A quench oil centrifuge is an efficient way to filter out the sludge from quenching oil continuously. The centrifuge can remove contaminant particles down to 0.5 microns from the quenching oil by exerting over 7000 Gs. Its self-cleaning design makes the centrifuge fully automatic, requiring minimal labor compared to filtration.
Time-bound or quick cooling of metals changes the base metal's grain structure, enhancing its physical properties. This process of rapidly cooling metals is known as quenching.
The quenching process involves pre-heating the metal component to a high enough temperature to allow its recrystallization. The heated part is then immersed in a medium of choice based on the desired end properties.
The cooling medium is often a heat-treating oil, also known as quench oil. The use of this medium enhances the quenching process and protects the parts from oxidation.
Quench oil accumulates the carbon, rust, and scales from the immersion of heated parts. Additionally, oxidation by-products also degrade the quench oil over time.
These contaminants reduce the oil's effectiveness, resulting in uneven heat treatment and quality issues.
This accumulated sludge also clogs up filtration systems and heat exchangers used to cool the quench oil.
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A quench oil centrifuge from Dolphin Centrifuge is a disc-stack centrifuge. These centrifuges exert over 7,000 G-force on the process liquid. In the case of quench oil, this centrifugal force is sufficient to remove all the sludge particles from the oil.
Additionally, the centrifuge's automatic self-cleaning ability means that the centrifuge can work continuously and independently. This advantage eliminates any labor requirement that filtration requires.
A system-integrated pump feeds the contaminated quench oil into the centrifuge bowl. Inside the centrifuge bowl, the quench oil experiences high centrifugal forces. This force pushes out the heavier sludge particles toward the bowl wall, where it accumulates.
The clarified quench oil was pushed towards the center of the bowl and out through the clean oil chamber at the bowl top. A centripetal impeller built into the bowl pumps out the clean oil back to the quenching oil reservoir.
Filters can only do so much to quench oil. If you use too fine a filter, the media cost and labor multiply due to the increased filter change frequency. If you use a coarse filter, the quench oil retains its contaminants.
A quench oil centrifuge offers considerable benefits to the heat-treatment industry. Based on case studies conducted by Dolphin Centrifuge, the typical payback period of a centrifuge system is less than 3~6 months, considering the abovementioned costs. Additionally, improved product quality and equipment durability are collateral benefits.
Some of these benefits of centrifuging quench oil are listed below.
Features and Benefits:
| Centrifuge Model ► | DMPX-014 | Alfa Laval MOPX 210 |
| Capacity on Quench Oil | 12 GPM | 32 GPM |
| Bowl Speed | 7,600 RPM | 5,150 RPM |
| Centrifugal Force | 7,800 Gs | 7,500 Gs |
| Centrifuge Efficiency | Solid Particles > 0.5 µ | Solid Particles > 0.5 µ |
| Drive Motor | 5 HP | 10 HP |
| Size (Dimensions) | 4' x 5' x 5' (H) | 5' x 6' x 7' (H) |
| Weight (without options) | 1,500 Lbs | 3,000 Lbs |
| Voltage | 230 / 460 V; 3-Phase | 230 / 460 V; 3-Phase |
