Effects of Mass-Loading on Performance of the Cyclone Separators

Abstract

The concentration of dust particles in the incoming air has a significant effect on the performance of cyclone separators. In the proposed work, four particle concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 kg/kg) in the dust stream have been mathematically investigated using both one-way and two-way coupling. A fine grid is solved using the Large Eddy Simulations to capture the accurate physical phenomena. For vortices smaller than the grid size the Smagorinsky Lilly model with a Smagorinsky constant, Cs of 0.1 has been applied. The collection efficiencies of the four cases are presented and the differences between the one-way and two-way coupled simulation approaches are highlighted in the present study. The two-way coupled simulations show an increase in the collection efficiency from 62% to 70% on increasing the solid loadings from 0.05 to 0.3 with marginal increase in pressure drop of 4.8%.