Simple Centrifuge Home build

[FastCote]

Originally Posted by vegginpsd

Looks like it should work. Just be certain that the oil temp is at least 120* and you flow rate is about 8gpm. You will love it. Dont discard the oil that comes out of the inner wall. Simply let it settle a little bit, and remove all but the bottom inch and reprocess. I have had a simple centrifuge running since Randy and Mike introduced it a few years ago and love it. Remember 120* plus and 8 gpm. Very important!

TIP- go to a sport shop and buy a tube of bore grease for a muzzle loader. Put it on the shaft and in the bowl recess. It makes the bowl come off way easier!

Veggin,

How did you arrive at the magic numbers for temp and flow rate. Was it trial and error, devine wisdom? In any case, thanks. I have been trying to get someone to give me numbers.

I assume hotter and slower are both ok/better!?!? I stuck a grill thermometer in a hole i just drilled in the acrylic lid. It read a good 140+ through that last barrel.

I am not sure what kind of flow rate i managed. I should get a measuring cup. I assume somewhere in the 6 - 10 range.

[FastCote]

Originally Posted by jblagg

that pic of the trucka nd the boat looks weird is that i standard short bed? it looks really short. It might be the angle or something

Yup is was a glue-together of two or three pics. the boat is 20 feet long (at water line)

[vegginpsd]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

Whew! A real project and you used good quality components cept for the plastic barrel. When you turn that puppy on she is gonna vibrate off that barrel. You need to use a steel drum and solidly mount the centrifudge to the drum or just mount the centrafudge to the concret andpump the oil into the drum. I use lots of centrafudges for honey extraction and things gotta be perfectly balances or they walk.
Question, what is the purpose of slinging the oil against the sides of the pot at 3450 rpm anyway? How is that gonna separate anything out?

My centrifuge has been sitting unbolted on expanded metal for years and has yet to move. The only way you will know its running is by hearing the humm of the motor.

The purpose of running at 3450 rpm is to create the 1200+ g-forces and it does work like something you have never seen. The bowl is already balanced perfectly.

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by FastCote

plastic drums are great. They don't react with the oil, don't rust, and are plenty sturdy. the top I put on it has a ring routed out that allows it to hold itself to the lip on the drum and three pockets in the top hold the centrifuge legs.

As for vibrations, this thing is smooth as butter. That's what the $500 bowl buys you: a perfectly balanced, concentric bowl. There are a few sweet spots as the bowl fills where you find some sympathetic vibrations but it levels out quickly.

The oil smacking the side of the pot is just a byproduct of it spilling over the top of the bowl. That is the point, the water and junk stay IN the bowl - They are heavier and are trapped inside the bowl. the good oil builds up a wall and climbs over the top. see video here: http://www.simplecentrifuge.com/video/how_it_works.wmv

So you have to run it for a few minutes then shut it down to let it drain then on the off then on, off etc? Seems like there should be a better way.
I undrstand better whats going on. Thanks.

How come you don't just heat the oil which will drive off all the water. Then all you have to do is filter it and remove the fine particles of metal. Thats the hard part. Have you had a sample of yoour product analyzed to see how much metal reidue is still in it?

[Allofus123]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

So you have to run it for a few minutes then shut it down to let it drain then on the off then on, off etc?

No, you don't turn it on and off. Depending on how dirty the oil is you you can run it for hours without turning it off. I use a DC20 which is much smaller than the Simple Centrifuge and I can run 3 to 8 hours without a shutdown. Again, depending on how dirty the oil is.

How come you don't just heat the oil which will drive off all the water.

Just heating the oil does not drive off all the water.

[vegginpsd]

Maybe this would help those who have never seen a continuous feed centrifuge. These units set up properly do a remarkable job.


Simple Centrifuge ...putting a centrifuge in every garage!

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by vegginpsd

Maybe this would help those who have never seen a continuous feed centrifuge. These units set up properly do a remarkable job.


Simple Centrifuge ...putting a centrifuge in every garage!

but the video link earlier showed them turning off the cent to allow the water to drain off and to remove the sludge.

You didn't answer my question about whether you ahve had the product you make from wmo tested for heavy metals?
Thanks

[Allofus123]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

but the video link earlier showed them turning off the cent to allow the water to drain off and to remove the sludge.

Yes, when you're ready to clean the bowl you have to turn the system off...just as you would have to turn the system off to change a filter setup.

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

You didn't answer my question about whether you ahve had the product you make from wmo tested for heavy metals?
Thanks

Metals?
I sure don't want to eat at the places you collect your VO at.

[FastCote]

The simple centrifuge bowl will hold HUGE amounts of water and junk. Several people are using it to clean 250+ gallon totes at 10-15 gallons per hour all in one go without ever turning it off. I think I may have gotten you guys distracted by the whole drain hole thing. The holes are simply there to allow the water and some junky oil to exit after it stops. That way you arn't mopping or sucking slop out of the bowl. After that there is a big giant ring of crap inside the bowl. You do have to clean that out, but its not a giant amount of effort.

The point of the centrifuge is that it does a better job filtering and uses ZERO consumables (not counting the electricity used to spin it, which is trivial. Less than the pump most of you guys are using). Many people have spun oil that has been passed through a 2 micron filter and gotten tons more junk out of the oil. Apparently there is lots of stuff in the oil that is very small, but as long as it is heavier than the oil it will still get captured by the centrifuge.

Consider the cost, convenience, energy and time savings with this approach. No prolonged heating, no lengthy settling (no settling at all), no filters to buy. Fill up a bucket, drum, or tote in the morning and by afternoon that same day you are driving on it. Plus, you have a really low complexity system with a very small footprint. Compare my system pic and layout with Clay's in the sticky above (no offense Clay). Clay's system is well thought out and nicely executed but it does require a bunch of valves pumps, etc. There are even simpler approaches than mine if you are willing to let height and gravity do your pumping for you. I just didn't want that much oil up that high in my garage so i added the drum pump.

In fact, I wouldn't mind you stickying this thread as a practical alternative to the filter method most folks are currently using.

[vegginpsd]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

but the video link earlier showed them turning off the cent to allow the water to drain off and to remove the sludge.

You didn't answer my question about whether you ahve had the product you make from wmo tested for heavy metals?
Thanks

I dont recall me making referance to crankcase oil......