Solid bowl centrifuge and method for regulating the separation process of the solid bowl centrifuge

A solid bowl centrifuge comprising:

• a rotor with a bowl configured to rotate about an axis of rotation during operation of the solid bowl centrifuge, wherein the rotor include which has an inlet for a suspension to be processed in a centrifugal field and a separation chamber in which a screw, which is configured to rotate during the operation of the solid bowl centrifuge, is arranged;
• a solid material discharge configured to discharge a solids phase;
• at least one liquid outlet configured to discharge at least one liquid phase,
• wherein the at least one liquid outlet has a device configured to influence a pond depth in the separation chamber or a diameter of a separation zone in the separation chamber,
• wherein the device has one or more pressure chambers, into each of which a fluid supply line opens, via which a gas pressure in a respective one of the one or more pressure chambers is influenceable in order to apply the gas pressure in the respective one of the one or more pressure chambers to at least one liquid surface of draining liquid phase to influence the diameter of the pond depth or the diameter of the separation zone in the bowl during operation of the solid bowl centrifuge to adjust the diameter of the pond depth or the diameter of the separation zone in the bowl in a controlled or regulated manner,
• wherein the one or more pressure chambers are formed in the rotor, and
• wherein one or more functional discs are arranged in a region of one of more pressure chambers, wherein all of the one or more functional discs rotate with the rotor during operation.

A method for operating a solid bowl centrifuge, the method comprising:

• providing a solid bowl centrifuge, which comprises
• a rotor with a bowl configured to rotate about an axis of rotation during operation of the solid bowl centrifuge, wherein the rotor include which has an inlet for a suspension to be processed in a centrifugal field and a separation chamber in which a screw, which is configured to rotate during the operation of the solid bowl centrifuge, is arranged;
• a solid material discharge configured to discharge a solids phase;
• at least one liquid outlet configured to discharge at least one liquid phase,
• wherein the at least one liquid outlet has a device configured to influence a pond depth in the separation chamber or a diameter of a separation zone in the separation chamber,
• wherein the device has one or more pressure chambers, into each of which a fluid supply line opens, via which a gas pressure in a respective one of the one or more pressure chambers is influenceable in order to apply the gas pressure in the respective one of the one or more pressure chambers to at least one liquid surface of draining liquid phase to influence the diameter of the pond depth or the diameter of the separation zone in the bowl during operation of the solid bowl centrifuge to adjust the diameter of the pond depth or the diameter of the separation zone in the bowl in a controlled or regulated manner,
• wherein the one or more pressure chambers are formed in the rotor, and
• wherein one or more functional discs are arranged in a region of one of more pressure chambers, wherein all of the one or more functional discs rotate with the rotor during operation;
• and
• regulating a separation process of the solid bowl centrifuge by adjusting a gas pressure in the one or more pressure chamber, into which a gas is introduced, which is fed through a rotary feedthrough into the rotor of the bowl and then into a respective one of the one or more pressure chambers.