Abstract
Hydrocyclones are devices used in numerous chemicals, food, and mineral-related industrial sectors for the separation of fine particles. A d50 mm hydrocyclone was modelled with the use of the Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, ANSYS® Fluent 2021 R1. The vortex finder depth was varied from 20 mm, 30 mm, and 35 mm to observe the effects of pressure drop and separation efficiency from a varied vortex finder depth and characteristics of the air core. The numerical methods validated the results observed from different parameters such as volume fraction characteristics based on CFD simulations. The tangential and axial velocities increased as the vortex finder length increased. It was found that as the depth of the vortex finder is increased, particle re-entrainment time in the underflow stream increases, and separation efficiency improved.
Highlights
Roping has been investigated in stand-alone hydro cyclones
This influence on geometrical specifications on the pressure drop shows that the pressure drop is a function of the vortex finder depth
The separation efficiency of a hydrocyclone depends on the vortex finder depth as the particles are guided by the outside wall in the presence of the vortex finder
Summary
Roping has been investigated in stand-alone hydro cyclones. In continuous closed grinding circuits, only a tiny amount of research has been done [3]. The form of the underflow, which is controlled by the feed circumstances, has a significant impact on hydrocyclone separation. Rope discharge with high feed solids concentrations usually results in a crude product with higher solids content and fewer particles. Spray discharge with low input solids concentration, on the other hand, results in more significant solids recovery and smaller cut sizes. There is always a need to eliminate or drastically reduce the air core formed inside the hydrocyclone to improve the separation efficiency. The flow field characteristics inside the hydrocyclone without an air core become more separation-friendly. At a critical high feed-solids level, where rope discharge of the underflow was reached, the air core vanished. The air-core diameter was associated with the underflow spray angle at low feed-solids concentration. We have our findings can be used to build a thorough picture of the vortex finder's action, and to create and control hydrocyclone’s performances
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