Service_Training_safety

Safety rules
For your safety
Strictly adhere to instructions marked with this symbol. This avoids damage to the separator and other equipment.
Take special care when carrying out operations marked with this symbol - otherwise danger to life !
This symbol is not a safety precaution but rather a reference to information which help
to better understand the separator or plant
components and the processes.

Safety rules
Observe the accident prevention regulations !
The local safety and accident prevention regulations apply unconditionally to the operation of the separator. The plant operator must ensure compliance with these regulations.
When operating electrical apparatus, certain parts carry dangerous voltage. Before working in electrical components, take adequate preventive measures according to the national provisions (in Germany in accordance with the rules and regulations of the VDE (Verein Deutscher Elektrotechnik / Association of German Electrical Engineering) or of the local electric power company. Non-compliance with the protective measures can result in serious damage to persons or property. Any work on electrical components may only be carried out by an authorized electrician.

Safety rules
Only qualified or authorized specialized staff may operate, maintain and repair the separator. Corresponding training courses take place in the manufacturer’s plant or are held on site by the manufacturer.
Follow the instructions in the manual. Follow only the instructions given in the manual. Repair and maintenance work that goes beyond the scope described in this manual may not be carried out.
Operate the separator only in accordance with agreed process and operating parameters.
Maintain the separator as specified in the manual.
Carry out safety checks on the separator.

Safety markings
The safety markings (adhesive and metal plates) are attached to all separators on the hood and frame of the respective separator in such a way that they are clearly visible. All safety markings on the separator, control system and plant components must always be in perfect condition.
- Clean dirty safety markings.
- Replace damaged safety markings.

Safety markings
1 Safety sticker
2 Oil quality
3 Plates
4 Nameplate
5 Maker's nameplate

Safety markings
The following safety markings must be attached to the separator as adhesive labels.

Safety markings
Refer to the machine documentation !
Every person who is assigned the task of installing, operating, maintaining and repairing the machine must have read and understood the documentation.
The documentation must be complete kept near to the machine and be readily accessible to the operators. It must be available to the operators at all times !

Safety markings
Before carrying out work, disconnect power to the all components of the monitoring system !
Risk of injury due to electrical voltage and unintended start-up of the separator !

Safety markings
Before carrying out work on the separator and electrical plant components: Make sure the separator is at a
standstill.
Switch off all electrical
appliances via the main switch,
Lock the installation to prevent
it from being accidentally
switched on.

Safety markings
Danger of life and limb through rotating machine parts !
Do not loosen any part and do not carry out maintenance or repair on the separator before the separator is at a standstill !

Safety markings
Warning of unusual noises or vibrations !
When unusual noises or vibrations occur on the separator:
immediately shut down the
separator via “emergency-
stop”
- evacuate the room
Do not re-enter the room until
the centrifuge has come to a
standstill.

Safety markings
Warning of extreme surface temperatures !
The surfaces of the separator and plant components can be hot!
Note: This adhesive plate is only used for hot operation.

Safety rules
Liability for the function of the machine passes to the owner.
Liability for the function of the machine passes unconditionally to the owner or operator irrespective of existing warranty periods in so far as the machine is improperly maintained or serviced by persons other than Westfalia Separator service personnel or if the machine is not applied in accordance with the intended use.
Westfalia Separator shall not be liable for damage which occurs as a result of non-observance of the above. Warranty and liability conditions in the Conditions of Sale and Delivery of Westfalia Separator are not extended by the above.

Correct usage
The separator is designed:
for a very high bowl speed. The admissible bowl speed
depends on the chemical and physical properties of the
product:
- Temperature
- Density of the fluid and solid components.
- for products which contain no corrosive and erosive
components. The aggressiveness of the product influences
the careful selection of the bowl material. Only products
conforming to the specifications on the nameplate may be
processed.

