Alfa Laval OCM 304
Clean oil is crucial for the safe, reliable and economical operation of virtually all kinds of equipment that uses oils for either lubrication or hydraulic systems. Clean oil reduces wear and corrosion on all equipment installed downstream, thus helping avoid breakdowns and cutting back on downtime throughout a plant or installation.
The Alfa Laval Oil Cleaning Module (OCM) provides rapid, effective separation of the oil, water and sludge components in contaminated mineral lubricating and hydraulic oils – all at the same time.
The benefits include lower operating costs due to reduced oil consumption, lower disposal costs and improvements in both product quality and the working environment.
Easy to operate oil purification
The Alfa Laval Oil Cleaning Module is a modularized system with all the component systems fully integrated, ensuring easy operation while engaged in oil cleaning duties. At the heart of this compact, easy-to-use equipment is an Alfa Laval disc stack centrifuge of supreme efficiency.
Alfa Laval Oil Cleaning Modules are available with all components and systems pre-configured on a skid, for easy, rapid installation and ready for immediate use. They ensure the effective removal of particles and water in the oil. If an emergency arises, even a high level of water contaminants can be removed.
An OCM provides continuous purification of lubricating and hydraulic oils while the equipment in which they are used is in operation. If required, the OCM can continue operating while the primary equipment is at a standstill.
The impact of contaminants in oil
Contaminants in lubricating and hydraulic oils have serious effects on system performance, operating costs and durability.
For example, the presence of solid particles:
- abrades metal surfaces
- increases friction
- clogs filters
Similarly, if water is present in the oil, this:
- causes corrosion
- reacts with additives
- forms oil/water emulsions
- causes significant deterioration in the performance of the oil.
Cleanliness counts
OCM oil cleaning modules are specifically designed to remove contaminant particles, solid impurities and free water from mineral lubricating and hydraulic oils.
This is important because clean, uncontaminated oil:
- extends the service life of all kinds of equipment by as much as 50%
- eliminates or reduces corrosion by removing free water present in the oil
- ensures longer uptime operation, thus boosting productivity
- results in significant reductions in machinery wear and breakdowns
- cuts operating costs by reducing oil consumption
- extends oil service life and therefore reduces replacement and disposal costs
- improves both product quality and the working environment.
Features and benefits
- Simple skid-mounted design that is compact and robust
- Removes both solids and water at the same time, and on a continuous basis
- Easy, rapid start-up procedure
- Low operating costs
- Low maintenance requirements, with easy access
- Eliminates need to dispose of filter cartridges, ensuring that sludge disposal has minimal environmental impact
- Extremely reliable, ensuring long service life.
Operating principle
Separation takes place in a disc stack centrifuge. The feed is pumped into the centrifuge where centrifugal force separates the feed liquid into its different phases. The heaviest of these phases – sludge and water – are forced to the periphery of the bowl. The sludge component is deposited in the sludge space and must be removed manually at regular intervals. The clean oil and the separated water are discharged on a continuous basis.