Hydrocyclone Filter Improving Efficiency in Solid Liquid Separation Processes
Hydrocyclones are devices with two cylindrical and conical sections connected by an intermediate portion. Their geometric dimensions determine their separation efficiency and processing capacity.
Fluid is introduced tangentially into the cylindrical portion of this device at high velocity, where it accelerates through lower-velocity inner layers to form a vortex and start spinning rapidly.
Reduced Energy Consumption
CBS Energy Cyclone Separator’s unique design leverages centrifugal force to separate solids from liquids, making this closed system virtually contaminant-proof and minimising operational costs. Ideal for desliming, degritting, concentration and recovery of solids as well as oil/water separation applications in industrial settings.
A cyclone separator features one main cone section with two tangential inlets and two axial and concentric outlets at its base, with the separation process beginning in its upper cylindrical section and becoming increasingly intense as it progresses downwards. Oil with lower density spirally moves toward its axial center while water with greater density flows away and exits through an overflow outlet; feed OC has an impactful influence on separation efficiency and pressure loss due to differing kinetic energies of its two phases and their densities.
Reduced Particle Size
Hydrocyclones rely heavily on particle size and concentration for effective separation, so it is essential that users understand how these machines operate to maximize their potential.
Contaminated coolant enters a hydrocyclone at an acute angle, creating a swirling flow that concentrates heavy contaminants around its perimeter and eventually falls to its bottom where they are captured by an underflow discharge nozzle.
Properly balancing the number, angle, and positioning dimensions of slots can reduce internal turbulence states and energy losses within a hydrocyclone to reduce particle sizes while improving separation performance. Accurate simulations help identify optimal designs while accurately simulating flow behavior within a hydrocyclone is key for improving quality and reliability in fluid filtration processes, saving both plant operators and equipment manufacturers both time and money in this crucial process.
Reduced Particle Density
As the cyclone spins, centrifugal force pushes coarse or dense particles towards its conical wall while lighter materials move toward its apex, leading to concentrations of oil near its apex and water in its cone that can be increased or decreased by changing inlet pressure to raise or lower cut points.
Increased slot density increases a hydrocyclone’s spherical radius and decreases pressure drop within it, but excessive layering may increase internal flow resistance which detracts from separation performance.
Slotted structure design enhancement can improve both velocity and pressure distributions within a hydrocyclone, thus mitigating energy losses due to turbulent states and increasing separation efficiency in treating free water contaminated with solids. Apexes also wear down faster when working with coarse and dense feed materials causing narrowed separation efficiency over time as well as increased maintenance requirements and replacement frequency.
Increased Efficiency
Cyclone separation systems are often the final filtration step for machine tool coolant filtration, but grinding capabilities, new abrasives and materials development often push clarity requirements beyond hydrocyclones’ equilibrium clarity capacities.
Clogging or internal bypassing can significantly decrease separation efficiency, and can be restored by increasing inlet flow rates, targeting pressure adjustments or geometry modifications.
Optimizing these modifications can be challenging, involving consideration of multiple parameters such as number of slots, slot positioning dimensions and angle, inlet tangential velocity, oil concentration levels at inlet, conical overflow pipe shape etc. In order to reach this goal experimental and numerical investigations were conducted – as depicted by their graph, relationship curves between inlet flow rate, separation efficiency and pressure drop of various slotted designs can provide important information that aid in improving optimization and field application of hydrocyclones.