Three-phase separation

Three-phase separation has now become a significant alternative in the food industry, both for starch production for separating wheat starch and gluten or for extracting animal or vegetable fat and oil. 

In all these processes two liquids have to be separated from a solid phase. Previous processes used a decanter or separator to separate the solid from the liquid phase. The liquid phase then had to undergo another stage to separate the two liquids. That meant at least two machines which had to be bought, maintained and operated. High costs for power, space and loss of value can force many companies to their knees.

The Flottweg Tricanter takes care of these processes in a single machine. It makes it possible to separate two liquid phases from a solid phase as long as they cannot dissolve in each other. All in a single process.

The decisive difference from previous decanters is the way in which the liquid is discharged. There are two liquid phases in a Tricanter. 

A ‘heavy’ liquid phase (higher density and discharged under pressure) as well as a 'light' liquid phase (lower density and discharged without pressure). The adjustable impeller discharges the ‘heavy’ liquid phase. 

Furthermore, the operator can use the adjustable impeller to adjust the pond depth of the heavy liquid without difficulty during ongoing operation. An adjustment mechanism causes the position of the impeller to change, thus changing the separation line of the liquids. The process engineering results can therefore be influenced so as to achieve the required separation result .

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