About Modeling and Optimization of Solid Bowl Centrifuges

Abstract

Many processes involve solid bowl centrifuges as a solid–liquid separation step, typically used for clarification, thickening, classification, degritting, mechanical dewatering, and screening. In order to operate solid bowl centrifuges safely, with minimum resource consumption and reduced setup times, modeling and optimization are necessary steps. This is a challenge due to the complex process behavior, which can be overcome by developing advanced physical models and process analysis. This review provides an overview of solid bowl centrifuge applications, their modeling, and addresses future optimization potentials through digital tools. The impact of dispersed phase properties such as particle size, shape, surface roughness, structure, composition, and continuous liquid phase is the reason for the lack of generally applicable models. Laboratory-scale batch sedimentation centrifuges are used to predict material behavior and develop material functions describing separation-related properties such as sedimentation, sediment build-up and sediment transport. The combination of material functions and modeling allows accurate simulation of solid bowl centrifuges from laboratory to industrial scale. Since models usually do not cover all influencing variables, there are often deviations between predictions and the real process behavior. Gray-box modeling and on-line or in-situ process analytics are tools to improve centrifuge operation.

Keywords

• solid bowl centrifuges
• material characterization
• multiphase flow
• process modeling
• gray-box modeling
• process analytics