Solid bowl centrifuge

A sludge dewatering centrifuge for separating liquid and solid components comprising:

• a conical drum exhibiting a tapered end and an opposing wide end;
• an inner rotor arranged within said conical drum;
• drive means for rotating said drum and said inner rotor at different speeds, associated with said inner rotor and said drum;
• radial inlet means for introducing sludge at said tapered end of said drum;
• surface element means for axially transporting solid components disposed adjacent to an inner surface of said conical drum;
• means for fixing said surface element means connected to said inner rotor wherein said means for fixing traverse a channel free of said surface element means defined between said inner rotor and said surface element means wherein a radial width of said channel is at least 50 % of a radial distance between said inner rotor and said inner surface of said drum;
• a baffle plate connected to said inner rotor defining a compacting area on a side of said baffle plate facing said tapered end and a sediment discharge area on an opposing side of said baffle plate facing said wide end wherein said baffle plate and said drum define an annular passage between said compacting area and said sediment discharge area;
• means for radially inward transport, and discharge, of solid components arranged in said sediment discharge area;
• and
• means for transport, and discharge, of liquid components arranged in said compacting area.