Effects of Feed Rate on the Hydrocyclone Flow Field and Separation Performance

Abstract

AbstractTo improve the separation performance, the effects of feed rate on the hydrocyclone flow field and the classification performance were researched by numerical simulation. It is found that the pressure at the hydrocyclone wall increases with increasing feed rate, as the feed rate increases from 3 to 5 m/s, the pressure at the hydrocyclone wall increases by 193%; the tangential velocity increases with higher feed rate, and with the feed rate increases from 3 to 5 m/s, the maximum value of tangential velocity in the separation area increases by 4.28 m/s; the separation size decreases with increasing feed rate, when the feed rate increases from 3 to 5 m/s, the separation size d50 decreases. When the feed rate increases from 3 to 5 m/s, separation size d50 decreases by 2.14 μm. The findings reveal that enlargement in feed rate can increase the processing capacity, strengthen the centrifugal strength, and improve the classification efficiency. However, excessive feed rates can also shorten the particle retention time in the hydrocyclone, resulting in insufficient separation and thus reducing the classification accuracy of the hydrocyclone.KeywordsHydrocycloneFeed rateClassification efficiencyNumerical simulations