Glacier Centrifuge

Glacier Centrifugal Oil Filter

 

At the end of the war, Glacier Metal Company Ltd was Europe’s largest ball bearing manufacturer. Glacier manufactured bearings for a variety of industries, including automotive. This is where the company got its start in the United States.

 

Glacier Centrifuges

The Glacier Centrifuge Filter is a bypass filter mounted directly on the engine base frame. The Glacier centrifuge is a supplement to the main filter. Bypass centrifugal oil cleaners are known to be efficient in prolonging engine service life. The Glacier centrifuge filter has a beneficial effect on the condition of engine components, even with the extended drain period. Centrifugal oil cleaners have several advantages compared to media filter types. Conventional media bypass filters are limited in their ability to remove finer contaminants and to hold higher levels of contamination without significant increases in size. Traditional media filters are typically rated at 15 to 20 microns, and they take out large particulates. Centrifugal oil cleaners offer a compelling alternative.

With the Glacier centrifuge filter, contaminants are condensed into a dense cake, and for a given size, they have a much greater contaminant capacity than media filter types. The flow rate through Glacier centrifugal oil cleaners does not vary with run time. While efficiency changes due to an effective reduction in the centrifuge bowl radius as contamination builds up, this typically only affects sub-micron particles. Glacier centrifuges oil cleaners are not limited to pore size and remove particles smaller than 0.1 microns.

With the Glacier centrifuge filter, the engine actually runs longer because the smallest particles are taken out of the lubrication oil. The engine functions more efficiently over its life. Cleaner oil, better life of bearings, the Glacier centrifuge collects a lot of soot and has advantages on overall wear as it collects soot the drain interval benefits. The extension of diesel engine oil drain intervals is now widely recognized as an essential part of the global effort to reduce the amount of waste oil generated by society.

 

How does the Glacier centrifuge filter work?

The Glacier centrifuge filter works on the reaction turbine principle. The dirty oil enters the Glacier centrifuge under pressure and exits the rotor through nozzles (at the bottom), producing the rotor speeds. The centrifugal force removes the particulates from the oil, depositing them on the inner wall of the rotor in a dense cake form. The clean oil drains back to the tank via a gravity drain.

Formerly Glacier Centrifuge, they are now manufactured and marketed by Mann Hummel. The Glacier Centrifuge has been rebranded to the Mann Hummel Centrifugal Oil Cleaners. Since Mann Hummel purchased the Glacier Centrifuge filter products, there have been no fundamental technical advances or improvements to the original design. The basics have remained the same since the 1970s. Several firms worldwide have copied the original Glacier centrifuge design, but they all work on the same 1970s principles, and in some cases, parts are interchangeable between them.

Glacier recommends replacing the centrifuge at every engine overhaul. When it comes time to replace the old Glacier oil centrifuge, replace it with an IOW Group centrifugal oil filter. 

 

New Centrifugal Oil Cleaner Technology

IOW Group looked at the basic concept using extensive knowledge gained from many years of working in the separation industry and decided to redesign the centrifugal oil cleaner. The brief, although sounding simple, proved very difficult to engineer but has now finally come to fruition. The target was ‘to develop a faster, more efficient simple centrifuge filter that ensures minimal cross-contamination between clean and dirty oils that has the ability to inform the operator that the device requires cleaning.’

IOW Group has spent over five years completely re-designing how the traditional centrifuge filters worked to create an entirely new range of centrifugal oil filters. This was achieved in 2015. The IOW centrifuge filter underwent extensive testing and has surpassed all expectations.

An IOW MP200 centrifuge filter was tested against the Mann Hummel FM200 centrifuge filter (Glacier Centrifuge GF200). In three hours of testing, the IOW MP200 centrifuge filter removed more than 35% more sludge than the Mann Hummel FM200 centrifuge filter. This test was conducted under the supervision of Lloyd’s using SAE 40 lubricating oil at 80ºC. Copies of Lloyd’s certificate can be viewed on IOW Group’s website, and more information on the testing procedure can be obtained by contacting them.

Since witness testing with Lloyd’s, further improvements have been made, and IOW Group centrifuge filters are even more efficient. The only thing the IOW Group and Mann Hummel centrifuge filters have in common is the same footprint, thread sizes, and bolt-on patterns.

IOW Group has designed, patented, and manufactures the highest performing and only self-monitoring bypass, oil filtration spinner type separator in the world.

 

What makes IOW Group’s MP centrifugal oil filters so different and better?

Better Technology:

– Bowl Disc Technology – Increasing efficiency by removing even more contaminants.
– CentriClean Separator Control Unit (SCU) – Monitors the centrifuge filter and provides operators and systems with valuable insight into its speed, cleaning, and service requirements.
– Fully Sealed Centrifuge Bowl – Reducing the risk of cross-contamination between cleaned and dirty oil.
– Distributor Impeller – Eliminates back pressure by drawing in contaminated oil.

Better Results:

– 150% more efficient
– Reduce Engine Wear
– Reduce Maintenance
– Reduce Costs

 

How does the IOW centrifuge filter work?

The dirty oil is introduced into the centrifuge bowl at engine oil pressure through holes drilled in the vertical spindle and via the accelerator channels in the bearing distributor. The bowl then fills up, and oil overflows into the top turbine, where it exits the bowl via the four-speed turbine channels and then out via the nozzles. This, in turn, rotates the bowl, generating the centrifugal force required to remove the contaminants from the oil. The contaminants migrate toward the outside of the bowl, where they are deposited on a removable oil-resistant insert. The cleaned oil migrates towards the center of the bowl, where it is expelled by the nozzles in the top turbine, thus perpetuating the cycle.

