Rotor—frame contact in a centrifuge installed on board a ship

The criticality of rotor and stator contact in a large-size marine separator is studied by numerical modelling. Two plausible mechanisms leading to such contact, namely rolling of a ship in steady-state motion and a suddenly occurring unbalance in the rotor, are considered. It is found that contact due to sea motion may be tolerable, while sudden development of unbalance at operating speed can lead to unacceptably high contact forces. This agrees with experience of centrifugal separators operating on board of ships.