Purchases of clarifiers, centrifuges, cyclones, dissolved air flotation units and other sedimentation and centrifugation equipment will exceed $7.3 billion in 2013. This is the latest forecast in the McIlvaine Sedimentation/Centrifugation World Markets.
The power industry will be the largest purchaser. Power plants extract ten times more water than do municipalities. Before it can be used as boiler feedwater or even for cooling, the water must be purified. Clarifiers are used for primary particle removal. The flue gas desulfurization systems utilize hydrocyclones, centrifuges and clarifiers. Geothermal plants are also purchasers. Biomass energy plants require this equipment for the incoming water and for the scrubber wastewater clarification.
Municipal wastewater treatment plants will be the second largest group of purchasers. Decanter centrifuges are used to dewater the sludge. A series of clarifiers is needed in the physical and biological treatment of the sewage.
The mining industry will be the third largest purchasing group. The mining industry is expanding capacity at greater than average rates. It is also retiring and replacing capacity. Clarifiers, thickeners and hydrocyclones are used in the beneficiation processes as well as treatment of tailing.
The food industry will also be a major purchaser. Centrifuges are often used to make products. The disc centrifuges purify wine and juices. The dairy industry is heavily reliant on centrifuges.
The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries utilize disc centrifuges to purify products. These devices are often the largest capital expense in the process.
