Machinery Dictionary Entry
Fuel Oil Purifier
"A high-speed centrifugal separator used to remove water and solid contaminants (sludge) from fuel oil and lubricating oil to protect the engine."
Definition
A Fuel Oil Purifier (or Centrifuge) is a critical piece of machinery that spins at high speeds (6,000 - 10,000 RPM) to separate components of different densities.
Principle
It uses centrifugal force (which is thousands of times stronger than gravity) to separate:
- Heavy Phase: Water and heavy sludge (pushed to the periphery).
- Light Phase: Clean oil (moves towards the center).
Importance
Marine engines run on Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), which is often dirty and contains cat fines (catalytic fines) and water. If not purified, these contaminants would cause rapid wear to the fuel pumps, injectors, and cylinder liners.
Related Terms
Marine Diesel EngineBunker QualityShip Maintenance