Design heuristics are methods based on experience which serve the purpose of reducing the need for calculations with regards to equipment sizing, operating parameters or performance.

One of the important design heuristics to be considered when employing decanter centrifuge for oil drilling fluid solids control system is the scale of the process. Decanter centrifuge should ideally be used in large scale processes. This is to optimise economic value, since smaller scale processes do not necessarily require such costly equipment to attain the desired product.

Decanter Centrifuge

Another design heuristic to be considered is the length to diameter ratio of the decanter centrifuge. A length to diameter ratio of 2, 3 and 4 are commonly used. Decanter centrifuges with the same diameter but longer length would have a higher capacity for conveying solids and attain a larger suspension volume, which would enhance the settling out of fine solids.

The beach angle at the conical section of a decanter centrifuge is a design heuristic, which must also be taken into consideration. The slippage force acting on solids in the direction of the liquid pool increases by a large magnitude when solids exit the pool onto the beach. A decanter centrifuge possessing a small cone angle is able to produce a lower slippage force compared to a large cone angle. A low cone angle is beneficial when solids do not compact properly and possess a soft texture. Additionally, low cone angles result in a lower wear rate on the scroll and are beneficial when being used with very compact solids requiring a large magnitude of torque to move.

The magnitude of centrifugal force being used must also be considered. Centrifugal force aids with dewatering, but hinders the transport of cake in the dry beach. Hence, a tradeoff exists between cake conveyance and cake dewatering. A balance between the two is necessary in setting the pool and G-force for a particular application. Additionally, a larger centrifuge will produce better separation than a smaller centrifuge with the same bowl speed as a greater G-force would be produced.

In the cylindrical section of the decanter centrifuge, the pool should ideally be shallow in order to maximise G-force for separation. Alternatively, a deeper pool is advantageous when the cake layer is too thick and the finer particles entrain into the fast liquid stream, since a thicker buffer liquid layer is present to help settle suspended solids. The compromise between cake dryness and clarity of centrate is to be considered. The reason behind this trade-off is that in losing fine solids to centrate, the cake with bigger particles is able to dewater more effectively which results in drier cake. Optimal pool for a particular application should be identified through the conduction of tests.

Another important heuristic is the differential speed, which controls cake transport. A high differential speed would give rise to a high solids throughput. A high differential speed also reduces cake residence time.

A decanter centrifuge is an excellent solids control equipment for separating liquid and solid mixtures in the field of oil drilling mud solids control. Industrial work and water processing plants are often tasked with purifying substances with variable amounts of solid material, and a decanter centrifuge is engineered to remove any and all contaminates from sewage and effluent sludge. Centrifuges are also capable of separating disparate fluids such as weighted or non-weighted oil and water based liquids. For example, those in the beverage industry commonly employ decanter centrifuges to extract juices. Utilizing basic gravitational force, the centrifuge divides the denser, weightier solids from the lighter, effluviant liquid. Consequently, decanter centrifuges are utilized by a variety of industries with applications extending from water processing to the manufacturing of stainless steel.