Correct usage
The separator is designed:
in accordance with the method of application of the
separator agreed with Westfalia Separator. Refer to the
data sheet and contractually agreements.
in accordance with the admissible utilities (cleaning agents,
lubricants, operating liquids etc.) specified in the
documentation or on the data sheet.

Intended use
intended use involves:
paying attention to the safety precautions, the instruction
manual of the separator and the safety markings on the
separator.
adhering to the data on the nameplate, e.g. maximum
admissible bowl speed.
Further information on the intended use of the separator
such as
- agreed areas,
- density of the product,
- throughput capacities,
- temperatures, pressures etc.
is given in the documentation or the data sheet furnished with the documentation.

Intended use
The contractually agreed conditions agreed with Westfalia
Separator on the intended use of the separator must be
passed on to the operating personnel by the plant operator.
Any operating mode deviating from this is not intended use and can result in severe damage to property and persons !

Non-compliance with the intended use
Any use that deviates from the intended use is
considered to be non-compliant. Non-compliance with intended use can result in severe damage to property and persons !
The separator may not be operated by:
Persons who have not read and understood these basic
safety precautions.
Persons who have not read and understood the instruction
manual of the separator.
Persons who have not been briefed on proper and correct
operation.
Persons who have not been adequately trained.
Persons who have not reached the minimum age of 18
years.

Non-compliance with the intended use

Non-compliance with the intended use
The separator may not be operated by:
When the product does not conform to the specifications on
the nameplate.
Product with excessively high density.
Solids with excessively high density.
Product with excessively high temperature.
When the max. admissible bowl speed has been exceeded
through e.g. manipulation of the drive.
in an incomplete state of assembly
- e.g. required supervisory equipment is not activated
or has been switched off.
- the required safety and/or protective covers have not been installed.
When the separator is operated with spare parts which does
not come from Westfalia Separator.

Basic operating principles
Separators are used for the separation of liquid mixtures or for the separation of solids out of liquids or liquid mixtures.
High centrifugal forces are produced in the rotating bowl. Under the influence of the centrifugal forces, separation of the liquid mixture and/or ejection of the solids particles takes place most rapidly.
The specifically heavier components are displaced to the bowl periphery, whereas the specifically lighter components are displaced towards the centre of the bowl. The high centrifugal force is produced by very high bowl speeds. On the one hand, high bowl speeds signify high efficiency, while on the other hand, they signify high material stressing of the separator.

Operations on the separator
The separator works reliably, provided that it is operated and maintained in accordance with the operating instructions.
Special attention must be given to:
Assembly
Electrical installation
Before start-up
Start-up
Shut-down
Maintenance and repair

Operations on the separator
Demands on the operating and maintenance personnel:
Operating, maintaining or repairing the separator or the separator plant requires specialized knowledge.
CAUTION ! Operating, maintenance or repair work by unqualified or unauthorized personnel can lead to operating, assembly and handling errors and severe damage to persons and property.
Westfalia Separator accepts no liability for damage caused by unqualified or unauthorized personnel !

Operations on the separator
Demands on the operating and maintenance personnel:
The operator of the separator or separator plant:
is responsible for the necessary skills and knowledge of the
personnel.
is responsible for briefing and training the personnel.
must be sure that the personnel have read and understood
the manuals necessary to carry out their work.
Electrical work may only be carried out by an authorized
electrician !
Westfalia Separator offers an extensive range of training and advanced training courses. You can obtain further information from Westfalia Separator or from one of the authorized representatives.

Spare part requirements
Use only genuine spare parts from Westfalia Separator.
The use of non-genuine parts leads to:
safety risks,
less durability and availability,
increased service requirement.
If a safety risk occurs when using non-original spare parts, this may have legal consequences for the responsible persons. In such cases, Westfalia Separator accepts no liability or warranty claims.

Assembly
If the plant has several centrifuges, be careful not to interchange parts of different bowls since each bowl has been balanced individually. The bowl parts are marked with the serial-number of the machine or with the last three digits of the serial-number.

