working principle of the decanter centrifuge

A decanter centrifuge, also known as a horizontal screw centrifuge, is a highly efficient solid - liquid separation device. Its working principle is based on the centrifugal force generated by high - speed rotation.

### Overall Structure and Initial State

The decanter centrifuge mainly consists of a rotating drum and a screw conveyor installed inside the drum. When the centrifuge starts operating, both the drum and the screw conveyor rotate at high speed around the same axis, but there is a small differential speed between them.

### Feeding Process

The suspension to be separated is continuously fed into the centrifuge through the feed pipe. Once inside, due to the high - speed rotation of the drum, a strong centrifugal force is generated.

### Separation Process Based on Density Difference

The centrifugal force causes the solid particles and liquid in the suspension to separate according to their different densities. The solid particles, which are denser, are thrown towards the inner wall of the drum under the action of the centrifugal force and form a solid layer. Meanwhile, the liquid phase, which is less dense, accumulates in the inner part of the drum, closer to the axis of rotation.

### Solid Discharge

The screw conveyor, rotating at a slightly different speed from the drum, continuously pushes the solid particles deposited on the inner wall of the drum towards the small end of the drum. As the solid particles move towards the discharge port at the small end, they are gradually discharged out of the centrifuge.

### Liquid Discharge

The separated liquid phase, on the other hand, overflows from the large end of the drum through the overflow port. This way, the continuous and efficient separation of solid and liquid phases in the suspension is achieved.

In summary, through the combined action of high - speed rotation, centrifugal force, and the differential movement of the screw conveyor, the decanter centrifuge can effectively separate solid and liquid components in various suspensions, and is widely used in industries such as environmental protection, chemical engineering, food, and pharmaceuticals.