Decanter Centrifuges
High-speed decanter centrifuges for barite recovery, fine-solids removal and industrial sludge dewatering.
Decanter centrifuges are the workhorse of any modern solids control or dewatering system. A high-speed horizontal bowl and a co-rotating scroll separate solids from liquid continuously, delivering clarified fluid at one end and a dewatered solids cake at the other.
Paragon specifies, supplies and supports decanter centrifuges for drilling fluid recovery, barite reclamation, industrial sludge dewatering, mining tailings and wastewater treatment — sizing every unit against actual feed characteristics rather than catalogue defaults.
How it works
- 1Feed slurry enters through a stationary feed pipe into the accelerating chamber of the rotating bowl.
- 2Centrifugal force — typically 2,000–3,500 G in drilling service — throws solids to the bowl wall while clarified liquid moves toward the large-diameter overflow weir.
- 3A co-rotating scroll, running slightly faster or slower than the bowl, conveys the deposited solids up the conical beach to the discharge ports.
- 4Bowl speed, differential speed and pond depth are tuned — usually via VFDs — to match the target cake dryness and clarification quality.
Typical specifications
Specifications indicative — actual configuration sized against your specific process.
Typical applications
- Drilling fluid barite recovery on weighted mud
- Fine-solids removal on unweighted water-based mud
- Dewatering of drilling waste and closed-loop systems
- Sludge dewatering at industrial and municipal wastewater plants
- Mining tailings and mineral slurry dewatering
- Oil-and-water separation on produced water and slop streams
Selection factors
Right-size to feed, not bowl diameter
Bowl size is only one lever. Actual throughput depends on solids loading, particle size distribution, viscosity and the target cake dryness. Two 18" centrifuges from different manufacturers can perform very differently on the same feed.
Differential speed matters more than headline G
The differential speed between the bowl and scroll controls solids residence time and cake dryness. VFD back-drives make this adjustable on the fly — a step change over fixed-ratio gearboxes.
Wear protection pays back
Tungsten-carbide tiles or ceramic wear surfaces on the scroll and discharge ports typically double or triple service life on abrasive drilling and mining service. Specify wear protection appropriate to your formation.
“During audits we frequently see centrifuges specified purely on bowl diameter. In practice, differential speed, feed characteristics and wear protection often have a greater influence on long-term performance than bowl size alone.”
Spares we supply
Why Choose Paragon
30+ years of field experience
Our engineers have specified, commissioned and troubleshot equipment on projects across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.
Independent technical advice
We are not tied to a single manufacturer — recommendations are driven by fit for your process, not by margin.
Global sourcing network
Trusted OEM and specialist aftermarket suppliers, with dual-sourced wear parts to protect you from lead-time risk.
Delivered ready to work
Inspection, testing, commissioning and technical support included — not left as an afterthought.
Responsive engineering support
One working-day response on technical enquiries, and hands-on troubleshooting when you need it.
Long-term client relationships
Most of our work comes from clients we've supported through multiple projects and equipment life cycles.
Need help specifying a decanter centrifuges?
Share your flow rate, feed characteristics and site constraints — our engineers will come back with a concrete configuration and budget within one working day.
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