Definition of Purifiers

1. To rid of impurities: purify water.

2. To rid of foreign or objectionable elements: tried to purify the party of its dissenters.
3. To free from moral or spiritual defilement: rituals to purify the soul.
An air purifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air in a room. These devices are
commonly marketed as being beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or
eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke.

USAGE
Fuel oil centrifuging for marine use
Treatment of fuel oils and lubricating oils
Both fuel oils and lubricating oils require treatment before passing to the engine. This will involve
storage and heating to allow separation of water present, coarse and fine filtering to remove solid
particles and also centrifuging.
The centrifugal separator is used to separate two liquids, for example oil and water, or a liquid and
solids as in contaminated oil. Separation is speeded up by the use of a centrifuge and can be arranged as
a continuous process. Where a centrifuge is arranged to separate two liquids, it is known as a 'purifier'.
Where a centrifuge is arranged to separate impurities and small amounts of water from oil it is known as
a 'clarifier'.
The separation of impurities and water from fuel oil is essential for good combustion. The removal of
contaminating impurities from lubricating oil will reduce engine wear and possible breakdowns. The
centrifuging of all but the most pure clean oils is therefore an absolute necessity.
Centrifuging
A centrifuge consists of an electric motor drive to a vertical shaft on the top of which is mounted the
bowl assembly. An outer framework surrounds the assembly and carries the various feed and discharge
connections. The bowl can be a solid assembly which retains the separated sludge and operates non-
continuously, or the bowl can be arranged so that the upper and lower parts separate and the sludge
can be discharged while the centrifuge operates continuously. The dirty oil is admitted into the centre of
the bowl, passes up through a stack of discs and out through the top.

The purifying process

The centrifugal separation of two liquids, such as oil and water, results in the formation of a cylindrical
interface between the two. The positioning of this interface within the centrifuge is very important for
correct operation. The setting or positioning of the interface is achieved by the use of dam rings or
gravity discs at the oudet of the centriiuge. Various diameter rings are available for each machine when
different densities of oil are used. As a general rule, the largest diameter ring which does not break the
'seal' should be used.
The clarifying process
Cleaning oil which contains little or no water is achieved in a clarifier bowl where the impurities and
water collect at the bowl periphery. A clarifier bowl has only one outlet . No gravity disc is necessary
since no interface is formed; the bowl therefore operates at maximum separating efficiency since the oil
is subjected to the maximum centrifugal force,
The bowl discs
Purifier and clarifier bowls each contain a stack of conical discs. The discs may number up to 150 and are
separated from one another by a small gap. Separation of impurities and water from the oil takes place
between these discs. A series of aligned holes near the outside edge permits entry of the dirty oil. The
action of centrifugal force causes the lighter components (the clean oil) to flow inwards and the water
and impurities flow outwards. The water and impurities form a sludge which moves outwards along the
undersides of the discs to the periphery of the bowl.
Non-continuous operation
Certain designs of centrifuges are arranged for a short period of operation and are then shut down for
cleaning. After cleaning and removal of the sludge from the bowl, the machine is returned to service.
Two different designs are used for this method of operation; a long narrow bowl and a short wide bowl.
The narrow-bowl machine has to be cleaned after a shorter running period and requires dismantling in
order to clean the bowl. Cleaning of the bowl is, however, much simpler since it does not contain a stack
of discs. The wide-bowl machine can be cleaned in place, although there is the added complication of
the stack of conical discs which must be cleaned.
Continuous operation - sludge discharge
Modern wide-bowl centrifuge designs enable continuous operation over a considerable period of time.
This is achieved by an ejection process which is timed to discharge the sludge at regular intervals. The
sludge deposits build up on the bowl periphery as separation continues, and the ejection process is
timed to clear these deposits before they begin, to affect the separation process. To commence the
ejection process the oil feed to the centrifuge is first shut off and the oil remaining in the bowl is
removed by admitting flushing water. Water is then fed into the hydraulic system in the bottom of the
bowl to open a number of spring-loaded valves. This 'operating' water causes the sliding bowl bottom to
move downwards and open discharge ports in the bowl periphery. The sludge is discharged through
these ports by centrifugal force. Closing 'operating' water is now fed in to raise the sliding bowl up again
and close the discharge ports. Water is fed into the bowl to remake the liquid seal required for the
separation process, the oil feed reopened, and separation continues.
The complete ejection cycle takes only a few seconds and the centrifuge is in continuous operation
throughout. Different bowl designs exist for various forms of sludge discharge, e.g. total discharge,
controlled partial discharge, and so on. With controlled partial discharge the oil supply is not shut off
and not all of the sludge is discharged. In this way the separation process is not stopped. Whatever
method is adopted the centrifuge can be arranged so that the discharge process is performed manually
or by an automatic timer.
Maintenance
The bowl and the disc stack will require periodical cleaning whether or not an ejection process is in
operation. Care should be taken in stripping down the bowl, using only the special tools provided and
noting that some left-hand threads are used. The centrifuge is a perfectly balanced piece of equipment,
rotating at high speeds: all parts should therefore be handled and treated with care.
Gravity Separation
Consider gravity separation, as occurs in a settling tank, over a gradual period solids such as sludge, dirt,
etc., will settle out at the bottom of the tank. The heavy liquids, such as water, will settle out above the
solids and the lighter liquids, such as oil, will be at the top of the tank. The application of heat will speed
up the separation process.
Separation occurs due to the specific gravities or densities of the liquids and solids.

