Question 403Steam Plants - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is A) centrifugal force being developed on the oil near the interface. When an oil purification centrifuge loses a portion of its seal, the oil can then be discharged through the heavy phase discharge port. This is partly due to the greater centrifugal force being developed on the oil near the interface between the oil and water layers inside the centrifuge bowl. This disruption in the seal allows the centrifugal force to push the oil out through the heavy phase discharge port, rather than containing it within the centrifuge. The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the mechanism behind the oil discharge. Centripetal force is the force directed toward the center, while centrifugal force is the force directed outward from the center, which is the relevant force in this case.