🔍 Key Concepts

• Water seal principle in a self-cleaning fuel oil centrifuge bowl and how it keeps sludge ports closed during normal operation • The different roles of the gravity disk versus the operating slide and sliding bowl bottom in controlling discharge paths • How a defective seal ring at various locations would affect where liquid escapes (clean outlet, water outlet, or sludge ports)

💭 Think About

• On this sectional view, which component actually holds the sludge ports shut during normal running, and what makes them open during an intentional sludge discharge? • If liquid is continuously going out of the sludge outlet (as if the bowl is always in ‘shoot’ mode), which seal failure would let the operating water or process liquid leak away so that the sludge ports cannot stay closed? • Compare what would happen if the gravity disk sizing were wrong versus if a mechanical seal at the moving bowl parts failed – which one would cause a continuous discharge from the sludge outlet?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify on the illustration which part forms the water seal between the rotating bowl and the sludge ports during normal operation. • Determine which seal ring must remain tight so the operating water pressure can be maintained to keep the bowl bottom raised and the sludge ports closed. • Verify whether an oversized gravity disk would change only the interface position between oil and water, or whether it would also mechanically open the sludge ports.