The CFD Simulation of Cyclone Separator without and with the Counter-cone in the Gasification Process

Abstract

The performance of cyclone separator as the ash trapper in the gasification system was studied through the Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) using the finite volume method. The ash trapper system is important part due to the effect on the gasification process, in particular on the quality of Syngas (Synthesis Gas). Therefore, the aim of this study is to find the suitable of the cyclone separator in the gasification apparatus that can separate the syngas and particulates. The CFD simulation was performed to determine the effect of adding the counter-cone in the cyclone separator to the trend of the efficiency of ash separation, speed profile, and pressure drop in the gasification process. The Reynold Stress Model (RSM) was employed for the for swirl flows modelling accuracy. The efficiency of ash separation was predicted by using the flow velocity in the cyclone separator and the pressure drop in the vortex finder. Discrete Phase Model (DPM)-one-way coupling was used to predict the efficiency of collection. The results of this simulation show that by adding the counter-cone in the cyclone separator increasing the number of particulates trapped and the distribution efficiency of particle diameter. The cyclone separator with the counter-cone can trap the particle diameter less than 1 micro meter (μm) while the cyclone separator without the counter-cone cannot.