Centrifuging question

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Hey guys, great forum! Hope some one here can point me in the right direction. I'm looking into purchasing a centrifuge for filtering fuels. I'd like opinions on how single pass (simple centrifuge) compare to multipass centrifuges (dieselcraft). I'm doing this all to save money so being thrifty is one of my top priorities when choosing a setup. Any one care to throw in they're thoughts? Maybe how much your set up cost you?
 
Really necro-posting, but I'm in the process of rebuilding my centrifuge system at another location.

Short answer, buy the single-pass system, with every performance-improving option you can. Inline heater, bigger rotor, anti-splash feeding cone, etc.

I've been using a drum heater on a 55-gallon drum (insulated), 4gpm hydraulic pump feeding a Spinner II 76SE. There's a manifold with a temp/pressure gauge & adjustable pressure relief. Works well, but heating the whole drum up from 55degrees takes several hours at best & I've been running it for long cycles, with cleanings between cycles. Hopefully I just got a couple of bad batches.

24hr runs at 150degrees & 90psi. Centrifuge is rated 2.5gpm at that pressure. I cleaned a 1/3-1/2" layer of fudge out of the rotor for several days in a row before it started to reduce. Please note that my rotor is a lot bigger than the little 1gpm units.

Final filtration before going into the truck is a wix 1-14 filter head with a 3micron water-block filter, same as my filter on the truck.
 
Those centrifuges are really toys IMO.

I would invest in a real centrifuge 3 phase such as a Alfa Laval etc, they can clean down to 2 micron and separate water starting at 200 gallons per hour for a small unit.
 
I just got my centrifuge at wvodesigns.com, paid about $970 for it . Bought the center feed enhancement as it forces the waste oil to go though the oil in already in the centrifuge, rather than over the top of it. It spins at about 3000 RPM and will process quite a few gph. I am setting t up at my shop to process larger quantities and want to set up a re-feed circuit so it goes through repeatedly if I desire t. There is a good simple setup on youtube illustrated, posted by usfiltrmax . He us air pressure to move the oil around. I may do that, but with plastic barrels. He uses steel tanks. I am not real hip on the idea f compressed air transport of oil!! Going to build redundant pressure limiting safeties.

Rick
 
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