Overview
Vacuum dehydration is very effective at removing dissolved water. Large amounts of free water or emulsion, however, slow the vacuum stage down. A centrifuge removes that bulk water and sludge first, by density, before the oil reaches the vacuum chamber.
TOFM builds the centrifuge into the oil filtration plant itself, with shared controls. It is a specialised configuration engineered in-house by TOFM, and few oil filtration manufacturers offer it.
How does the integrated centrifuge and filtration plant work?
Features and advantages
Handles wet oil
Removes free water and sludge that would otherwise slow vacuum treatment.
One integrated system
Centrifuge, heater, filters and vacuum stage in one plant with shared controls.
Industrial automation
Coordinated control of the centrifuge and filtration stages where specified.
One supplier
One manufacturer for the plant, service and spare parts.
Applications
- Transformer oil with high free-water content
- Oil drained from flooded or leaking equipment
- Storage tank bottoms and oil with sludge
- Turbine and governor oil with water ingress
- Hydro-electric power plant oil systems
- Bulk oil reconditioning projects
Industries served
- Power utilities and transmission companies
- Hydro-electric power plants
- Transformer repairers
- Oil and gas facilities
- EPC contractors
Technical specifications
| Configuration | Oil-water centrifugal separator integrated with TOFM oil filtration plant |
|---|---|
| Filtration plant capacity range | 500 LPH to 20,000 LPH |
| Centrifuge throughput | Matched to the filtration plant capacity, as per requirement |
| Water removal performance | Removes free and emulsified water; vacuum stage then dries oil to 3 to 5 ppm |
| Sludge discharge | Manual or automatic (self-cleaning) bowl, as per requirement Typical |
| Vacuum level (filtration plant) | 760 mmHg (gauge), below 0.1 mbar absolute |
| BDV after treatment | Up to 80 kV |
| Controls | Integrated with the filtration plant, PLC / HMI where specified |
| Minimum order quantity | 1 unit |
| Manufacturing lead time | Up to 60 to 70 days |
Specifications depend on the model and configuration. Request the datasheet for your capacity.
Frequently asked questions
Why add a centrifuge if vacuum filtration already removes water?
Vacuum dehydration removes dissolved water efficiently, but large volumes of free water or emulsion slow it down. The centrifuge takes out the bulk free water and sludge first, so the vacuum stage works on oil it can treat effectively.
Does the centrifuge replace vacuum dehydration?
No. A centrifuge separates free water and heavy particles by density, but it does not remove dissolved water or gases. The two stages work together.
When is the integrated centrifuge recommended?
It suits oil with visible free water, emulsions or sludge, such as oil from flooded equipment, tank bottoms, or turbine oil systems with water ingress.
Can the centrifuge be used with lube or hydraulic oil plants?
TOFM integrates the centrifuge with its oil filtration plants. Ask for a technical consultation to confirm the right configuration for your oil type.
