Used Cooking Oil Recovery from Food Waste Fermentation Liquid
Two LWS580×2400CX Three-Phase Decanter Centrifuges for Centralized Oil-Water-Solid Separation
Project Background
A bio-environmental technology company collects food waste fermentation liquid from multiple kitchen waste treatment plants and carries out centralized separation before downstream oil handling. To match this process arrangement, the project was equipped with two LWS580×2400CX three-phase decanter centrifuges.
The incoming material is fermented food waste liquid rather than raw kitchen waste. Even so, the feed still contains free oil, water, fine suspended solids, and composition changes between batches from different source plants. The separation step therefore needs to recover the oil phase continuously while keeping the overall process line easy to operate and maintain.
Customer Challenges
- Feed collected from multiple upstream plants shows noticeable variation in oil content, water content, and fine solids loading
- Fermentation liquid can contain emulsified oil and sticky solids, which raises the difficulty of stable three-phase separation
- The oil recovery section needs steady discharge to avoid interruptions to downstream storage and transfer
- Because the project handles centralized material collection, the separation equipment must provide enough operating flexibility for load changes and maintenance planning
- The installation area requires a layout that keeps piping, access, and daily inspection practical for operators
ZK SEPARATION Solution
The project adopted two LWS580×2400CX three-phase decanter centrifuges as the core separation equipment. This configuration allows the plant to separate oil, water, and solids in one continuous step while keeping the line flexible for routine operation.
Process Role
In the separation section, collected fermentation liquid is fed to the decanters for three-phase separation. The recovered oil phase is sent to downstream collection, the aqueous phase is discharged for subsequent handling, and the solids phase is conveyed out of the bowl. For this kind of centralized feed, the decanter acts as the key interface between upstream collection and downstream oil recovery.
Equipment Configuration
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Three-Phase Separation for Fermented Food Waste Liquid
The LWS580×2400CX configuration is suited to mixtures that contain two liquid phases and suspended solids. Adjustable separation settings help operators respond to changes in feed condition from different source plants.
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Dual-Unit Arrangement
Two machines installed in parallel give the plant more flexibility for shared loading, planned maintenance, and changes in incoming material volume.
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Compact Platform Installation
The on-site layout places both decanters on the same elevated platform, which helps organize piping runs and leaves working space for inspection and servicing.
Project Overview
- Customer Industry Bio-environmental Technology
- Application Used Cooking Oil Recovery
- Feed Material Food Waste Fermentation Liquid
- Material Source Collected from Multiple Kitchen Waste Treatment Plants
- Equipment Model LWS580×2400CX
- Number of Units 2
- Separation Duty Oil / Water / Solids
- Reference Model Capacity ≥15-20 m³/h per unit
- Reference Bowl Speed 3000 rpm
Site Installation and Separated Oil Phase
The installation photos show two LWS580×2400CX units arranged on one indoor platform with accessible service space around the machines. The project video captures the recovered oil phase after decanter separation and reflects the actual discharge condition on site.
Application Results
- Process Match: The two-unit arrangement fits centralized treatment of fermentation liquid collected from multiple source plants
- Oil Phase Recovery: On-site discharge shows the separated oil phase can be collected continuously after decanter treatment
- Three-Phase Duty: The decanter performs the required split between recovered oil, aqueous phase, and solids in one separation stage
- Operational Flexibility: Parallel installation helps the plant schedule maintenance and respond to changes in incoming feed volume
- Practical Layout: Platform installation keeps access and piping relatively clear for routine inspection and cleaning
Why This Configuration Fits the Process
Variable Feed Requires Adjustable Separation
For fermented kitchen waste liquid, feed condition usually changes with source, storage time, and upstream pretreatment condition. A three-phase decanter gives operators a practical way to tune separation so that the oil outlet remains usable even when feed consistency changes.
Reference Model Data
The following values are standard reference data for the LWS580×2400C(X) model configuration and are listed here for engineering and procurement review, rather than as site acceptance figures.
- Bowl Speed: 3000 rpm
- Separation Factor: 2948 G
- Main Motor Power: 55-75 kW
- Back Drive Power: 18.5 kW
- Reference Capacity: ≥15-20 m³/h per unit
- Machine Weight: 7550 kg
Why Two Units Were Appropriate
When feed is collected from several upstream plants, inflow can fluctuate and maintenance windows are not always easy to arrange. A dual-machine layout gives the plant more scheduling room and reduces the risk that the whole oil recovery section stops for one service task.
Process Notes for Similar Projects
In this type of application, stable inlet condition, routine cleaning, and timely adjustment of separation settings are important. These practical operating details often matter as much as nameplate capacity when the goal is to keep oil discharge stable over time.
