifuges

5. Decanter centrifuges, also known as
decanters or horizontal decanter centrifuges,
are a type of industrial centrifuge that is
widely used in many industries for the
continuous separation of solids from liquids
or the simultaneous separation of two
immiscible liquids of different densities.
They are well-known for their ability to handle
huge volumes of material while also
providing efficient solid-liquid separation.
Continuous-feed separators extract
particulates from liquids. Typically used in the
food business to separate olive oil from olive
paste or in the oil sector to purify crude oil.

6. Filtration Centrifuges
A filtration centrifuge works by rotating a
basket with small openings that allow liquid
to pass through while retaining particulates.
Filtering centrifuges come in a variety of
configurations, including:
● Perforate Basket Centrifuge
● Peeler Centrifuge
● Pusher Centrifugal Centrifuge

7. Sedimentation Centrifuges
The sedimentation centrifuge, unlike the filtration
centrifuge, has a closed bowl. The solids accumulate
around the bowl’s wall due to centrifugal force, while the
liquid separates from the solid. The liquid leaves through
an output passage once the liquid and solids have been
separated. Sedimentation centrifuges come in a variety
of configurations, including:
● Disgorgement Centrifugation
● Solid-bowl Basket Centrifuge
● Disk-stack Centrifuge
● Tubular Bowl Centrifuge

8. Applications
● Fuel and biofuel industry, which consists of synthetic fuels, biodiesel, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol,
dehydration of algal biomass, fuel and lubricant oil purification, and so on.
● Water treatment includes the separation of municipal, agricultural, DAF (dissolved air flotation),
trap grease, drilling mud, and environmental wastewater sludge.
● Chemical processing that produces raw materials such as acids, salts, oil refining byproducts,
polymers, oil-water solids, and so on.
● Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that manufacture, among other things,
medications, vaccines, medicines, penicillin, mycelia, E. coli bacteria, algae, and enzymatic
waste.
● Coal, tar sands, copper, precious metals, calcium carbonate, kaolin clay, and a variety of other
minerals are mined and processed.
● Refining of vegetable oils, dairy (milk, cheese, etc.); rendering of chicken, swine and cattle;
separation of yellow, white and brown grease; extraction of fruit and vegetable juice; clarifying of
beer, wine and spirits, etc.

9. Advantages
● Industrial centrifuges are extremely effective at separating material of
varying densities and can reach great degrees of purity in the
separated products.
● Centrifuges can separate enormous amounts of material in a short
period of time, giving them a quick and effective technique to separate
substances.
● Industrial centrifuges have economical operational expenses since
they do not utilize chemicals or other costly separation processes.
● Centrifuges can separate a variety of substances, including liquids,
solids, and gases, making them a useful tool in a variety of industries.

10. Disadvantages
● Industrial centrifuges can be costly to purchase and install, requiring a considerable initial
investment.
● Centrifugation is essentially based on increasing gravitational forces. While this is
frequently sufficient for many common applications, some more complex applications
may require additional purification. Magnetic Separation is an excellent purification
enhancer, where filtering primarily by mass can be supplemented with filtration by charge
density. There are several circumstances in which leaving specific analyte of interest after
purification would benefit quick separation.
● Centrifuges have a limited capacity and may not be appropriate for separating huge
amounts of material.
● Centrifuges are susceptible to contamination and may require thorough cleaning and
maintenance to function properly.
● Industrial centrifuges are complicated mechanical machines that are susceptible to
mechanical failure or breakdown.