Merco CH-38

High Capacity Centrifuge

for Corn Starch Processing
 Corn
Process Water Effluent
STEEPING EVAPORATION

MILLING
Process Water Yld 7,3 %
SO2

DEGERMINATION GERM WASHING GERM DEWATERING

Germ
MILLING

DEGERMINATION Yld 6,5 %

STARCH EXTRACTION

FINE MILLING Process Water Yld 16,8 %

STARCH EXTRACTION FIBRE WASHING FIBRE DEWATERING

Fiber + CSL

DEGRITTING

Process Water
MILLST. THICKENING Process Water Yld 5,7 %

PRIMARY SEPARATION GLUTEN CONCENTR. GLUTEN DEWATERING

Fresh Water Process Water Gluten

STARCH WASHING CLARIFICATION

Yld 67 %
CWM Process: 4 Stage Centrifuge System
Starch Milk www.alfalaval.com
© Alfa Laval Slide 2
 Starch-Gluten Separation / Starch Washing
From Extraction
PW PW

14% DS 38% DS
MST PS GT

Gluten
PW
GLUTEN FILTER
12 Bé 18 Bé

Fresh Water
PW

CL

MULTICYCLONE SYSTEM
To extr. 22 Bé

12 Bé

Starch Milk

CWM Process: 4 Centrifuge Stage System

© Alfa Laval Slide 3 www.alfalaval.com
Working Principle of Merco Centrifuge

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 Mill Stream Thickener (MST)
Feed (from fiber separation) Purpose:
• Solubles block – recycles water with
6-10 Baume
the highest solubles level back to
steeping
• Reduces hydraulic load on primary &
GT centrifuges
Overflow (O/F) • Provides clarified water for steeping
(to steeping) and germ washing
1% v/v Spin Volume • Provides constant density feed to
primary centrifuges assuring optimum
process efficiency
Underflow (U/F)
(to primary feed) Mechanical Features:
10-14 Baume • Operation at or near maximum speed
with the minimum disc stack spacing to
provide a high solids recovery (clean
O/F)
• Internal recycle of U/F prevents
Internal Recycle plugging and provides single point
process control

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 5 www.alfalaval.com

 Primary Starch Separator (PS)
Feed (MST U/F + CL U/F + Bypass) Purpose:
• HEART OF CWM PROCESS -
6-13 Baume
separation of gluten from starch
• U/F concentration high enough to allow
gluten to float out O/F
• O/F quality overrules U/F purity -
Overflow (O/F)
protein in U/F is recoverable but starch
(to GT feed) in O/F is not recoverable
6-10% v/v Spin Volume • Wash water used to displace entrapped
66-70% DS Protein gluten particles and soluble protein to
O/F
Underflow (U/F)
(to starch washing) Mechanical Features:
17-20 Baume • Operation at lower speed with the
3-5% DS Protein maximum disc stack spacing to classify
the starch and gluten particles
• Internal recycle of U/F prevents
plugging, provides single point process
Internal Recycle control and provides high efficiency
Wash displacement washing
(from CL O/F)
© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 6 www.alfalaval.com
 Primary Starch Separator
Underflow and Overflow Split
Feed + Runaround

Overflow to Water
Gluten Thickener

Gluten

Underflow to Starch
Starch Washing

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 7 www.alfalaval.com

 Gluten Thickener (GT)
Feed (primary O/F + filtrate + belt wash)
6-10% v/v Spin Volume Purpose:
10-20 gpl • Concentrates light gluten (primary
O/F) to reduce hydraulic load on the
gluten dewatering filters (results in less
filters)
Overflow (O/F)
(to germ wash &) • Filtrate and belt wash water from
fiber wash) gluten dewatering filters recycled to GT
feed for maximum gluten recovery
1% v/v Spin Volume
• Provides clarified water for germ
washing and fiber washing

Underflow (U/F) Mechanical Features:

(to gluten filter) • Operation at maximum speed with the
45-55% v/v minimum disc stack spacing to provide
Spin Volume a high solids recovery (clean O/F)
140-150 gpl • Internal recycle of U/F prevents
plugging and provides single point
process control

