Centrifuge having a lubricant system

Abstract

Disclosed is a centrifuge including a rotatable centrifugal drum and a drive spindle to drive the centrifugal drum. The drive spindle is rotatably mounted via a bearing in a housing supported elastically on a machine framework. Further included is a drive device including a drive motor to rotate the drive spindle and a lubricant system to lubricate the bearing. The lubricant system is configured to deliver lubricant from a lubricant supply tank through a lubricant channel into a region of the bearing. An injection device is arranged downstream of the lubricant-supply tank and is configured to deliver the lubricant into the region of the bearing by dispensing quantities of lubricant in temporally discrete pulses with a limited-time air stream. A method is disclosed of directing lubricant into a region of a bearing of the centrifuge as noted above.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A centrifuge, comprising:
 a rotatable centrifugal drum;   a drive spindle to drive the centrifugal drum, which drive spindle is rotatably mounted via a bearing in a housing supported elastically on a machine framework;   a drive device including a drive motor to rotate the drive spindle;   a lubricant system to lubricate the bearing, the lubricant system configured to deliver lubricant from a lubricant-supply tank through a lubricant channel into a region of the bearing; and   an injection device, arranged downstream of the lubricant-supply tank, is configured to deliver the lubricant into the region of the bearing by dispensing quantities of lubricant in temporally discrete pulses with a limited-time air stream;   wherein the bearing includes a neck bearing and a foot bearing and the lubricant is delivered into a region of the neck bearing or into a region above the neck bearing;   wherein the drive motor is aligned with the drive spindle and is configured to rotate the drive spindle directly.   
     
     
         2 . A centrifuge, comprising:
 a rotatable centrifugal drum;   a drive spindle to drive the centrifugal drum, which drive spindle is rotatably mounted via a bearing in a housing supported elastically on a machine framework;   a drive device including a drive motor to rotate the drive spindle;   a lubricant system to lubricate the bearing, the lubricant system configured to deliver lubricant from a lubricant-supply tank through a lubricant channel into a region of the bearing; and   an injection device, arranged downstream of the lubricant-supply tank, is configured to deliver the lubricant into the region of the bearing by dispensing quantities of lubricant in temporally discrete pulses with a limited-time air stream;   wherein the region of the bearing is configured such that lubricant flows through the bearing, and that the lubricant is then directed away through a discharge line out of the region of the bearing and into a lubricant-intercepting tank;   and wherein the drive spindle is arranged such that a free end of the drive spindle is guided through the lubricant-intercepting tank.   
     
     
         3 . A centrifuge, comprising:
 a rotatable centrifugal drum;   a drive spindle to drive the centrifugal drum;   a drive device including a drive motor to rotate the drive spindle;   a lubricant system, the lubricant system configured to deliver lubricant from a lubricant-supply tank; and   an injection device, arranged downstream of the lubricant-supply tank, is configured to deliver the lubricant by dispensing quantities of lubricant in temporally discrete pulses with a limited-time air stream;   wherein the centrifuge is a solid-bowl centrifuge including a bearing on either side of the rotatable drum, the bearing being arranged in a ring-shaped housing, and further wherein. lubricant is delivered by the injection device from the lubricant-supply tank into a region of the bearing.   
     
     
         4 . The centrifuge as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein an axis of rotation of the drum is oriented horizontally, and the housing has a bore through which the lubricant is delivered into the region of the bearing either above the bearing or to a side of the bearing on the spindle that is oriented horizontally. 
     
     
         5 . The centrifuge as claimed in  claim 3 , further including a discharge channel which opens out into a lubricant-intercepting tank. The centrifuge as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the bore includes a nozzle. 
     
     
         7 . The centrifuge as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a sealing device is provided on either side of the bearing. 
     
     
         8 . The centrifuge as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the discharge channel opens out directly or via another discharge channel into the lubricant-intercepting tank. 
     
     
         9 . The centrifuge as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising an additional discharge channel.