Assembly
Damaged parts must be replaced immediately by new or reconditioned parts.

Assembly
CAUTION:
Some bowl parts may be pre-assembled and balanced only by specialists from Westfalia Separator or in workshops authorized by Westfalia Separator.
Unqualified balancing can lead to dangerous operating states (vibrations) and destruction of the separator with danger to life.

Assembly
CAUTION:
To avoid unbalance, when replacing some bowl parts like:
Lock ring
Bowl top
Distributor
Bowl bottom
Water chamber bottom
Westfalia Separator must be consulted. These parts are marked with a footnote in the separator manual.

Assembly
Some bowl parts are
arranged in fixed positions
relative to one another.
Locking devices and
alignment marks must be in
perfect condition. The bowl
must otherwise not be
operated.

Assembly
When transporting and
assembling machine parts,
avoid crushing and shear
strain.

Assembly
When assembling the bowl,
be sure to strictly adhere to
the assembly instructions in
order to avoid undue
imbalance.
Before starting the bowl,
be sure to fit all parts.

Assembly
Tighten the bowl lock ring
securely: the "O" marks on
the bowl bottom or bowl
top and on the lock ring
must be in line with each
other.
Pay attention to the
position of the marks !
CAUTION: A loose lock ring can endanger life !

Assembly
Tighten the spindle screw
with the separator-specific
torque (left-hand thread) !
CAUTION: A loose spindle screw can endanger life !

Assembly
Tighten the centripetal
pump chamber lock ring
securely (left-hand thread) !
CAUTION: A loose lock ring can endanger life !

Assembly
Carefully fasten hood 1,
feed and discharge housing
2 and centripetal pump 3.

Assembly
Check if the machine is
completely assembled and
properly installed.

Assembly
The bowls are balanced in the factory at the balancing rim on the bowl top as well as bowl bottom.
It may become necessary to send the bowl for re-balancing after replacing certain bowl parts.

Assembly
Beside the separator motor and clutch the bowl might by a possible reason for vibrations as a result of unbalance. The position of the bowl parts are fixed by means of arresting pins and "0" marks. Attention: A wrong assembled bowl will cause unbalance. Danger !
Left hand thread !

Assembly
To avoid unbalance of bowl as a result of the interchange of bowl parts the bowl serial number is punched an all critical bowl parts. Those parts are not available as spare parts. The exchange on site must be carried our by Westfalia Separator certified Field Service Engineer.

Assembly
In case the bowl is spinning for a longer period of time without product this will result in bowl overheating due to friction on air in the frame. Overheating is a very serious problem because the bowl as well as bowl gasket material, bowl speed, tolerances of bowl parts etc. it all depends on the operating temperature.
Overheating quite often means the total loss of the bowl. Westfalia keeps a certain number of loan / exchange bowl in stock. A repair is possible in one of our certified workshops.
max. 30 min

Assembly
Clean and wipe dry the spindle cone as well as the bowl hub with a cloth. Do not grease the cone parts as this will result in bowl damages.

Electrical installation
Electrical work may only be
carried out by an
authorized electrician !
The governing accident
prevention regulations
apply for the electrical
appliances and installations.
Special attention must be
paid to the installation
guidelines of Westfalia
Separator.

Electrical installation
The frequency and voltage
of the power supply must
correspond to the machine
specifications.
carry out voltage equalization
Observe legal regulations
e.g. in the EU:
Low-voltage guideline
73/23/EWG
Electro-magnetic compatibility
89/336/EWG.
Guidelines of the
classification societies.

Before start-up
Check that the bowl lock
ring has been firmly
tightened.
The "O" marks on bowl
bottom or bowl top and on
the lock ring must be
aligned.

Before start-up
The bowl must rotate in
clockwise direction (see arrow on frame, solids
collector or electric motor).

