Market Comparison: Why buy a centrifuge?
Batch example:
WITHOUT a centrifuge:
If biodiesel was produced in 100 gallon (380 liter) batches requiring one hour to react and allowing for glycerin to settle out for 8 hours (minimum time recommended), you could produce 100 gallons per 9 hour day. That is 2000 gallons per month based on a 9 hour, 5 day a week schedule. To increase output, you would have to have an additional eight 100 gallon settling tanks which introduces complication due to maintaining heat to the tanks, physical storage area, and then the requirement to decant it the next day.
WITH a centrifuge:
Using the same 100 gallon reactor, the vegetable oil is reacted in one hour and then transferred to a 100 gallon holding tank. Another batch of biodiesel would then be started in the reactor while at the same time using the centrifuge to separate out the contents of the holding tank. The separation would take 20 minutes at 5 gpm without need of monitoring. Now you can process 800 gallons (8 times more) in one 9 hour day. That is 16,000 gallons per month based on a 9 hour, 5 day a week schedule. Because the centrifuge is automatic, it is very simple to start, separate product without adjustment, and shutdown.
PROFIT comparison: Comparing these two examples, if the profit made per gallon of biodiesel was $1, you would make $14,000 more each month with the centrifuge.
Continuous production example:
Current technology centrifuges sell for much more at comparable flow rates, and should be run continuously 24 hours a day to minimize losses and problems. They require an agitated homogeneous mixture entering the centrifuge. Some of these systems employ 5 kW motors and complex routing systems.
The PC-5 centrifuge sells for much less for the same flow rate, and can be run continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or used in batch modes. Additionally, it runs quieter (65-70 db), can be shut down and restarted easily, and only uses a 1.5 kW motor. Another benefit is that if the production system were to supply a near pure concentration of biodiesel or glycerin, the PC-5 unit can sense this condition and automatically react and handle it unlike the current technology centrifuges. That means it can run unattended. It can be monitored for warning or recording purposes (outputs that can be read by a PLC).
We also will be offering a higher flow rate centrifuge, PC-10 for the continuous process plant and larger batch facilities. Multiple centrifuges can be placed in parallel to increase throughput.
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