1.

1 The Decanter Centrifuge

The solid-bowl scroll-discharge centrifuge w now almost universally known
as the decanter centrifuge
has, indeed, become the workhorse of a wide
range of liquid/solid separation activities. Its application to the dewatering of
waste sludges has made it a most valuable tool in combating environmental
pollution. This has made the decanter a well-known and widely appreciated
piece of equipment.
1.1.1 The basic decanter

Although a complicated piece of machinery, the decanter centrifuge embodies

a simple principle, that of the screw conveyor. In basic terms, the decanter
comprises a solid cylindrical bowl, rotating at high speed. Inside the bowl is a
scroll (screw conveyor) rotating at a slightly different speed. The differential
speed between bowl and scroll provides the conveying motion to collect and
remove the solids, which accumulate at the bowl wall.
A slurry of liquid and suspended solids is fed along the centre line. to some
fixed position within the bowl, and is accelerated outwards to join the pond of
liquid held on the bowl wall by the centrifugal force. This same force then
causes the suspended solids to settle, and accumulate at the bowl wall. The
clarified liquid then flows along the bowl, to leave at one end of it, over some
kind of weir design, which sets the level of the liquid surface in the bowl.
The other end of the bowl is sloped inwards, towards the centre, thus
providing a beach, up which the solids are conveyed, to be discharged from
the bowl, at the top of the beach. Whilst the solids are conveyed up the beach,
some, hopefully most, of the entrained liquid drains back into the pond, to join
the liquid flow towards the far end.
The scroll usually is carried on a hollow axial hub, t h r o u g h which the
slurry feed tube passes to the feed zone. The diameter, the number, and the
pitch of the conveyor flights are chosen to match the needs of the slurry being
treated
as are the depth of the pond, the length of the bowl, the conveyor
differential speed, and the angle of slope of the beach.
Most decanters operate with their axis horizontal, in which case they
usually are mounted in substantial bearings at each end of the bowl. Vertical

Introduction

Liquids
Dtsctmrl~

C~,m8
.

C~veyor
t

Bowl

Fli#t

Feed

Solids

Feed

Zone

Dischtr~

Tube

Figure 1.1. The main operating parts of a decanter centrifuge.

operation is possible, in which case the bowl is carried only on one set of
bearings, at the top. If the decanter is short, then cantilevered horizontal
operation is also possible, with bearings at one end only.
The rotating bowl is enclosed in a casing, which is divided to ensure that the
discharged liquid (the "centrate") and solids cannot remix after separation.
The basic decanter is completed with a drive motor, usually electrical, and a
gearbox, which controls the differential speed of the conveyor.
Aspects of the physical forms of the decanter in its different versions are
described in Chapter 2.

1.1.2 Separation principle

The decanter operates mainly by sedimentation, a process causing the
separation of suspended solids by virtue of their higher density than the liquid
in which they are suspended. If the density difference is high, then gravity
may provide sufficient driving force for the separation to occur in a reasonable
time
as is the case with large-tank clarifiers and clariflocculators, or with
lamella and inclined-plate separators. If the difference in density is small, or
the particle size is very small, then gravity separation would take too long,
and the separation force must be augmented by the imposition of centrifugal
forces many times that of gravity alone.
The centrifugal force may be imposed by virtue of the flow of the slurry, as in
a hydrocyclone, or by means of mechanically driven rotation, as in the
sedimenting centrifuge.

