Application of Tubular Centrifuges in Spirulina Separation
I. Introduction
Spirulina is a microalgae with extremely high nutritional value and broad application prospects. It is rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and various bioactive substances, and is highly favored in fields such as food, health products, cosmetics, and medicine. Efficiently separating spirulina from the cultivation water is one of the key steps in realizing its industrial utilization. As a high - efficiency centrifugal separation device, the tubular centrifuge demonstrates excellent application value in the process of spirulina separation, providing strong technical support for the development of the spirulina industry.
Product Parameters
| Model |
GQ75 |
GQ105 |
GQ125 |
GQ150 |
| Drum Diameter |
75mm |
105mm |
125mm |
150mm |
| Rotating Speed of Drum |
19000rpm |
16300rpm |
15000rpm |
14000rpm |
| Centrifugal force |
15200G |
15620G |
15700G |
15600G |
| Capacity |
600L/H |
1200L/H |
1500L/H |
2500L/H |
| Motor |
1.5kw |
2.2KW |
3.0KW |
3.0KW |
| Weight |
300kg |
500kg |
550kg |
600kg |
Dimension |
760*450*1120mm |
840*500*1600mm |
900*550*1600mm |
950*600*1600mm |
We will provide one year's worth of accessories for free. And professional disassembly tools are also available.
Application
A tubular centrifuge is mainly composed of a high - speed rotating slender drum, a driving device, a feeding system, and a discharging system. Its operation is based on the principle of centrifugal sedimentation. When the suspension containing spirulina enters the high - speed rotating drum (the rotational speed can usually reach 15,000 - 50,000 revolutions per minute or even higher) through the feeding port, under the action of a strong centrifugal force field, due to the density difference between spirulina cells and other components in the cultivation water (such as water, dissolved minerals, microorganisms, etc.), the spirulina cells are subjected to a relatively large centrifugal force and rapidly move towards the drum wall and settle. Meanwhile, the liquid phase with a lower density stays closer to the center of the drum. Through a well - designed discharging device, the spirulina settled on the drum wall can be collected, and the clear liquid is discharged from another outlet, thus achieving the effective separation of spirulina from the cultivation water.
(1) High Separation Efficiency
- Rapid Sedimentation
The ultra - high rotational speed of the tubular centrifuge can generate a strong centrifugal force. Compared with traditional gravity sedimentation or low - speed centrifugation methods, it can greatly shorten the sedimentation time of spirulina. In large - scale spirulina cultivation and production, it can process a large amount of suspension in a short time, significantly improving production efficiency. For example, traditional gravity sedimentation may take several hours or even days to make spirulina settle, while the tubular centrifuge can complete the separation of the same volume of suspension within a few minutes to dozens of minutes.
- Continuous Operation
The tubular centrifuge can achieve continuous feeding and discharging, which is suitable for large - scale industrial production. At a spirulina cultivation base, the spirulina suspension from the cultivation pond can be continuously fed into the centrifuge. After separation, the separated spirulina and clear liquid are continuously output. The whole process does not require frequent shutdowns, greatly improving the continuity and stability of production.
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(2) High - Purity Products
- Effective Impurity Removal
The strong centrifugal force of the tubular centrifuge can effectively separate tiny impurity particles in the suspension, such as bacteria, other plankton, and undissolved solid particles. If these impurities remain in the spirulina product, they will affect the quality and safety of the product. Through the fine separation of the tubular centrifuge, relatively high - purity spirulina can be obtained, meeting the strict requirements of food, health products, etc. for high - purity raw materials. Research shows that the impurity content of spirulina separated by a tubular centrifuge can be reduced to an extremely low level, and the product purity is significantly improved.
- Reduced Biological Contamination
During the separation process, due to the relatively closed environment inside the tubular centrifuge and the rapid separation process, secondary contamination of spirulina by external microorganisms can be reduced. This is crucial for maintaining the biological activity and quality stability of spirulina, especially when preparing high - end spirulina products, which can ensure the safety and effectiveness of the products.
(3) Gentle Separation Process
- Protection of Cell Integrity
Spirulina cells are relatively fragile. If they are subjected to excessive mechanical force during the separation process, the cells are likely to rupture, resulting in the loss of their nutritional components and biological activity. During the high - speed rotation of the tubular centrifuge, the shear force generated is relatively small, which can maintain the integrity of spirulina cells to the greatest extent. This enables the separated spirulina to retain its natural nutritional components and biological activity, providing high - quality raw materials for subsequent product development. For example, when used in the production of spirulina health products, the intact cell structure helps the human body better absorb the nutritional substances.
- Maintenance of Biological Activity
Many bioactive substances in spirulina, such as phycocyanin and γ - linolenic acid, are sensitive to factors such as temperature and shear force. The gentle separation process of the tubular centrifuge avoids the inactivation of bioactive substances caused by high temperature or high shear force. This is of great significance for the development of spirulina products with specific functions, such as antioxidant and immunomodulatory functional foods and health products.
IV. Application Examples
(1) Food and Health Product Fields
- Spirulina Powder Production
A large - scale spirulina production enterprise uses a tubular centrifuge for separation in the process of preparing spirulina powder. First, the spirulina cultivation liquid is fed into the tubular centrifuge, and after separation, a preliminarily concentrated spirulina slurry is obtained. Then, the spirulina slurry is further dried, crushed, etc., and finally, high - quality spirulina powder is obtained. After using the tubular centrifuge, the enterprise's spirulina powder production increased by 30%, and the product purity increased from the original 85% to over 95%. The competitiveness of the product in the market has been significantly enhanced.
