Centrifuge Applications
Sharples centrifuges applications
Our shop is equipped to repair & service Sharples centrifuge machines, from dismantling, cleaning, dynamic balancing, repairing or replacing worn components, assembling, inspection & final testing.
Sharples Centrifuges have many applications which involve separation of liquid to liquid & liquid to solid separation.
Listed are some of the uses for the sharples centrifuges
- Printing ink Clarification
- Blood Fractionation
- Wine Clarification
For Human Blood Plasma Fractionation:
The sharples machines are ideally suited for fractionation of Blood Plasma wherein the slightest contamination means the loss of a complete batch. Therefore, the three piece frame comprising the pedestal, barrel and swivel head is painted in white to a pharmaceutical finish. Furthermore, the stainless steel contact parts such as the bowl interior in Stainless Steel or equivalent material, the stainless steel covers and certain stainless steel drag components are polished to high sanitary standards to ensure functionally satisfactory performance. In addition, the barrel is fitted with seamless stainless steel tubing type 316L cooling coils and the pulley assembly is fitted with grease packed bearings to ensure a clean, reliable and effective performance
How The Centrifuge Works
The mixture continuously enters the Super-Centrifuge through an inlet at the base of the machine, into the hollow cylindrical rotor. The rotor turns at 13,200 to 15,000 r.p.m. and generates a centrifugal force in excess of 13,000 to 15,000 times the force of gravity.
This force separates the two liquids according to their specific gravities into concentric cylindrical layers, and the solids are deposited against the rotor wall.
The separated liquids are continuously displaced upwards by the incoming mixture, and discharged through their respective outlet ports at the top of the rotor. The layer of accumulated solids that builds up on the rotor wall is cleaned out when the centrifuge is shut down.
This particular rotor was designed to separate two liquids and to remove suspended solids, simultaneously - and it is known as a 'separator'.
There are, however, many applications where only the removal of suspended solids from a single liquid is required. Super centrifuge for such applications are provided with but one set of discharge ports and are called 'clarifiers'.
Vibration
All centrifuges vibrate. When the machines are newly manufactured, all rotating components are dynamically balanced to bring the operational vibration down to acceptable levels. Every mechanical fits, tolerances and clearances are within specification. All rotating machines have a resonant frequency, with a critical rotational speed and harmonics at higher speed levels up to the maximum allowable rotational speed.
From the time machines are started in operation, they are subjected to conditions which will eventually cause them to vibrate at a higher and higher level until this becomes detrimental to the continuing reliability and operation of the centrifuge. Excessive vibration can be caused by, amongst other things, worn components, damaged bearing fits, worn bearings, ineffective anti-vibration mounts, drive belts incorrectly tensioned, structural defects in components, sympathetic vibration from other out of balance equipment attached to or adjacent to the machine.
Regular monitoring of vibration can show trends, which will allow preventative maintenance procedures to be used to reduce the cost of remediation. Vibration monitoring can be done by using simple hand held meters. It can be done by more sophisticated measurements made by mobile analytical instruments employing accelerometers to identify multiple frequencies and amplitudes of vibration. These measurements can be used to pin point the probable cause of the vibration.