TheDecanterCentrifuge

There are several types of solid bowl sedimenting centrifuge, including:

9 the tubular bowl centrifuge, mainly used for liquid/liquid separation, for
which use any suspended solids would require cessation of operation for
their removal (the tubular bowl centrifuge is also used for very difficult
solid/liquid separations, where there is a low concentration of solids,
which cannot be flocculated):
9 the imperforate basket centrifuge, which is operated batch-wise for the
removal of collected solids;
9 the disc-stack centrifuge, originally developed for liquid/liquid separation (cream from milk), but which has been improved to achieve
continual solids removal (although, in most cases, not fully continuous),
by a variety of devices at the outer periphery of the bowl; and
9 the decanter.
The prime beneficial characteristic of the decanter in this spectrum of
sedimentation equipment is its ability to remove separated solids from the
separation zone on a fully continuous basis. It can operate, unattended, for
weeks, if not months, at a time.
By comparison, therefore, with:
9 gravity sedimentation
the decanter can achieve separations that
would be impossibly lengthy (or just impossible) in a clarifier or lamella
separator, and it produces drier solids;
9 h y d r o c y c l o n e s - the decanter has a much higher liquid capacity, can
handle much higher slurry concentrations, and produces much drier
solids:
9 tubular bowl centrifuges
the decanter offers higher capacities, the
ability to handle concentrated slurries, and continuous operation:
9 imperforate basket centrifuges
the decanter operates continuously,
can handle much higher solids concentrations, and produces much
drier solids: and
9
disc-stack c e n t r i f u g e s - the decanter is truly continuous in operation,
can handle much higher solid concentrations in the feed slurry
(although it cannot usually match the high centrifugal forces of the
disc-stack designs, and so does not have the same clarification
performance), and produces drier solids.
In addition to these other types of sedimentation centrifuge, the decanter
competes effectively with several types of solids recovery f i l t e r - such as the
plate-and-flame filter press, and the various types of band press, without
requiring the use of filter aids.
The theory of the separation and dewatering behaviour of the decanter is
described in Chapter 4.

(It must be rcmcmbercd that there are many other types of industrial
c:enIril'iigr, hul: t.tiese achieve sepratiori by riieans of filtration rather than
sedimenl:;ii.ion -- :Ill.hoiigh the srreen-howl dwariler r:omhiries t.he two
sepa r ii t.ion rn ~h a n isms .)
1.1.3 Decanter applications

Thc dccantcr cciitrifugc can be used for most types of liquidjstrlid separ;ition,
and its ability to handle a wide rarige of feed slurry L.r,rir:entrol.iorrsodds to its
general versatility.
11 C ~ I be
I
11sed Tor t . 1 clussificntian
~
of' solids in Liquid suspc.nslon. where a
single CUI. is required tielween I W C )sixes ofsolid particle (or, less often. bctweeii
solids of differing density). I1 i s ii very gcind device for this purpose, and its
early history inclnded developme,nt for thc kaoliii (china clay) iiidustry.
The drt:ant.er can be used for the clnrjficntioriof a liquid. it can be operated so
as lo give a high degree of clarification, although it is not usually used to
clocify o slurry that contains only a small amnunt.nf d i d s in suspensiun,
It (::in also be iwd in thc recovrr~jd a valuable scilid irom i t s suspcnsioii in a
liquid, :ind li!Llowing such rcrovery it is capable o f \.wr.shing t.he recovcrcd solid
free of the original mother liquor, and of drliqimrin[j ( d w n t e r i i i g ) the wrls1it.d
solids to a high dcgree of dryri
Whcrc thc slurry is a waste needing treatment prior to sale dispos;iI, t h c
decanter again can dewat.er such slurries to a high luvcl of ilryriess.
Finally the decariler c:in be opcratcd so as to a c t as il i h i r k m v - , producing a
clcar liquid and i-l m o r e concentratcd slurry
either in a manufacturing
proccss, or i t 1 wsstc treatment.
This wide mnge of'potcntial uses. coupled with its continuous operalion, its
ability tn accept a wide range of feed concentrations. and its arailahility in a
wide raiigc o l fred capacities, t.<rgethc-rexplain w h y the d ~ ~ i i ~centrifuge
itw
has become such a valuable pror:essing tool.
The main proccss applioal.ions of thc dccanter art. described in Uhapler '1.
showirig what separation acliori i n required. while Iht: sper-itic design k3turt.s
ol'the decanter t o suit thrse applications art. described in cach of the sections
of' t h is Chap t cI,