The Centrisys-Viscotherm Backdrive is the Most Efficient in the Centrifuge Industry

What are the benefits of the ROTODIFF^® backdrive?

Our Viscotherm ROTODIFF^® hydraulic backdrive is powerful and precise, achieving the highest torque-to-weight ratio with the best process control. By using hydraulics we eliminate the gearbox, and as a result simplify the design, radically reducing the number of moving parts and wear components. The Centrisys scroll drive delivers unmatched reliability with lower operating costs— a direct benefit to our customers.

Hydraulics is a Trusted Technology: Whether we realize it or not, hydraulic technology is a part of our daily lives. It is a reliable and precise technology that delivers maximum power using the smallest footprint. Hydraulic components are a fundamental part of the steering and braking system in every car manufactured today. Hydraulics are used in nearly all forms of daily travel: planes, trains, boats, and cars. It is commonly used in manufacturing facilities from heavy lifting to material handling.

Hydraulics is a Versatile Application: It is used in industrial, military and transportation applications where there is no room for error, and where work is dangerous, dirty or unforgiving. Examples include jet airliners, railways, ships, nuclear submarines, elevators, construction equipment, mining, drilling, and more. This technology is so versatile that it can be used in widely differing environmental conditions – from the most sterile to the dirtiest.

Hydraulic Scroll Drive Increases Capacity: Precise speed control and the highest torque capabilities allow for increased through-put capacities.

Hydraulic Scroll Drive Maximizes Recovered Energy: The Centrisys CERS (Centrifuge Energy Recovery System)concept is equivalent to technology used in today’s hybrid automobiles, high-performance race cars, and the aerospace industry. The Centrisys system captures energy from the rotating bowl. This recovered energy powers the hydraulic scroll drive at shutdown or power failure, allowing for seamless backup continued operation with controlled scroll speed. Since the scroll continues to unload solids from the bowl, it prevents costly dismantling to free up a blocked centrifuge.

Our Hydraulic Technology Offers the Highest Energy Efficiency: Hydraulic technology operates independently from the main drive. Gearbox machines generally rely on the main drive; using solids removal mechanisms that apply braking (additional drag) to the bowl and maindrive. (Think of driving a car with the parking brake on.) Unnecessary braking with gearbox technology results in the need for larger main drive motors. Commonly, a centrifuge requires a main drive motor that is 50% larger in comparison to a centrifuge with our hydraulic scroll drive system to accomplish the same job. For every one horsepower needed to move solids out of the machine, one horsepower must be added to the main drive to overcome this braking action. The Centrisys scroll drive uses only the energy needed to drive the scroll; it is independent of the main drive, therefore no energy from the main drive is wasted.

The Truth About Hydraulic Scroll Drives

Misconception: Hydraulic drives are not efficient.
Fact: With Rotodiff technology our hydraulic system is the most capable in the industry. Fewer (slow-moving) parts create less friction, and energy loss is minimized. Precise control of the scroll at any speed increases centrifuge capabilities and efficiency, even when loading conditions fluctuate. Hydraulics do not put a drag or load on the main motor and use only the power needed to turn the scroll.

Misconception: A hydraulic system is not effective in messy, dirty or hazardous environments.
Fact: Hydraulic technology is commonly used in rugged environments with high levels of shock, vibration, dust, water, corrosive chemicals and other potential hazards. Industries using hydraulic technology include construction, agriculture, marine, military, mining, paper production, drilling and tunneling. Hydraulic systems are used in mines, chemical plants, near explosives and in paint applications, because they are inherently spark-free and can tolerate high temperatures. Hydraulics have the strength and reliability for jobs requiring the best, most durable heavy equipment.

Misconception: Hydraulic systems are noisy.
Fact: Our hydraulic scroll drive is quieter than a gearbox. It has been shown to reduce ambient noise by 15 dB over the older electric scroll drives.

Misconception: Hydraulic systems are messy and leak.
Fact: Because fluids are enclosed in a contained system, there is virtually no leakage in modern hydraulics. Advanced sealing techniques and materials and state-of-the-art electronics are so efficient that today’s manufacturers can raise the operating pressures of their pumps. It is not unusual to find hydraulic systems operating without leakage at pressures 2,000-3,000 psi higher than just a few years ago.

Misconception: A hydraulic drive is difficult to repair, requiring specialized technicians with hydraulic experience.
Fact: With fewer slow-moving parts and a less complicated design, hydraulic drives are easier to repair than a standard gearbox. Maintenance technicians with the skills to fix gearbox drives are more than capable of repair and maintenance with hydraulics.

Misconception: Hydraulic systems are more maintenance-intense than a typical gearbox.
Fact: On average, hydraulics need only simple oil and filter preventive maintenance, just like a car.

Misconception: Parts for the hydraulic drive are difficult to source.
Fact: Centrisys has distribution centers across the United States and around the world for all hydraulic components. In fact, many parts can be shipped express overnight delivery.

Misconception: Hydraulic technology is old and abandoned by other centrifuge manufacturers.
Fact: Hydraulic technology remains a dominant system in modern industrial manufacturing. No other system is as efficient and effective in transferring energy through small tubes or hoses and other hard-to-reach parts. Hydraulic innovation is progressing at an astonishing rate – so quickly that some experts cite more progress in the last ten years than in the 50 preceding years combined. Competitive centrifuge suppliers have not abandoned a hydraulic scroll drive, since most will offer it as an upgrade to the gearbox.