Centrifugal paper cleaners are used in the pulp and paper industry to remove unwanted contaminants from pulp or paper stock. These contaminants can include dirt, sand, shives, small fibers, and other impurities that can affect the quality of the final paper product. Centrifugal cleaners work on the principle of centrifugal force and are typically installed in the stock preparation stage of papermaking processes. Here’s how they work:
Inlet: The pulp or paper stock containing contaminants is fed into the centrifugal cleaner through an inlet. The inlet is designed to create a tangential flow of the stock, which imparts a swirling motion to the mixture.
Centrifugal Force: Once inside the cleaner, the stock and contaminants are subjected to centrifugal force due to the rapid rotation of the cleaner’s inner drum or rotor. The centrifugal force causes the heavier contaminants to move toward the outer wall of the cleaner, while the cleaner stock moves toward the center of the drum.
Separation: The contaminants, being heavier, are forced against the outer wall of the cleaner by the centrifugal force, and they accumulate there. The clean stock, which is lighter and free of contaminants, moves toward the center of the cleaner.
Outlet: The cleaned stock exits the cleaner through the center outlet, while the accumulated contaminants are removed from the outer wall. The contaminants can be periodically purged from the cleaner to maintain its efficiency.
Adjustment: Centrifugal cleaners often have adjustable settings to control the separation efficiency. Operators can vary the cleaner’s operating parameters, such as the feed rate, drum speed, and cone angle, to optimize the separation process for different types of contaminants and pulp or paper stocks.
They can operate continuously and provide high efficiency in removing heavy contaminants such as coffee filters. They are often used in conjunction with other cleaning processes, such as screening and flotation, to achieve the desired quality and cleanliness of the pulp or paper stock before it is used in the papermaking process.
Facilities: North Carolina State University
