IOW Group: The Importance of Centrifugal Oil Separators for Industrial Engines
Thursday, 14 September 2023
Large industrial diesel engines are used around the world by a variety of industries, including chemical, power, transport, mining, and oil. These engines need to be maintained, serviced and efficient for companies to be able to enjoy effective production.
Here at IOW Group, we’re leading the way in the next generation of centrifugal oil separators, delving into why they’re such an important component in engine performance.
What is a Centrifugal Oil Separator?
A centrifugal oil separator is a device that removes impurities and particulates from oil using centrifugal force. They are usually cylindrical containers that rotate at high speeds within a larger, stationary container. The higher the rotational speed, the greater the centrifugal force and increased separation capabilities.
How does a Centrifugal Oil Separator work?
The science behind it – Centrifugation takes advantage of the natural process of sedimentation where dense particles suspended in liquid eventually settle against a barrier due to gravity. When liquid medium is rotated at high speeds, centrifugal force can achieve as much as one-thousand times that of gravity, significantly increasing the natural process and effectively separating particles from a liquid.
The mechanics – Centrifugal oil separators work by dirty oil entering into a rotor through a hollow shaft under pressure, where it then enters a separation chamber at high rotational speeds, forcing contaminants to the outside of the separator bowl. The cleaned oil then drains back into a sump ready to circulate into an engine. After a good runtime, a sludge cake (built-up contaminants) is formed and the centrifuge must be serviced/cleaned, ready to run again at optimal efficiency.
Why is it important to filter lubrication oil?
A lube oil filtration system is vital for smooth operation and maintenance of industrial engines and is culpable for reducing contamination levels in the oil to reduce engine wear. Usually, lube oil is filtered through a standard filter where larger particles are unable to pass through a filter mesh; however, particles smaller than the mesh size are still able to pass through under pressure.
These particles are actually harder than a machine’s surface, acting like a liquid sandpaper, eroding key components of the engine. As these particulates circulate, more and more particles are scraped off the engine’s surface, persistently increasing the volume of contaminants in the engine’s oil and causing an abrasive cycle. This in turn leads to lower engine performance, increased emissions and if not monitored correctly, failure of key components and the engine. To mitigate this, regular oil changes are advised to limit the amount of contaminants circulating throughout the engine.
What are the benefits?
Centrifugal oil filters can remove a lot of the particles that pass through a standard filter mesh. By extracting these contaminants and opting for a better filtration system, you can:
- Reduce engine wear.
- Reduce downtime through less maintenance.
- Increase engine lifespan.
- Reduce emissions.
- Increase productivity.
IOW Group’s range of MP Centrifuges
IOW Group’s centrifuge range is the next generation of centrifugal oil filters and are 150% more efficient than any other centrifuge on the market, but how do they do it?
IOW MP Centrifuges achieve a significantly higher RPM (rotation per minute) than other brands. For example, at 6 bar of pressure, the IOW MP600 runs at 4530RPM. In comparison, the FM600 at the same pressure runs at 3480RPM, demonstrating how IOW Group maintain superior performance – the greater the RPM, the greater the centrifugal force and therefore separation capabilities!
IOW Group have also developed and installed unique features which are patent protected into their centrifuges. Their use of disc stack technology removes even more contaminants due to a larger surface area, and fully sealing the product with O-rings prevents the cross-contamination of clean and dirty oil. IOW Group have also introduced a distributor impeller which reduces the risk of backpressure, cross-contamination and increases centrifugal force and separation.
IOW Group customers also enjoy remote monitoring as standard where engineers can monitor performance and are notified when the centrifuge needs cleaning – no other manufacturer provides this, meaning engineers using old technology are unaware of how fast the centrifuge is spinning or if it’s even spinning at all!
This free’s up engineering and maintenance time for other aspects of business operations, and other benefits include:
- Increased oil change intervals
- Increased engine lifespan of up to 3x
- Increased annual savings on maintenance
- Lower total cost of ownership
Upgrade to an IOW Group MP Centrifuge
It’s easy upgrading to an IOW MP Centrifuge. The footprints fit that of old technology centrifuges, making installation simple and straightforward.
Conclusion
Centrifugal oil separators are crucial to maintain a healthy engine and are the superior choice when it comes to filtering oil efficiently. By removing contaminants standard full-flow filters are unable to remove, engines are kept as clean as possible and free from unnecessary damage. Upgrading to an IOW Group MP Centrifuge provides greater financial benefits due to the unrivalled performance. Additional savings on maintenance costs provides our customers with the ability to invest elsewhere in their organisation to improve efficiencies or capitalise on overall profits.