Before start-up
The separator may only be
operated with protection devices conforming to EN
294.
Equip solid and liquid
discharges accordingly
where appropriate.

Before start-up
Check that the lubrication
and cooling systems are serviceable.

Before start-up
Check whether the
supervisory equipment is
operational and the correct
limit values are adjusted.
When hoods, concentrate
collectors and vessels are
pressurized, e.g. by inert gas
blanketing, cooling, steam
sterilization etc. the
pressures stated on the
boiler plate must not be
exceeded.

Before start-up
Check that the product lines
are set to operation. Regularly check hoses for
signs of ageing.
Check sight glasses for
mechanical damage.
Damaged parts must be
replaced immediately by
new or reconditioned parts.

Starting
Refer to chapter “operation”
Note nameplate:
The values for:
- bowl speed,
density of the heavy liquid,
density of the solids
(centrifugally dry) are
maximum values and must
not be exceeded.

Starting
Wear ear protection.

Starting
In case of frequency converter
operation:
Do not under any
circumstances manipulate the
frequency converter to
exceed the permissible bowl
speed (see nameplate).
The separator may only be
operated with an
independent device for speed
limiting.

Starting
Do not feed product which is
categorised as explosive.
The separator must not be
used in areas where explosion
protection is required.

Starting
- When processing products
harmful to persons, observe
the pertinent safety
regulations.
Refer to the safety data sheet
of the product.
- Wear protective clothing.

Starting
The health hazards involved when handling heavy oils and lube oils
As a result of the deterioration in quality of fuel oils, the danger has arisen that the heavy oils used on board contain greater amounts of substances injurious to health. These include:
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,
lead compounds,
chemical residues.

Starting
The health hazards involved when handling heavy oils and lube oils
An increased amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is also present in used lube oils (waste oils). The health hazards for the engine room staff depend to a large extent
on the concentrations of the dangerous substances,
the ambient air (inhalation of oil vapours/oil mist),
the intensity and duration of the contact with the skin or
mucous membrane.

Starting
The health hazards involved when handling heavy oils and lube oils
Possible short-term effects:
headaches, dizziness, nausea, itching or burning of the skin
Possible long-term effects:
allergic reactions, especially skin allergies,
festering inflammation of the skin pores (oil-acne),
damage to the central nervous system after inhalation over
a long period,
skin cancer caused by direct skin contact over a long
period,
Lung cancer or cancer of the digestive organs after
inhalation over a long period (not certain as the causes are
difficult to separate from the effects of smoking and
alcohol).

Starting
Code of practice and personal protective measures
Avoid skin contact with heavy oils or lube oils if possible !
Wear suitable protective gloves.
Apply a protective ointment to the skin, especially if no
protective gloves are worn ! Personal hygiene is of the
utmost importance!
Avoid breathing in oil vapours if possible !
If possible, improve the air circulation in the room ! Fully
open the air regulation flaps in the outlets of the air
supply ducts in the centrifuge and filter area.
Wash affected areas of skin frequently and thoroughly !
Change dirty overalls regularly !
Exercise special care when carrying out maintenance work
on and cleaning heavy oil and lube oil centrifuges and
filters !

Starting
When unusual noises or vibrations occur on the separator:
Immediately shut down the
separator with filled bowl via
“emergency-off”.
Never trigger a bowl ejection !
Evacuate the room.
Do not re-enter the room
until the centrifuge has come
to a standstill.

Starting
Only in case of hot operation:
Product-contacting parts such
as:
- pipes and hoses,
- hood,
- solids catcher
reach temperatures over 80 °C (176 °F).

Shut-down and “Emergency-Off”
For shut-down refer to the
chapter "Operation" of the
manual and follow the start-up
and shut-down instructions.
In a hazardous situation, press
the emergency-off button.
The emergency-off button is
on the control cabinet (see
electrical documentation).

