How An Oil Cleaning Centrifuge Works

Full flow filters are designed to process all of the oil used to lubricate the moving parts of an engine. However, the need to maintain a high flow and limit pressure drop across the oil supply system, require large porasity filter media which restricts the ability to filter out sub-micron particles. Full flow filters therefore essentially act as a screen or barrier against the progress of large abrasive particles through the lubrication oil circuit, which may cause catastrophic failure.

Powerfully Effective: The Mann+Hummel oil cleaning centrifuge is a highly efficient bypass filtration device and processes the sump/tank contents approximately 10x per hour. A centrifuge is not a barrier type filtration device and does not rely upon filtration media to remove contaminant particles. Removal of contaminant particles is based on their relative density/weight, therefore contaminant removal is not limited to particle size.It is typically powered only by engine oil pressure, although pump-assisted units are also available.

The centrifuge operates at speeds from 2000 to 10,000 rpm, generating a force more than 2000/3000 times greater than gravity.This force extracts solid contaminants from the fluid stream and deposits them on the inner wall of the cleanable rotor as a dense, solid cake.Cleaning the Centrifuge is a simple operation involving removing the rotor, thoroughly cleaning out the contents, replacing the paper insert, inspecting the O-Rings and re-assembling for continued use.

Working principle: Oil is pumped into the centrifuge at engine oil pump pressure and directed into a hollow spindle where it exits via a cross drilling into the centrifuge rotor. The rotor becomes full of pressurised oil that is then forced to exit through two tangentially opposed nozzles in the rotor base. This causes rotation of the free spinning rotor assembly thus generating the centrifugal force within the rotor. As contaminant particles enter the rotor they are subjected to a centrifugal force, causing them to migrate rapidly outwards to the inner surface of the rotor wall where, over time they compact to form a dense cake. We offer clean and re-assemble rotor designs as well as disposable rotors for some models.

Centrifuge Operation:

1) Dirty oil enters the separation chamber under normal pressure, flowing up through a hollow spindle.

2) Oil passes through a spinning rotor where centrifugal force 2,000/3,000 times greater than gravity separates contaminants from the oil.

3) Contaminants accumulate on the rotor surface as a solid cake.

4) Clean oil exits through opposing, twin nozzles that power the centrifuge up to 6,000 rpm.

5) Clean oil returns to the sump/reservoir from the level control base – Gravity drain options are commonly used as well.