The invention relates to a solid bowl centrifuge with a horizontal elongated, hollow, rotatable, solid-wall bowl (2) with an inlet and an outlet and a rotatable screw conveyor with a shaft (6) and helical screw (7) rotatable mounted inside said bowl and extending substantially the full length thereof. It is mainly characterized in that on the shaft there are mounted a number of truncated conical discs (24), whereby the discs are directly surrounded by the helical screw. With such design the decanter capacity can be increased and the polymer consumption reduced. Further power consumption can be reduced by obtaining the same performances as the traditional decanter at lower rotational speed (lower g-force).

The invention relates to a solid bowl centrifuge with a horizontal elongated, hollow, rotatable, solid-wall bowl (2) with an inlet and an outlet and a rotatable screw conveyor with a shaft (6) and helical screw (7) rotatable mounted inside said bowl and extending substantially the full length thereof. It is mainly characterized in that on the shaft there are mounted a number of truncated conical discs (24), whereby the discs are directly surrounded by the helical screw. With such design the decanter capacity can be increased and the polymer consumption reduced. Further power consumption can be reduced by obtaining the same performances as the traditional decanter at lower rotational speed (lower g-force).

A centrifugal mechanical separator comprises a disk stack formed by an additive manufacturing process (i.e., 3D printing), where the stack comprises a plurality of disk elements (which may range anywhere from a few to a few hundred). The disk stack is positioned within a proper-sized bowl (with proper inlet and outlet ports), which may also formed using an additive manufacturing process. A bowl cover and inlet/outlet assembly may also be formed using additive manufacturing, where the various dimensions and tolerances of each component (disk stack, bowl, bowl cover, and inlet/outlet assembly) are carefully controlled by the additive manufacturing process, reducing the costs and complexities associated with traditional centrifuge manufacture.

A centrifugal mechanical separator comprises a disk stack formed by an additive manufacturing process (i.e., 3D printing), where the stack comprises a plurality of disk elements (which may range anywhere from a few to a few hundred). The disk stack is positioned within a proper-sized bowl (with proper inlet and outlet ports), which may also formed using an additive manufacturing process. A bowl cover and inlet/outlet assembly may also be formed using additive manufacturing, where the various dimensions and tolerances of each component (disk stack, bowl, bowl cover, and inlet/outlet assembly) are carefully controlled by the additive manufacturing process, reducing the costs and complexities associated with traditional centrifuge manufacture.

A rotor assembly (10, 150, 270, 310) and method of using the rotor assembly (10, 150, 270, 310). The rotor assembly (10, 150, 270, 310) includes a bio-process bag (48), a drum (46) that receives a lower portion of the bag (48), and a pressure ring (50). A holder (54, 182) couples an upper portion of the bag (48) to the pressure ring (50). The pressure ring (50) is coupled to the drum (46) to define an interior space that contains the bag (48). A liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272) passes through an opening in the holder (54, 182) so that liquids can be added to, and removed from, the bag (48) without removing the rotor (16, 154) from the centrifuge. A bearing assembly (190) in the holder (54, 182) couples the liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272) to the rotor (16, 154), and enables the liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272) to remain stationary while the rotor (16, 154) rotates around it. One or more seal assemblies (276, 312) provide a fluid-tight seal against the outer portion of the liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272), and prevent fluids from leaking from the bag (48) during centrifugation.

A rotor assembly (10, 150, 270, 310) and method of using the rotor assembly (10, 150, 270, 310). The rotor assembly (10, 150, 270, 310) includes a bio-process bag (48), a drum (46) that receives a lower portion of the bag (48), and a pressure ring (50). A holder (54, 182) couples an upper portion of the bag (48) to the pressure ring (50). The pressure ring (50) is coupled to the drum (46) to define an interior space that contains the bag (48). A liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272) passes through an opening in the holder (54, 182) so that liquids can be added to, and removed from, the bag (48) without removing the rotor (16, 154) from the centrifuge. A bearing assembly (190) in the holder (54, 182) couples the liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272) to the rotor (16, 154), and enables the liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272) to remain stationary while the rotor (16, 154) rotates around it. One or more seal assemblies (276, 312) provide a fluid-tight seal against the outer portion of the liquid transport assembly (35, 178, 272), and prevent fluids from leaking from the bag (48) during centrifugation.

A fluid separation device includes a centrifugal separator configured to receive a centrifugal separation chamber of a disposable fluid flow circuit, a pump system configured to convey a fluid into the centrifugal separation chamber and to remove a separated fluid component from the centrifugal separation chamber via an outlet, a color-based interface monitoring system configured to determine an interface position between separated fluid components continuously flowing through the centrifugal separation chamber based on dominant wavelength measurements of layers of separated fluid components during a centrifugal separation procedure, and a controller configured to measure the dominant wavelengths of the layers, calculate a duration as a color time for each measured dominant wavelength, set target color times, calculate error signals and calculate control signals to adjust the pump system to control the flow rate and interface position.

A fluid separation device includes a centrifugal separator configured to receive a centrifugal separation chamber of a disposable fluid flow circuit, a pump system configured to convey a fluid into the centrifugal separation chamber and to remove a separated fluid component from the centrifugal separation chamber via an outlet, a color-based interface monitoring system configured to determine an interface position between separated fluid components continuously flowing through the centrifugal separation chamber based on dominant wavelength measurements of layers of separated fluid components during a centrifugal separation procedure, and a controller configured to measure the dominant wavelengths of the layers, calculate a duration as a color time for each measured dominant wavelength, set target color times, calculate error signals and calculate control signals to adjust the pump system to control the flow rate and interface position.

An outlet nozzle for centrifugal drums has a nozzle body with at least one cylindrical portion and having an insert connected to the nozzle body. An inlet channel and an outlet channel, which is oriented at an angle with respect to the inlet channel, are formed in the nozzle body. The insert has a torque transmitting contour for arranging a tool with a complementary tool torque transmitting contour in position in order to rotatingly secure the nozzle body in an opening of a rotatable centrifugal drum and to release said nozzle body. The insert also has a polygonal cross-section, which is smaller than the cross-section of the cylindrical section. The insert starting from the polygonal, in particular, rectangular cross-section, merges with the cylindrical section of the nozzle body over rounded surfaces having a radius greater than 1.0 mm.

An outlet nozzle for centrifugal drums has a nozzle body with at least one cylindrical portion and having an insert connected to the nozzle body. An inlet channel and an outlet channel, which is oriented at an angle with respect to the inlet channel, are formed in the nozzle body. The insert has a torque transmitting contour for arranging a tool with a complementary tool torque transmitting contour in position in order to rotatingly secure the nozzle body in an opening of a rotatable centrifugal drum and to release said nozzle body. The insert also has a polygonal cross-section, which is smaller than the cross-section of the cylindrical section. The insert starting from the polygonal, in particular, rectangular cross-section, merges with the cylindrical section of the nozzle body over rounded surfaces having a radius greater than 1.0 mm.