Increased efficiency:  Unlike conventional centrifugal spinners/filters, IOW Group centrifuges use bowl discs to increase separation efficiency, dramatically reducing the time that contaminants can stay in the oil. The IOW range of oil centrifuges is the only product of their size to utilize bowl disc technology. Bowl disc technology aids in separation and has many advantages. They are uniquely suited to removing tiny microparticles. Additionally, the bowl disc substantially increases the separation area inside the centrifuge bowl. The IOW Group has improved the sealing between the dirty oil inlet and the cleaned oil outlet. This ensures that there is minimal cross-contamination between the two.

Save valuable maintenance hours:  IOW Group centrifugal oil filters also have dirt/sludge monitoring technology, which informs the operator when the separator needs cleaning, saving valuable personnel time on otherwise unnecessary cleaning. The systems are Modbus or Bluetooth compatible and can be easily connected to your existing alarm systems.

 

Case Studies: IOW Group vs. Glacier Centrifugal Oil Cleaners

 

IOW MP090 vs. Glacier Centrifugal Oil Filter

Caterpillar 3406

After overhauling the Caterpillar 3406 diesel engine, the truck driver wanted to reduce wear and maximize the life and performance of his engine. The customer replaced his Glacier centrifugal oil filter (old technology) with IOW MP090 centrifugal oil cleaner (new technology). This trucker uses Schaeffer’s Synthetic Blend 15-40W lubricating oil and changes his lube oil every 10,000-14,000 miles. The engine lube oil pressure is 70 PSI.

After driving 31,000 miles with a Glacier centrifugal oil filter installed, the centrifuge was opened and inspected. As illustrated from the pictures of the Glacier centrifuge rotor cover, the contaminants removed by the Glacier centrifugal oil filter were very minimal. The Glacier centrifugal oil filter was removed and replaced with the IOW MP090 bypass oil cleaner. 

The IOW MP090 centrifugal oil filter was installed with the CentriClean SCU0003 remote monitor. At 70 PSI lube oil pressure, the CentriClean SCU0003 monitor displays 6,582 centrifuge RPMs. This is the centrifuge oil filter bowl speed. After driving 56,000 miles on the Caterpillar 3406 engine, the IOW MP090 centrifuge was opened and inspected. The sludge cake collected within the centrifuge bowl was over 3/16″ thick. The IOW centrifuge oil cleaners are not limited by pore size and remove particles smaller than 1 micron. 

The results of the Caterpillar 3406 engine tests demonstrate the IOW MP090 centrifugal oil filter outperforms the Glacier centrifugal oil filter. 

Improve engine uptime with IOW group Centrifugal Oil Filters!

 

IOW MP200 vs. Glacier GF200 Centrifugal Filter

Caterpillar C280-12

The factory provided these Caterpillar C280-12 maritime engines with three (3) Glacier GF200 range centrifuges. To improve lube oil analysis and increase soot removal from the lube oil, the customer removed one (1) Glacier GF200 centrifuge and replaced it with the IOW MP200 centrifuge to run a side-by-side test.

After running 500 hours on their diesel generator #2, the customer removed the IOW MP200 and Glacier centrifuges. Per the vessel, the solid deposits with the IOW MP200 centrifuge were roughly three (3) times thicker than the Glacier GF200 centrifuges. 

The IOW Group oil centrifuge is designed as a drop-in replacement system for the Glacier GF200 centrifuge (CAT 1W-4191 filter centrifugal). 

Need enhanced engine lube oil cleanliness?
IOW Group is impressively more effective at removing and capturing soot and solid particles! 

 

Wartsila Nohab WN25 16V25

This Wartsila Nohab WN25 16V25 marine diesel engine had previously installed two (2) Glacier GF200-12 centrifugal lubricating oil filters. Looking to improve contamination and soot removal from the engine oil, the customer replaced one (1) Glacier GF200 centrifugal filter and installed an IOW MP20002-27-RF centrifuge. This would allow for side-by-side testing of the Glacier GF200 vs. the IOW MP200 centrifuge, utilizing the same engine lube oil pump, same piping, and same operational run time. After running for 46 hours, both centrifuges were taken offline, inspected, and cleaned.

After 46 run hours, the IOW MP200 centrifuge collected more than 19 mm (3/4″) of sludge cake. The IOW MP20002-27 centrifuge comes standard with the CentriClean SCU0002 remote monitor. During operation, the CentriClean SCU0002 remote monitor displayed 6,048 centrifuge RPMs.

After 46 run hours, the Glacier GF200 centrifuge collected about 6 mm (1/4″) of sludge cake. The Glacier centrifugal filters do not have a remote monitor, and the centrifuge RPMs could not be documented.

IOW Group’s centrifugal oil filters deliver significantly enhanced separation efficiency!

By replacing the Glacier GF200 centrifuge with the IOW MP200 centrifuge, the sludge removal rate substantially increased by 216.6%. The IOW Group centrifuges help you optimize lifecycle costs. The results of the Wartsila Nohab WN25 16V25 engine tests demonstrate the IOW MP200 centrifugal oil filter significantly outperforms the Glacier GF200 centrifugal oil filter. 

 

 

As an integral part of the lubricating oil filter system, the IOW Group centrifuge filters are installed onto various engine specifications for industrial applications, power generation, transportation, maritime, and many other applications. The IOW centrifuge technology provides you with improved engine wear protection and extended oil draining and service intervals by reducing soot and other contaminant levels in the lubricating oil. The combination of protection, performance, remote monitoring, and the ability to extend oil drain intervals has many turning to IOW Group as their filtration solution.

When adding a centrifugal oil filter to your engine, add the best on the market…the patented IOW Centrifugal Oil Filter.

To learn more about the next generation of centrifugal oil filters, visit our IOW Group – Pressure Driven Centrifuge webpage or visit IOWGroup.com.