Centrifuges and related methods of use to dewater mature (fluid) fine tailings

A method of operating and repairing a decanter centrifuge the method comprising:

• operating the decanter centrifuge to continuously process a feed mixture therein, the decanter centrifuge having a bowl and a screw conveyor, the bowl forming a sedimentation chamber with a cake discharge and a centrate discharge, the feed mixture comprising solids and liquids, operating comprising:
• supplying the feed mixture through a feed conduit into a feed chamber formed by a conveyor body of the screw conveyor;
• using an accelerator within the feed chamber to direct the feed mixture into the sedimentation chamber via radial ports in the conveyor body, the accelerator comprising an impeller with plural vanes;
• rotating the bowl and the conveyor body to effect at least a partial phase separation of the solids and liquids of the feed mixture;
• and
• discharging solids through the cake discharge, and discharging liquids through the centrate discharge;
• releasing the plural vanes from the conveyor body and passing the plural vanes out of an axial end of the conveyor body;
• installing a second set of plural vanes in the conveyor body by passing the second set of plural vanes through the axial end of the conveyor body, and mounting the second set of plural vanes to the conveyor body;
• and
• operating the decanter centrifuge to continuously process the feed mixture.