In early 2021, a major fried snack food manufacturer reached out to Petroleum Solids Control, Inc. with an urgent and growing problem. Its flagship processing plant — responsible for producing thousands of pounds of snack products daily — was generating complex slurry waste from its frying operations. 

This waste consisted of cooking oil, fine food particles and water from rinsing and cleaning stages. For years, the manufacturer had relied on a legacy separation system to handle this byproduct stream. But what once seemed adequate had become a critical liability.

Over time, the volume and composition of waste had changed. Output had scaled up, and with it came new challenges. The older equipment simply couldn’t keep up. The results were stark:

• High waste disposal costs driven by inefficient separation
• Loss of valuable oil that could otherwise be reclaimed and reused
• Constant clogging and cleaning cycles that forced costly production downtime
• Water discharge that flirted dangerously with environmental non-compliance

Faced with mounting operational costs and the risk of fines from regulatory agencies, the company knew a change was necessary. But the solution had to be both effective and economically justifiable. That’s when they reached out to the team at Petroleum Solids Control.

Diagnosing the Problem: Audit, Analysis and Opportunity

As one of the largest centrifuge rental companies in the U.S., it was evident that jumping straight to equipment replacement wasn’t the answer. The first step was a thorough process audit.

Engineers visited the site, observed operations, reviewed the waste stream composition and talked with plant operators. Three primary inefficiencies were identified:

1. Inadequate separation technology: The existing decanter-style unit could separate solids from liquids but struggled with fine particulates and mixed-phase emulsions.
2. Manual operations: Adjustments had to be made frequently, often by guesswork, leading to inconsistent results.
3. Poor oil recovery: As much as 15% of valuable cooking oil was being sent out as waste.

The plant’s leadership was clear about their goals:

• Lower disposal and raw material costs
• Recover usable oil for reuse
• Improve environmental compliance and reduce their waste footprint
• Implement automation to reduce labor demands and human error

With these objectives in mind, a pilot program using Flottweg’s Z6E Tricanter centrifuge was proposed.

The Technology: Why the Z6E Tricanter?

The Flottweg Z6E Tricanter is a three-phase centrifuge. Unlike traditional decanter centrifuges that separate two phases — typically solids and a liquid — the Tricanter can handle three simultaneously: oil, water and solids. Here’s how it works:

• High-speed separation: Inside a rotating bowl, centrifugal force (up to 4,000 Gs) causes denser materials to migrate outward while lighter materials stay closer to the center. The Tricanter’s internal design harnesses this principle to separate and discharge three distinct streams.
• Adjustable impeller: A patented adjustable impeller allows operators to fine-tune the interface between liquid layers based on the composition of the feed. This is critical in processes like frying, where oil-to-water ratios can shift daily.
• Continuous, automated operation: Integrated PLC controls enable around-the-clock processing with real-time data logging and auto-correction for feed variations.
• Wear-resistant design: Built for continuous use in rugged industrial environments, the Tricanter®can run 24/7 with minimal maintenance.

For this end user, a rental unit was integrated into its existing waste processing line without significant infrastructure changes. The unit became operational in less than three days.

The Pilot: Measurable Results

Within weeks of operation, the plant saw immediate performance gains. Six months later, the data spoke volumes.

Operational Efficiency

• Throughput increased by 30%, allowing the plant to process more waste with fewer bottlenecks.
• Automated controls cut downtime in half, as manual adjustments and maintenance were reduced.

Cost Savings

• Roughly 5,500 liters/month of clean, reusable oil were recovered — reducing new oil purchases by 15%.
• Solid waste volume was cut by 30%, leading to an annual savings of more than $650,000 in hauling and disposal fees.

Environmental Compliance

• The treated water consistently met local discharge standards, passing inspections that had previously resulted in citations.
• Overall waste volume was significantly reduced, improving the plant’s environmental scorecard and supporting corporate sustainability goals.

Labor Optimization

• Operators once tasked with monitoring the old system could now oversee multiple processes, boosting overall plant productivity.

The Value of a Rental Approach

An important aspect of this story is the decision to rent the centrifuge rather than buy it outright. For many companies, capital investment in specialized machinery is a barrier — especially when they’re unsure of the ROI. A rental program offers a low-risk way to:

• Test process changes without long-term commitments
• Evaluate real-world performance under actual plant conditions
• Gain operator familiarity before scaling up

Looking Ahead

What began as a localized operational challenge evolved into a model for what’s possible across the broader food processing industry. This case demonstrates that waste management doesn’t have to be a wasted cost — it can become a competitive advantage.

Many processors face similar issues: high-volume slurry waste, tightening environmental regulations, and rising costs for both inputs and disposal. But with the right technology, these challenges are solvable — and profitable.