Patent No. EP4108340 (titled "A Method Of Operating A Centrifugal Separator") was filed by Alfa Laval Corporate on Jun 23, 2021. The application was issued on Jun 11, 2025.
A method for operating a centrifugal separator separates a liquid feed mixture into at least one liquid phase and a sludge phase. The separator comprises a frame, a drive member rotating a centrifuge bowl around axis X, and a bowl enclosing a separation space with coaxial separation discs and a radially outer sludge space. The bowl includes an inlet, liquid outlets, and peripheral sludge outlets. The method comprises: supplying the feed mixture to the inlet; determining the particle flow rate of the feed; calculating the particle volume within the bowl (e.g., by integrating flow rate over time); and discharging a specific volume of sludge at a specific time point based on these determinations. Discharge may also be triggered by liquid phase turbidity exceeding a threshold.

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