Feedback control method for the operation of a centrifuge

• US 10,639,649 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH (GEA Group AG)
• Original Assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH (GEA Group AG)
• Inventors: Fleuter, Markus, Mackel, Wilfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Walter D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Shuyi S.
• Application Number:
  US15/326,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20170203307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 494 1, 494 7, 494 10, 494 82
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 1/2016 Driving control or mechanisms; Arrangement of transmission gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 11/04 Periodical feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 13/00 Control arrangements specially designed for centrifuges; Programme control of centrifuges control arrangements for feed, charge, or discharge B04B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 9/10 Control of the drive; Speed regulating for solid bowl screw centrifuges B04B1/2016

Abstract

A feedback control method accounts for noise emissions of a centrifuge for the operation of a centrifuge, in particular a separator or a decanting centrifuge, for the centrifugal processing of a product, in particular for clarifying a product and/or for separating a product into different liquid phases using the drum.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operation of a centrifuge with a rotatable drum while clarifying of a product or in a separating of a product into different liquid phases with the drum, the method comprising:

controlling noise of the centrifuge by

a. defining at least one noise level limit;

b. measuring, using a sensor while rotating the drum, noise of the centrifuge;

c. providing data measured by the sensor to a controller, wherein the controller compares the measured data to target data and determines at least one correcting variable based on the comparison; and

d. controlling, by the controller using the at least one correcting variable or a plurality of correcting variables, the operation of the centrifuge so that the noise of the centrifuge does not exceed the at least one noise level limit,

wherein the at least one correcting variable is outlet pressure or pressures in an inlet or in one or more outlets of the rotatable drum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured noise is structure-borne sound or air-borne sound.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is one or more microphones.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one piezo sensor or at least one laser Doppler vibrometer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor continuously measures the noise of the centrifuge.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the sensor measures the noise of the centrifuge at intervals.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the intervals are less than or equal to 1 minute.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one correcting variable further comprises rotation speed of a drive spindle of the rotatable drum.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one correcting variable further comprises processed volume flow.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one correcting variable further comprises an emptying amount at an outlet of the centrifuge.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one correcting variable further comprises an emptying frequency at an outlet of the centrifuge.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one noise level limit includes at least a first and second upper noise level limit and one of the first and second upper noise level limits is selected for controlling the centrifuge based on time of day.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the control of the noise is combined with a turbidity control.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor measures structure-borne sounds on a cover of the centrifuge.