DEC

ANT
ER
 1. Introduction of Decanter

A decanter is an engineered piece of process equipment that mainly used in oil palm mill and
designed to separate insoluble suspended solids from a mother liquid by volumetric separation
technique. The decanter can be used to produce a relatively wet or thin cake (light phase oil and
heavy phase oil) or a very dry cake (decanter cake). The decanter is flexible enough to handle a
great fluctuation in the feed material. The decanter can clarify the mother liquid, or classify the
solids to obtain specific solids distribution. The decanter will function well if the solids have a
higher specific gravity than the liquid.

2. Working Principle of Decanter

The decanter consists of a solid bowl, which rotates and contains the process. A screw conveyor
is contained within the bowl, and it will turn at a slightly different speed from the bowl.

The feed slurry is introduced into the rotating assembly by a stationary feed tube. The feed is
jetted into the conveyor. The feed slurry is accelerated up to speed and will flow through the
bowl.

The liquid flows from the point where it is introduced on the pond, to the liquid weirs at the large
end of the rotating assembly. As the liquid flows through the pond, the gravity force causes the
solids to settle out of the liquid and to sediment against the bowl wall. In effect, there is a blanket
of solids building up against the bowl wall.
The screw conveyor turns at a slightly different speed than the bowl. The solids building up
against the bowl wall are pushed to the small end of the bowl by the screw conveyor. The solids
are pushed in the horizontal direction and then up an incline and ultimately out of the liquid prior
to being discharged from the bowl. Centrifugal force is constantly being exerted on these solids
in an effort to produce the desired solids discharged product.

The liquid clarity is controlled by the gravity force, pond setting, differential speed, flow rate and
polymer addition.

The liquid clarity will be a function of the hydraulic throughput of the decanter. The higher the
flow rate, the poorer the liquid clarity will be. The exact relationship will be dependent on the
nature of the feed material.

The differential speed will also affect the clarity of the liquid. The lower the differential,
typically the less turbulence in the liquid, and the cleaner the liquid being discharged (centrate).
However, once the sludge blanked in the bowl is overloaded and the screw conveyor does not
remove the solids at the same rate that they enter the unit, the centrate will start to get dirty.

The force that removes the solids from the liquid is the relative g force in the bowl. The faster the
bowl turns, the greater the g force, and the greater the driving force to remove the solids from the
liquid. The greater the g force, the cleaner the centrate will be.

The pond setting is an important factor in setting up the centrifuge. The deeper the pond is, the
greater the liquid retention time in the bowl, and the cleaner the centrate will be. A deeper pond
will also help the screw conveyor convey the solids from the bowl, which again will improve the
centrate clarity.

Some applications will use polymer to improve the performance of the decanter. The polymer
will increase the relative particle size, improving its settling characteristics. This will improve the
centrate clarity. Additional polymer will typically improve the liquid clarity up to some point. At
this point, overdosing the polymer will cause the polymer to act as an emulsifying agent causing
the centrate quality to deteriorate. The solids are also affected by the same parameters as the
liquid.

As the gravity force is increased, the force to compact the solids in the sludge blanket increases
and the solids become more concentrated. As the solids are conveyed up the beach and are free
of the liquid, the increased g force will release more free liquid and produce a drier cake.

The differential speed between the bowl and conveyor directly controls the cake solids. The
lower the differential, the drier the cake solids will be. This is done by getting the maximum
compaction in the sludge blanket, and longer retention time on the beach.

The pond depth can affect the cake dryness and the shallower the pond, the longer the retention
time of the solids going up the beach and out of the liquid, increasing the cake dryness.
The greater the solids loading on the decanter, the wetter the cake will be. This is not a direct
relationship, but increasing the solids loading will cause the unit to achieve a wetter cake.

The polymer, or chemical condition agent, is used to achieve a better liquid clarity. It also has a
secondary effect, and the polymer tends to improve the ability of the decanter to dewater the
solids. This again is a variable that must be proven by field-testing.

One last facet is the classification effect. As the liquid clarity worsens, more fines are discharged
in the liquid and the cake can get drier because of this loss in fines in the effluent. The effect will
be dependent on the particle size distribution in the feed material.

3. The type of decanter that used in Temerloh Mill

Model : IHI Centrifuge Decanter

Motor type : Three Phase Induction Motor
Motor RPM : 1435
Motor Horsepower : 60HP
Current : < 75 Ampere
Frequency : 50 Hz
Voltage : 415 V
Motor Pulley Size : 18 inch
Decanter Pulley Size : 8 inch
 Decanter Pulley
Motor Pulley 1435 (18)
Output RPM of decanter : : 8
Motor RPM

: 3228.75 RPM

Working Current & Frequency : 48 to 54 Ampere & 50 Hz

Flow Rate : 19 to 20 m3/h

4. Operations of Decanter

Start-up Operation

Firstly, the lube pump should be start, to begin lubricant oil flow to the decanter pillow block
bearings. Reset all the alarm circuits. If all the alarm interlocks are satisfied, then the decanter is
ready to start. When the decanter starts, the back drive motor is interlocked with the decanter and
will also start, initially, running at minimum speed (approximately 200 RPM). After the
centrifuge bowl reaches the operating speed, the back drive switches to the running speed at
3228 RPM. The transition timer determines when the back drive will switch from the minimum
speed to the running speed.

Normal Operation

When the decanter reaches the running speed, water valve need to open for the cleaning purpose
from 10 to 15 minutes. After that, feed valve (sludge) should be open and decanter current, flow
rate and frequency need to observe for the steady operation. Every four hours, water valve
should be open to clean the decanter during the normal operation.

Shut-down Operation
To shut down the decanter, by pushing the stop button, the feed valve would automatically close
and the water valve should open for a pre-determined length of time. However, the following
procedure is recommended for a planned shutdown:

1. First of all, shut off the feed valve (sludge).

2. Turn on the water valve while operating at full speed and with conveyor/bowl differential
set to maximum. Wait for approximately 10 minutes, or until the water runs clean before
proceeding.
3. After that, stop the decanter and the decanter drive motor will shut down. The back drive
will automatically decrease to minimum speed to scroll remaining solids from the bowl.
The lube oil pump shutdown timer will be energized, allowing the lube pump and back
drive to run while the centrifuge coasts to a stop. When the lube pump stops, the back
drive stops automatically.
4. Finally, shut off water valve when the decanter reaches minimum speed.