Maintenance and repair
Unfavourable operating conditions may require shorter maintenance intervals. The factors listed below are unfavourable because they either attack the separator material directly or impair the lubrication/cooling system:
aggressive product (chemical or physical)
high product temperature
product with grease-decaying properties
environment: temperature, dust, vapours

Maintenance and repair
Particularly high-stressed
separator parts like:
- Bowl lock ring,
- Bowl bottom,
- Bowl top and
- other bowl parts with a large
outer diameter must be
checked regularly to assure
safe and efficient operation.

Maintenance and repair
Timely maintenance of the separator and replacement of worn or damaged machine parts is essential for safe operation of the machine.
Use only genuine spare parts from Westfalia Separator.
Otherwise, safety risks may arise.
Carry out the required cleaning thoroughly.
One-sided solid deposits in the bowl cause severe unbalance !
Maintenance and repair work may only be carried out to the extent described in the instruction manual. Maintenance and repair work not described in this manual may only be carried out by the manufacturer or by "repair shops" authorized by the manufacturer. We, therefore, recommend in your own interest to have your separator inspected by our service engineers at regular intervals. These checks help to maintain the operating safety and avoid unexpected downtime.

Maintenance and repair
Before carrying out work on the separator and electrical plant components:
Make sure the separator is at a
standstill.
Switch off all electrical
appliances via the main switch, - Lock the installation to
prevent it from being
accidentally switched on.

Maintenance and repair
Do not loosen any part and do not carry out maintenance or repair work on the separator before the separator is at a standstill !

Maintenance and repair
CAUTION:
Danger of life through rotating separator parts !
In case of a torn, jumped off or defective drive belt:
No parts of the separator may be lossened before the bowl
has come to a standstill.
The run-down time without drive belt (see table below)
until dismantling the separator must be observed !
- Applying the brake is uneffective !

Maintenance and repair
Do not climb onto or stand on
the machine or parts of the
machine.
Make provision for and use a
sturdy working platform.

Maintenance and repair
Place dismantled machine
parts on a suitable base, e.g.
rubber mat.
Secure the machine parts
against overturning and rolling
away with suitable aids.

Maintenance and repair
Do not heat bowl parts with
the naked flame. Bowl parts must never be
welded. This also applies for
hood and solids catcher parts
of steam-sterilizable
separators.
Even during cleaning the bowl
parts the temperature must
not exceed 100 °C (212 °F).

Maintenance and repair
Load-carrying equipment such as:
lifting devices for bowl or distributor,
chains etc.
may only be used for work routines as described in the instruction manual.
Do not use damaged or incomplete load carrying equipment.

Maintenance and repair
All load suspension devices
have to be checked for
completeness and for possible
damage at least once a year.
In addition, when using load
suspension devices and hoists,
the applicable legislation and
safety rules have to be strictly
observed.

Maintenance and repair
Collect dripping oil to prevent
danger of slipping or product
infection.
When handling waste oils
note:
- They can be injurious to
health, depending on their
chemical composition.
- Waste oil must be disposed
of in accordance with local
regulations.

Maintenance and repair

Maintenance and repair

Maintenance and repair

Maintenance and repair

Corrosion
Corrosion can also affect bowl parts made of stainless steel. This corrosion can be flat-spread or pit- or crack-shaped and merits special attention.
Corrosion on stainless steel bowl material should be examined thoroughly and documented. Flat-spread corrosion can usually be measured (reduction of wall thickness).
Pit- or crack-shaped corrosion cannot be measured without the risk of damage. At the initial stage pit-shaped corrosion is generally caused by chlorine ions (seawater !). Depending on the stressing of the part, pit-shaped corrosion can result in crack-shaped corrosion.

Corrosion
Possible formation of pit-shaped corrosion.
In case of crack-shaped corrosion attack with or without superposed flat-spread and pit-shaped corrosion on main bowl components, the machine must be shut down immediately !
Such pittings can only be investigated by a materials expert. Contact your nearest Westfalia Separator representative for a thorough examination.

