Alfie - the Time Machine
November 1st 2006 Alfie, Alfa Laval's portable centrifugal separation system has slashed the time needed to clean and recycle cutting fluids at the plant of titanium product supplier TIMET from 24hours to 10 minutes. VAR melting furnaces are used at the Witton plant for the processing of raw materials, including titanium sponge. If cutting fluid in the machines becomes contaminated with tramp oils it can rapidly deteriorate, affecting cutting accuracy and efficiency. Tramp oil also creates smoke during heavy milling operations and, if not removed, caps off the cutting fluid in the sump, encouraging growth of anaerobic bacteria. In the past, TIMET used coalescer/skimmers to keep cutting fluids free of contaminants and tramp oil - although reasonably efficient, they were very slow. So the company tried the Alfie 400 separator as an alternative. The 400 model uses centrifugal force to separate out tramp oil, metal fines and swarf, down to 1 micron, from cutting fluids, coolants and other industrial fluids. Spinning at up to 10,000 rpm, the centrifuge bowl hurls solid matter to the periphery of the bowl and separates the fluid into heavy and light phases. Alfie is fully mobile and, once wheeled into position and connected to a power source, is ready to start work immediately. More articles from Alfa Laval Limited: | 
