I. Blockage-related faults
1. Underflow outlet blockage: Excessively high starch slurry concentration or the presence of large impurities can prevent the underflow from discharging normally. The discharge pattern shifts from a spray (umbrella) shape to a stream or drip, directly reducing the efficiency of starch separation and purification.
2. Overflow outlet/feed pipe blockage: The accumulation of fine starch particles or lodged foreign objects can disrupt overflow discharge, upset the system's material balance, and cause abnormal pressure fluctuations.
II. Wear-related faults
1. Internal component wear: Prolonged erosion of the cyclone's inner walls, cone section, and underflow outlet by high-speed starch slurry flow can enlarge component apertures and roughen inner surfaces, directly impairing the equipment's centrifugal separation performance.
2. Cyclone tube rupture: Long-term high-pressure operation and material erosion can damage the cyclone tubes. The failure of one or more tubes significantly degrades the quality of the final washed and purified starch product.
III. Operational parameter anomalies
1. Abnormal pressure fluctuations: Feed pump malfunctions or air leaks in the piping can destabilize the pressure differential between the inlet and outlet, causing significant fluctuations in centrifugal force and preventing the achievement of the desired starch-protein separation results.
2. Sharp drop in separation efficiency: Excessive feed concentration or excessively high temperatures-causing starch granules to swell and gelatinize-can disrupt separation conditions. This results in excessive residual protein in the starch slurry, failing to meet process specifications.
IV. Sealing-related faults
Sealing leakage: After prolonged operation, O-ring seals may age or the housing cover clamping force may become insufficient, leading to material leakage. This not only wastes starch product but also compromises the overall pressure stability of the system.