Corrosion
Pittings which are close together or form a linear pattern can signify crack formation beneath the surface. Such pittings should be investigated by a materials expert.

Corrosion

Corrosion

Corrosion

Corrosion

Erosion
Erosion is caused by solid particles in the process liquid.
These solid particles grind marks into the surfaces with which they come into contact. The following factors favour the occurrence of erosion:
hard solids particles
high throughput capacities
The first signs of erosion should be carefully observed and documented. Erosion can deepen rapidly, thereby weakening the bowl material.
Contact your nearest Westfalia Separator representative for a thorough examination. Information on the nature of the damage can be provided by photos, plaster casts or lead molds.

Erosion
The surfaces most susceptible to erosion are:
the bottom of the distributor, the rising channels and the ribs,
the centripetal pump (cavitation),
all surfaces in the area of the solids discharge ports,
the nozzles

Erosion
Signs of erosion which you should immediately report to your nearest Westfalia Separator representative:
The bottom of the erosion mark has a radius smaller
than 1 mm (large notch effect).
The depth of erosion mark exceeds 1 mm (0.04 inch) at
the deepest point.

Erosion

Erosion

Erosion

Cleaning the bowl
It is generally not necessary to dismantle self-cleaning bowls for cleaning after separation unless:
The nature of the product makes it necessary,
The separator is to be shut down for a lengthy period
Dismantle and clean the bowl for checking from time to
time. See Maintenance schedule in the manual.
Use only a cleaning agent that is approved for the field of
application !
Do not use acid or chloric cleaning agents. Chlorine attacks stainless steel parts.
Dissolve dried scale with citric acid.
For cleaning the individual disks and bowl parts do not use metal scrapers and metal brushes !

Cleaning the bowl
Take the gaskets out of the
bowl parts.
Clean the grooves and gaskets
to avoid corrosion in the
grooves.
Replace damaged, very
swollen, hardened or brittle
gaskets immediately.
Clean the small holes for the
feed and discharge of the
operating liquid with
particular care to ensure
trouble-free bowl ejections.

Cleaning the bowl
Thoroughly clean the gasket
grooves of the individual
bowl parts and apply a thin
coat of grease.
After fitting check that:
- the gaskets are not twisted,
- the gaskets are evenly
positioned in the groove.

Cleaning the bowl
Replacing the four-lip rings or square rings :
check gaskets: when the sealing surfaces on the gaskets
shows sings of wear or are hardened and brittle:
- replace the gaskets
Before fitting the new gaskets:
- stretch the gaskets and
- lighty oil with lube oil
1) four-lip ring
2) square ring

Cleaning the bowl
Clean the distributor between
the ribs with the brush on the
inside and outside. When the
distributor neck is very dirty,
the feed clogs which can cau-
se overflow.
Apply a thin coat of grease to
the guide surfaces and threads
of the bowl parts after drying.
- Re-assemble the bowl
immediately after cleaning.

Cleaning the frame
CAUTION: Danger to life through electrical components !
Never rinse off the motor with a direct water jet.
Use only approved cleaning agents, preferably a neutral
cleaning agent, benzene or diesel oil.
Do not use chloric cleaning agents. Chlorine attacks stainless
steel parts.
Dissolve dried scale with citric acid.
Clean the inside of the upper section of the frame from time
to time.

Cleaning the frame
Place a cloth over the spindle.
When the bowl has been removed, no cleaning liquid must spill onto the drive belt via the spindle.

Cleaning the strainer
Cleaning the strainer and the operating water feeding system
The strainer and the operating water feeding system must be cleaned depending on the quality of the operating water and overall load.
- Use citric acid in case of furring.
Thoroughly clean the parts with water.
Replacing or cleaning the filter element
Close the main valve for operating water, filling and
displacement water !
CAUTION: Danger due to electrical current !
CAUTION: Danger of injury through very hot separator
parts !