Electronically controlled hydraulic decanter centrifuge

A centrifuge system comprising:

• a centrifuge having a rotational axis;
• a feed line fluidly connected with the centrifuge, an amount of feed flowing through the feed line into the centrifuge defining a load on the centrifuge;
• a feed pump in fluid communication with the centrifuge via the feed line, the feed pump configured to pump fluid into the centrifuge at a fluid feed rate;
• an electric motor;
• a fluid reservoir for holding hydraulic fluid;
• a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor, fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir, and configured to pump hydraulic fluid from the fluid reservoir;
• one or more hydraulic motors fluidly connected to the hydraulic pump and the fluid reservoir and operatively connected to the centrifuge, the one or more hydraulic motors configured to provide torque to the centrifuge to rotate the centrifuge about its rotational axis at a rotational speed;
• a pressure sensor fluidly connected to the one or more hydraulic motors and configured to measure a pressure of hydraulic fluid flowing to the one or more hydraulic motors from the hydraulic pump;
• a speed sensor configured to measure the rotational speed of the centrifuge;
• and
• a controller, in communication with the hydraulic pump, the feed pump, the one or more hydraulic motors, the pressure sensor, and the speed sensor, the controller configured to:
• receive measurements from the pressure sensor and the speed sensor;
• adjust the pressure of the hydraulic fluid flowing to the one or more hydraulic motors to maintain the rotational speed of the centrifuge based on differing loads;
• determine an increase in hydraulic pressure provided by the hydraulic pump would be beyond a maximum hydraulic pressure;
• and
• decrease the fluid feed rate of the feed pump to maintain the rotational speed of the centrifuge.