US 12,151,250 B2
Centrifugal separation system and method having control based on pressure
Kasper Höglund, Rönninge (SE); Peter Thorwid, Sundbyberg (SE); and Staffan Königsson, Tumba (SE)
Assigned to ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB, Lund (SE)
Appl. No. 17/296,342
Filed by Alfa Laval Corporate AB, Lund (SE)
PCT Filed Dec. 9, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/084154
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 24, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/120369, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 18, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18211238 (EP), filed on Dec. 10, 2018; application No. 18211242 (EP), filed on Dec. 10, 2018; application No. 18211243 (EP), filed on Dec. 10, 2018; and application No. 19193098 (EP), filed on Aug. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0023891 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. B04B 13/00 (2006.01); B04B 1/08 (2006.01); B04B 7/14 (2006.01); B04B 11/02 (2006.01)
CPC B04B 13/00 (2013.01) [B04B 1/08 (2013.01); B04B 7/14 (2013.01); B04B 11/02 (2013.01); B04B 2013/006 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A centrifugal separation system comprising:
a centrifugal separator,
a liquid feed mixture conduit,
a light phase conduit,
a heavy phase conduit, and
a flow control system,
wherein the centrifugal separator comprises a rotor configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and being provided with a separation space,
a stack of separation discs arranged inside the separation space,
a first stationary portion arranged at a first axial end of the rotor,
a second stationary portion arranged at a second axial end of the rotor,
wherein an inlet passage extends into the separation space via the first or second stationary portion, a light phase outlet passage extends from the separation space via the first or second stationary portion, and a heavy phase outlet passage extends from the separation space via the first or second stationary portion,
wherein the heavy phase outlet passage comprises at least one channel extending within the rotor from a radially outer portion of the separation space towards a central portion of the rotor,
wherein each of the inlet passage, the light phase outlet passage, and the heavy phase outlet passage is mechanically hermetically sealed between the rotor and the first stationary portion or the second stationary portion,
wherein the flow control system comprises a controller, a counterpressure generating arrangement connected to the heavy phase conduit, a liquid feed mixture measuring device, and a light phase measuring device and/or a heavy phase measuring device,
wherein the counterpressure generating arrangement comprises a heavy phase receiving vessel and a heavy phase pressure control arrangement connected to the heavy phase receiving vessel, and
wherein the controller is configured to control pressure in the heavy phase receiving vessel based on measurements from the liquid feed mixture measuring device and on measurements from the light phase measuring device and/or the heavy phase measuring device in order to control a heavy phase counterpressure in the heavy phase outlet passage.