Ferrum AG, Rupperswil, Switzerland, manufactures centrifuges for separating solids from liquids in a wide range of industrial processes, such as extracting de-icing and table salt from concentrated brine slurry. The company recently developed a product-specific pusher centrifuge to extract nitrocellulose from the slurry, which is aggressively acidic.
The centrifuge is fed continuously with the slurry, which is accelerated and distributed over sieves that remove 80 % of the solids, forming them into a solid cake. The resulting cake exits the centrifuge, and any impurities are washed out of it. The centrifuge process area is flushed periodically to prevent the formation of deposits.
METALLIC BEARINGS
An oscillating component made of corrosion-resistant steel pushes the extracted nitrocellulose with forward and backward strokes up to 60 times per minute. The sliding shaft is fitted with GGB-CSM® bearings, which are manufactured using a powder metallurgy process with homogeneously distributed solid lubricant.
The bearings are assembled with a steel casing and a sintered bronze insert for use with lubrication grooves. They provide high load capacity, a broad temperature range and resistance to wear and corrosion.
EXTENDED SERVICE
“Our customers in the chemical industry run continuous processes and expect our pusher centrifuges to last several decades,” said Giuseppe Scalzo, Ferrum’s centrifuge technology design manager.
“GGB-CSM® metallic bearings have stood the test of time, needing to be replaced only at regularly scheduled service intervals every two to three years".
“Consultation and service are very important to us, and GGB Tristar Suisse SA has a team of highly competent, customer-oriented support staff we can rely on.”