THE VARIATION OF CYCLONE PERFORMANCE WITH THE CYCLONE HEIGHT USING RANS SIMULATIONS

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe effect of the cyclone height (both the barrel and cone) on the performance andflow field pattern has been investigated computationally for six cyclone separators.The results show that the maximum tangential velocity in the cyclone decreases withincreasing the cyclone (barrel or cone) height. Increasing the barrel height makes asmall change in the axial velocity, whereas increasing the cone height changes itconsiderably. Increasing the cyclone (barrel or cone) height decreases both thepressure drop and the cut-off diameter. The changes in the performance beyond h/D= 1.8 (Ht/D = 4.3) are small at constant cone height, whereas the performanceimprovement stops after hc/D = 4.0 (Ht/D = 5.5) at constant barrel height where h isthe barrel height, hc is the cone height, Ht is the total cyclone height and D is thebarrel diameter. The effect of changing the cone height on the flow pattern andperformance is more significant than that of the barrel height.