US 12,280,381 B2
Method for determining if air is trapped within a centrifugal separator
Per-Gustaf Larsson, Huddinge (SE)
Assigned to ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB, Lund (SE)
Appl. No. 17/796,768
Filed by Alfa Laval Corporate AB, Lund (SE)
PCT Filed Feb. 18, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/054048
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 1, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/170486, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20159170 (EP), filed on Feb. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0099252 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. B04B 1/08 (2006.01); B04B 11/02 (2006.01); B04B 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC B04B 1/08 (2013.01) [B04B 11/02 (2013.01); B04B 13/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for determining if air is trapped within a centrifugal separator comprising a stationary frame, a rotatable assembly a drive unit for rotating the rotatable assembly relative the frame around an axis of rotation, a feed inlet for supply of a liquid mixture to be separated, a first liquid outlet for discharge of a separated liquid phase and a second liquid outlet for discharge of a heavy phase having a density that is higher than said liquid phase,
wherein the rotatable assembly comprises a rotor casing enclosing a separation space in which a stack of separation discs is arranged to rotate around a vertical axis of rotation,
wherein said method comprises the steps of:
a) closing one of the first and second liquid outlets and restricting the flow from the other outlet;
b) supplying the liquid mixture to the feed inlet and measuring the flow to the feed inlet and the flow from the restricted outlet;
c) comparing the flow as a function of time between the feed inlet and the restricted outlet; and
d) measuring a deviation in flow as a function of time between the feed inlet and the restricted outlet to determine that air is trapped within the centrifugal separator.