New gas-tight decanter for applications exposed to the risk of explosion

GEA Westfalia Separator has developed a new gas-tight decanter for applications exposed to the risk of explosions in the chemical and pharmaceutical fields. The new model is based on a powerful non-gas-tight version which has already been launched very successfully on the market and which provides excellent value for money. The gas-tight decanter will be available in two versions as a clarifying decanter and as an extraction decanter. As a flat-conical machine CE 345, the gas-tight decanter will be used as a typical clarifying decanter for solid/liquid processes. It is used primarily for separating solids from media which are exposed to the risk of explosions. The sloping-conical decanter CE 346 is an extraction decanter which is used for instance for treating a three-phase mixture, such as an aqueous fermentation broth plus solvent, in order to remove water and solids (the heavy phase) from the light solvent phase (the valuable product).

Considerable improvement in terms of performance
The relatively small machine size of the CE 345 or 346 focuses entirely on higher performance, improved separating efficiency, minimised energy consumption, a reduced number of components, compact design, ease of access and optimised service. However, a special feature is the tried-and-tested Westfalia Separator varipond system which has been implemented for the first time in a gas-tight extraction decanter. Westfalia Separator varipond enables the pond depth in the decanter and thus the quality of the separating process to be optimised without the decanter having to be shut down for this purpose. Even in conjunction with fluctuating feed concentrations, it regulates the liquid level in the bowl so precisely that the concentration of the thickened solids can be set to a constantly high level. Together

with the 2-gear drive, which permits infinitely variable differential speed regulation depending on the torque and thus a constantly optimum process setting of the decanter, Westfalia Separator varipond provides the customer with the possibility of responding in an extremely flexible manner to changing production conditions. 

The machine can be preassembled as a package unit on a frame together with the complete peripheral equipment. This results in savings not only in terms of space, but also in terms of handling, cleaning and maintenance. The machine is blanketed with nitrogen in order to comply with explosion protection regulations. The nitrogen blanketing is also part of the package, as is an operating console. The control cabinet itself has to be installed outside the area which is exposed to the risk of explosion. Accordingly, the machine is a completely functioning gas-tight entity for areas exposed to the risk of explosions; it complies with the ATEX standard and and is fully CE-compliant. This is applicable for the TCE version, which is used primarily for applications in the chemical industry, as well as for the XCE extraction version.

 
The explosion-proof design of the new compact machines TCE 345 and XCE 346 respectively from GEA Westfalia Separator allows a comparatively low-priced decanter to be used in explosion-hazarded processes.