Internal Recycle

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 8 www.alfalaval.com

 Clarifier (CL)
Feed (from starch washing)
Purpose:
4-6 Baume
• Concentrates “run-around” (recycle)
from starch washing system
• Reduces hydraulic load on primary &
Overflow (O/F) GT centrifuges
(to primary wash &
• Clarifier O/F is cleanest source of
fiber wash)
wash water for primary wash and fiber
1% v/v Spin Volume wash

Mechanical Features:
Underflow (U/F)
• Operation at or near maximum speed
(to primary feed)
with the minimum disc stack spacing to
12-13 Baume provide a high solids recovery (clean
O/F)
• Internal recycle of U/F prevents
plugging and provides single point
process control
Internal Recycle

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 9 www.alfalaval.com

 ALIMER Project – Merco CH-38
Goals: Higher capacity, Lower power consumption, Easier Maintenance

Higher capacity & Lower power consumption: More easy maintenance:

• 20 - 30 % higher capacity than H36B
• More disc stack area
• Larger bowl volume
• High efficiency nozzles
• Improved power generator
• More efficient return impeller
• More efficient feed inlet
• H36B easily converted to H38
• impeller with feed tubes)
Less HP per GPM
(power reduction by 25% at the same flow rate as
H36B)
• New jam nut for connection of shafts
• New upper shaft with taper lock
• New nozzles & nozzle removal tool
• New lock ring & lock ring tool
• Disc stack can be removed with feed well
• New one piece return impeller
• Primary easily converted to MST, GT, CL
(only have to change disc stack, return tubes and feed

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 10 www.alfalaval.com

H-36B vs H-38
Primary Rotor

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H-36B vs H-38
MST, GT, CL Rotor

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 Feed Impeller CH-38

© Alfa Laval 2001 PS MST, GT, CL

Slide 13 www.alfalaval.com
 Merco CH-38 Rotor

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 14 www.alfalaval.com

 Merco CH-38
MST, PS, GT, CL

• Hydraulic capacity 400 m3/h

• Installed power 225/260 kW

• Rotor liquid volume 202 l

• Rotor weight 1720 kg

• Max. bowl speed at 50 Hz 2950 rpm

• g value at max. bowl Di 4300

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Merco CH-38 Nominal Capacities

• MST
1000 GPM (230 m3/h) @ 8 Be
• Primary
1100 GPM (250 m3/h) @ 10 Be
• GT
900 GPM (200 m3/h) @ 20 g/l
• CL
1000 GPM (230 m3/h) @ 5 Be

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 Merco CH 38 Performance
Experienced Data

• Primary Separation (PS)

- New installed CH38 primaries (2)
(double UF, 2450 RPM bowl speed, 225 kW motor)

Side by side with BH36B primaries

Capacity increase of 60% (283 m3/h vs 177 m3/h)

- Converted BH36B primary to H38 design

(single UF, 2250 RPM bowl speed, 180 kW motor)

Side by side with BH36B primaries

Capacity increase of 33% (227 m3/h vs 170 m3/h)

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 17 www.alfalaval.com

 Merco CH-38 Performance
Experienced Data

• Mill Stream Thickening (MST)

- Converted BH36B MST to H38 design
Machine with a double UF outlets
Capacity increase of 35% (306 m3/h vs 227 m3/h)
• Gluten Thickening (GT)
- Converted BH36B GT to H38 design
Capacity increase of 23% (181 m3/h vs 147 m3/h)
Power reduction of 29% (223 amps vs 316 amps)
Gluten yield increase of 15% when operated at same 147 m3/h feed rate
(0.06 ml OF vs 0.16 ml OF)
Power reduction of 32% when operated at same 147 m3/h feed rate
(215 amps vs 316 amps)

© Alfa Laval 2001 Slide 18 www.alfalaval.com

Merco CH-38 Lock Ring

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Merco H-38 Lock Ring Wrench

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Hydraulic Jack Assembly

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Merco CH-38 Bearing Assembly
Simplified Sheave Assembly with Taper Lock

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Merco CH-38 Jam Nut

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Merco CH-38 High Efficiency
Nozzle with Bowl Bushing

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Merco CH-38 Nozzle Tool

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High Efficiency Nozzle Installation

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www.alfalaval.com