CHAPTER 1

PRELIMINARY

1.1 Background
In general, centrifugation is the process of separation by using centrifugal force
as the driving force. Separation can be performed on suspended liquid-solid phase as
well as liquid-liquid phase mixture. In the two fluids have a mass density difference.
If the mass density of the two liquids are greater, it’s more easily separated by
centrifugation and less energy required for separation process. In other purposes,
centrifugation operation may also be dual functional, as separator for mixture and as
dryer of the material.

1.2 Formulation of Problem

1. What is centrifugation?
2. What is the working principle of centrifugation?
3. What is the classification of centrifugation?
4. What is the application of centrifugation process?
5. How to solve problems related to centrifugation?
 CHAPTER 2
DISCUSSION

2.1 Definition
Centrifugation is the process of separating particles based on the weight of the
particles on bouyant density by centrifugal force. The centrifugal force (Fs) is a
circular motion force that rotates away from the center of the circle where the value is
positive. This centrifugal force is the opposite of the centrapetal force, which is close
to the center of the circle. Centrifugal force is widely used when a force greater than
that of gravity is desired for separation of solids and fluids of different densities, as in
settling, or for separations of the nature of filtration. Centrifugation is used in
sedimentation where the particles present in a material are separated from the fluid by
the centrifugation force imposed on the particles. The particles can be solid, gas, or
liquid.

Figure 1. Diagram of force for centrifugation

2.2 Main Component

In the use of centrifugation method, there is three main components. The main
components of the centrifugation process are the centrifuge, rotor, and Tube
instruments (sample containers)
1. Centrifuge
It is the part that drives the centrifugation process because it has a rotating motor
and has a rotational speed setting.
2. Rotor
It is a centrifuge component that will determine the speed that will be applied of a
centrifugation process and what products will be desired from the process. Based
 on the shape and product of the result, the rotor is divided into two general
categories:
a) Fixed-angle Rotor
Centrifuge tube with a certain angle to the rotation axis
b) Swing Rotor
The tube parallel to the rotation axis (at rest) but inserted the moving rotor, the
tube swung out. They are aligned perpendicular to the pack rotation.
In this centrifugation process the rotor will form a perfect angular angle to separate
the particles and form bands (regions) which make it easier to sample when mixed.

Figure 2. Fixed-angle rotor and Swing-out rotor

3. Tube
This instruments is component that used for sample containers

2.3 Method and Principle

The centrifugation method is intended to allow all forms of separation processes
to be accelerated. In the centrifugation method, the principle used is that the object is
rotated horizontally at the radial distance from the point, where the point is applied
force. At the time the object is rotated, the particles that exist will split up and disperse
according to the specific gravity of each particle.
The force that plays a role in this centrifugation technique is the centrifugal
force. The centrifugation principle can work optimally if the user can enter the exact
value of RPM and concentration into the centrifugation device. Things that need to be
considered in the use of the tool is the concentration system that wants to put into the
tool centrifugation and rotational speed of the tool.
 In centrifugation operations by precipitation, the settling rate is affected by:
angular velocity (ω) in addition to other factors such as the calculation of
sedimentation velocity. The feed volumetric flow rate is affected by angular velocity
(ω), particle diameter (Dp), particle and liquid density, viscosity and tube centrifuge
diameter.
The working principles of centrifugation:
 Centrifugal separation uses the principle that the object is rotated horizontally at a
radial distance from the point where the point is applied force.
 Objects are rotated horizontally and constantly change direction and acceleration
despite constant rotational speed.
 This centrifugal force works towards the center of the rotation.
 When the object rotates inside a cylindrical container containing a mixture of fluid
and solid and the opposite force is called a centrifugation force that leads out of the
container wall.
 This force causes the attainment or sedimentation of the particles through layers of
liquid or liquid filtration and settles into a layer (cake) attached to the wall.

2.4 Classification
Based on the mechanism, the centrifuge is classified into three:
1. Sedimenting centrifuge
This type of tool is usually used to separate the liquid from the solid and is removed
through a hole in the centrifuge wall. Generally, sedimentation centrifugation is
used to obtain fluids.