PARTS AND FUNCTIONS

Centrifugal Purifiers
In the above case it is gravity that is responsible for the settling out and this takes quite a while. If the
gravitational force is increased, by using centrifugal force, the separation effect is much greater. This is
shown in figure below by imagining settling tank on its side and rotated, which is the basic principle
of centrifugal purifiers.
The centrifugal purifiers or separator consists of a bowl containing a set of discs stacked one on top of
the other. The dirty oil flows down the distributor and up through the holes in the discs.
What is gravity disc ?
The gravity disc is important part of purifier, which set the location of the oil, and water interface line,
which is variable according to the makers design.
How to choose the correct size of gravity disc ?
Correct size is selected using:
Separation temperature
Density of oil at this temperature
Desired throughput of oil and by using of nomogram from the purifier manual.
What is paring disc ?
It is a stationary impeller mounted in a chamber at the neck of the bow.
Its function is to convert the rotating energy of the liquid into a pressure head.
What about water washing ?
Water washing is widely used techniques to remove acids, salts, and other impurities from the oil.
The oil must be straight mineral oils or without dispersant additive oils.
Water should be injected into the oil before purifying at a rate of between 3 to 5% of the oil flow that is
continuously renews the water seal in the purifier bowl.
The oil temperature should be around 75 C and water temperature about 5 C higher than oil.
It can be done continuously or intermittently.
What is steam jetting ?
By blowing steam into the engine lube oil just pair to its purification.
Coagulation of colloidal carbon will occur.
Purifier will remove this carbon more effectively.
Compare purifier and clarifier ?
Purifier

Remove water and suspended solids particles from oils

Two outlets water and clean oil
Gravity disc on top
Blind disc on the top of disc stack
Sealing water required
Clarifier
Remove finer and lighter particles from oil
One outlet for clean oil
No gravity disc only sealing ring
Blind disc at bottom.
Sealing water not required
How do you change purifier to clarifier ?
Open up the purifier and set the blind disc at the bottom of the disc stack.
The water outlet is blocked by a seal on the gravity disc.
Blank off the sealing water inlet line.
What is purifier, clarifier ?
Purifier is a centrifuge, which is arranged to separate water and solid impurities from oil.
Clarifier is a centrifuge, which is arranged to separate finer solid impurities from the oil.
How to change purifier from HFO to DO ?
Replace the gravity disc, which is smaller than the heavy oil
Open heater by pass vale.
Close the FO heater steam in/out valves.
Open heater drains v/v.
Pure DO purifier cannot change to HFO, it has no heater.
Pure clarifier cannot change to purifier, it has no water outlet.
Why multidisc provided inside purifier ?
To separate the liquid into thin layer & create shallow settling distance between discs.
Improving separation of oil from heaver liquids & solids particle
Cause of excessive vibration on purifier ?
Sludge too much inside the bowl
Foundation damper & spring failure
Bearing failure
Worn gear
Uneven wear of frictional clutch
Motor speed too high or too low
What are reaseons for purifier over flow ?
Incorrect purifier disc size (inside diameter too large)
Too low fuel oil temperature
Too much rate of throughput
Too much sludge inside the bowl
Low speed (rpm) of bowl rotation
Sealing water failure
Operating water failure
Worn out main sealing ring
Why purifier is not building up speed while running ?
Improper touching with friction clutch (worn out frictional clutch)
Touching with break
Excessive sludge in the bowl
Bearing failure
Motor running at overload
One phase power failure (Single phasing)
Sump oil level too high
Vertical shaft and horizontal shaft are out of alignment
How to adjust purifier bowl height ?
By shim by bowl body
Effect of reduced purifier bowl height ?
Oil goes through the water outlet.
Why need sealing water ?
To seal the water outlet & to prevent the overflow of oil from the water outlet.
Figures and Sketches