Numerical investigation of filtering cyclones using response surface methodology and CFD simulation approaches

Abstract

The cyclone separator pressure drop depends on the geometry and the operating conditions. Alternative equipment to decrease pressure drop is the filtering device. In this paper, the effect of inlet height, inlet flow rate, and conical section permeability about the filtering cyclone performance (Euler number) is studied through CFD simulations. The experimental and numerical results indicate that the turbulence model Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) reasonably predict the pressure drop in high swirling flows in filtering cyclones. CFD simulations suggest the Euler number increase with the increase of inlet height and decrease with the increase of flow rate and permeability. However, there is an interaction between the permeability with the other two variables. Therefore, this study suggests that CFD models can be used as instruments to evaluate same structural and operational variables in the filtering cyclone performance.