Centrifuge Centrifugal Rotational Max. troughput Cake

type force (g) speed (rpm) (m3 h -1) condition
Tubular
14000-65000 50000 (max) 4 (max) Pastry, firm
bowl

Basket Up to 1600 450-3500 6-10 Firm

Pastry,
Disk stack Up to 14000 3000-10000 200 (max)
flowable→firm
Scroll Pastry,
2000-6000 1600-6000 <100
decanter granular
 Tubular Bowl
 A high-speed centrifuge (15,000 rpm, 250 Hz) with vertical axis (vertical axis)
 Used for the separation of non-mixed liquids or fine solids
 Particle size and interval feed concentration are 0.1-100 m and 5% w / w
 Operate batch.

Figure 3. Tubular bowl centrifuge

 Basket
 Can be used for purification and concentration of solid deposits.
 Particle size and feed concentration interval: 0.1-100 m and 5% w / w.

Figure 4. Basket centrifuge

 Disk Stack
 Divide the liquid into several very thin layers.
 Used for liquid separation by fine solids, and grouping of separated solids apply
semi-continuous surgery.
 Commonly used for clarification and precipitation for obtaining solid deposits.
 Particle size and feeding concentration interval: 0.1-100m and 0.05-2% w / w.

Figure 5. Disk stack centrifuge

 Scroll Decanter
 Commonly used for suspension classification.
 Particle size and feed concentration interval: 1-5000 m and 4-40% w / w.
 Consist of a helical screw, baffle, and outer bowl
 Moved by a motor and gearbox
 Used to separate slurry (solid - liquid); flocculent might be needed
 (+) Continuous Operation, “zero down time”, wide range of particles
 (-) Mechanically Complex
 Work principle: The feed is inserted continuously in the center of the screw, the
screw’s rotation has two effects: moves the solid counter-currently to the liquid
and moves the solid towards the bowl. The bowl usually has different radius in
both end, the solids are brought to small end and the liquid flows towards the
large end.
 Figure 6. Scroll decanter centrifuge
 Vertical Decanter
Decanter centrifuge is sedimentation centrifuge, which consists out of a
horizontally oriented bowl in a shape of a cone with a conveying scroll inside. The
main working principle is related to the differences of densities of the liquids as
denser liquids will drop to the bottom wall of the centrifuge. Conveying scroll
creates a liquid pool, solids settle to the bowl wall and then transported by a
conveying scroll to the end of a bowl where they are collected, whereas less denser
liquid returns back to the pool. To prevent accumulation of solid particles on the
scroll and reach optimal retention time for the separation, difference in rotational
speeds of bowl and scroll is used in decanter centrifuges.
 Used to separate slurry (solid - liquid); flocculent might be needed
 (+) provides continuous separation of a wide variety of feed- stocks with a broad
range of solids concentrations.
 (-) inability to clarify liquid streams completely, as some suspended solids
remain in the emerging stream
 Decanters capable of separating three phases have been used to refine vegetable
oils from complex feed- stocks such as coconut, producing fat, milk and grated
coconut solid fractions, recovery or animal fat from rendering operations and
recovery of waste oil in petroleum.
 Work principle:
- Feeding: The slurry is introduced to the rotating solid bowl. Centrifugal force
drives the solids to the bowl wall.
- Spinning: The mother liquor is clarified and the solids are sedimented and
compacted.
- Liquid Discharge: The clarified mother liquor is discharged by either
overflowing the bowl rim and / or with a tangential liquid skimmer. If there are
two immiscible liquid phases, two liquid skimmers are used to discharge each
clarified liquid phase.
- Solids Discharge: The solids are removed manually from the solid bowl. If the
solids are sufficiently fluid, they can be removed with a dedicated solids
removal skimmer.

Figure 7. Vertical decanter centrifuge

 2. Filtering cemtrifuge

3. Purifying centrifuge

2.5 Application
In industry, centrifugation is widely used, for example:
 Separation of particles by size and density
 Separation of non-mixed liquids with different densities
 Suspension filtering
 Drying of solids, especially crystals
 Destructive emulsions and colloidal suspensions
 Gas separation
 Mass transfer process
2.6 Sample Problems and Calculation