- Spirulina Health Product Processing
When producing health products such as spirulina soft capsules, high - purity and well - active spirulina raw materials are required. A well - known health product company uses a tubular centrifuge to separate and purify spirulina, ensuring that the effective components in spirulina are not damaged during the processing. The spirulina health products produced by the company have a good reputation in the market, and consumers feedback that their efficacy is obvious, which is largely due to the high - quality raw materials provided by the tubular centrifuge.
(2) Cosmetics Field
- Application of Spirulina Extracts
Some cosmetics companies use spirulina extracts in the production of skin - care products to exert their moisturizing and antioxidant effects. Before extracting the effective components of spirulina, a tubular centrifuge is used to separate spirulina, removing impurities and moisture to obtain pure spirulina cells. The spirulina effective components extracted in this way have high purity and can better play their role in cosmetics. For example, a certain brand of spirulina moisturizing mask uses spirulina extracts processed by a tubular centrifuge, and the product's moisturizing effect and stability have been highly recognized by consumers.
(3) Bioenergy Research
- Processing of Spirulina Raw Materials for Biodiesel
In the research on using spirulina to prepare biodiesel, it is necessary to efficiently separate spirulina from the cultivation water and conduct subsequent processing. The tubular centrifuge can quickly separate spirulina, providing sufficient raw materials for biodiesel production. At the same time, due to its gentle separation process, it will not damage the oil components in spirulina, which is beneficial for subsequent oil extraction and conversion. A scientific research institution successfully improved the preparation efficiency and yield of biodiesel by using a tubular centrifuge to separate spirulina, providing a feasible technical solution for the application of spirulina in the bioenergy field.
V. Precautions in Application
(1) Sample Pretreatment
- Filtering of Large - Particle Impurities
Before feeding the spirulina suspension into the tubular centrifuge, preliminary filtering must be carried out to remove large - particle impurities such as debris in the cultivation pond and larger plankton. These large - particle impurities may clog the feeding pipeline of the centrifuge or damage the drum, affecting the normal operation of the centrifuge. Simple and effective methods such as screen filtering can be used for pretreatment.
- Adjustment of pH Value and Temperature
Under different pH values and temperature conditions, the stability and sedimentation performance of spirulina cells will vary. Before separation, it is necessary to adjust the pH value and temperature of the suspension to an appropriate range according to the characteristics of spirulina to improve the separation efficiency and product quality. For example, for some varieties of spirulina, when the pH value is adjusted to 7 - 8 and the temperature is controlled at 25 - 30°C, the separation effect is the best.
(2) Equipment Maintenance and Upkeep
- Regular Inspection of the Drum
The drum of the tubular centrifuge is subjected to a huge centrifugal force during high - speed rotation and is prone to wear. Regularly check the wear of the drum, and promptly replace the severely worn drum to prevent safety accidents caused by drum rupture. At the same time, check the dynamic balance of the drum to ensure the stability of the centrifuge during operation.
- Maintenance of the Driving Device and Seals
The driving device is a key component to ensure the normal operation of the centrifuge. It is necessary to regularly lubricate and maintain it, check the working status of components such as the motor and belt, and promptly replace damaged components. In addition, the good performance of the seals is crucial for preventing leakage. Regularly check and replace the seals to ensure the internal sealing of the centrifuge and avoid material leakage and the entry of external impurities.
(3) Optimization of Operating Parameters
- Adjustment of Rotational Speed
According to the concentration, density of the spirulina suspension, and separation requirements, reasonably adjust the rotational speed of the tubular centrifuge. An excessively high rotational speed may cause the rupture of spirulina cells, while an excessively low rotational speed will result in low separation efficiency. Determine the optimal rotational speed through experiments to ensure both the separation effect and the maximum protection of spirulina cells. For example, for a spirulina suspension with a relatively high concentration, the rotational speed can be appropriately increased to accelerate the separation speed; for a separation process with high requirements for cell integrity, the rotational speed needs to be reduced.
- Control of Feeding Speed
An excessively fast feeding speed will make the material distribution in the centrifuge uneven, affecting the separation effect; an excessively slow feeding speed will reduce production efficiency. According to the processing capacity of the centrifuge and the properties of the suspension, precisely control the feeding speed to ensure that the centrifuge operates in a stable working state. Generally, at the beginning of separation, the feeding speed can be appropriately reduced, and after the centrifuge operates stably, it can be gradually adjusted to an appropriate feeding speed.
VI. Conclusion
With its high - efficiency separation performance, high - purity product output, and gentle separation process, the tubular centrifuge demonstrates great advantages and broad application prospects in the field of spirulina separation. From the food and health product industries to the cosmetics and bioenergy fields, the tubular centrifuge provides key technical support for the industrial utilization of spirulina. With the continuous development of the spirulina industry and the increasing requirements for separation technology, the tubular centrifuge will continue to innovate and improve in terms of equipment performance optimization and intelligent control, further promoting the spirulina industry to develop in the direction of high - efficiency, high - quality, and sustainability, and making greater contributions to meeting people's needs for healthy and environmentally friendly products.
Detailed Photos
FAQ
Q1.What's your advantage? Why we choose you?
A:1) More than 50 years experience of centrifuge & separator production and R&D.We have the most professional techniques and team. More advantage in price.
2)Great production capacity Sustainable Supply . According to customer requirements, We support the customized include package.
3)We use Internationally renowned brand Inverter and PLC . Good quality materials and the best production process
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A:We are a professional manufacturer. We are warmly welcome clients from worldwide to visit our factory and cooperate with us.
Q4.How long is the warranty period ?
A:18 months after install .
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