Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Flow Pattern, Pressure Drop and Collection Efficiency in a Cyclone with a Square Inlet and Different Dimensions of a Vortex Finder

Ryszard Wójtowicz, Paweł Wolak and Agnieszka Wójtowicz-Wróbel
Additional contact information
Ryszard Wójtowicz: Institute of Thermal and Process Engineering, Division of Industrial Equipment and Fluid Mechanics, Cracow University of Technology, Al. Jana Pawła II 37, 31-864 Cracow, Poland
Paweł Wolak: Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions Poland S.A., ul. Mogilska 41, 31-545 Cracow, Poland
Agnieszka Wójtowicz-Wróbel: Department of Spatial Planning, Urban and Rural Design, Faculty of Architecture, Cracow University of Technology, ul. Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: The paper presents results of numerical simulations and experimental investigations of a cyclone with a square inlet and different dimensions of a vortex finder. Investigations were conducted for five, different cyclone models. The main goal of the research was to determine the influence of cyclone vortex finder geometry (diameter, length) on key parameters for a cyclone operation, such as: gas flow pattern, gas velocity and pressure distribution, pressure drop and collection efficiency. The analysis of flow pattern inside the cyclone was carried out with the use of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations, verified using CTA (Constant Temperature Anemometry). Similarly, pressure distributions, pressure drop and collection efficiency for cyclones were determined numerically and with measurements. The study demonstrated that dimensions of the vortex finder have a significant effect on a cyclone performance. The numerical visualisations of flow showed some unfavorable and beneficial effects and phenomena that may occur in cyclones. Moreover, the smallest pressure drop (305 Pa) was predicted for the cyclone with a maximum diameter of the vortex finder ( D e = 0.105 m), the largest (358 Pa) when this diameter was the smallest ( D e = 0.075 m). The tests did not show any significant influence of the vortex finder length on the pressure drop in a cyclone. A different tendency was observed in the case of collection efficiency. The maximum value of this parameter (89.5%) was predicted for the cyclone with the shortest vortex finder ( s = 0.060 m), minimum (85.5%) when the vortex finder was the longest ( s = 0.220 m). In this case, however, tests did not show a significant impact of an outlet diameter on the collection efficiency. Results and conclusions presented in this paper can be practically used for design optimization of cyclone separators, and also to select their operating parameters.

Keywords: dust removal; cyclone separator; vortex finder; gas flow pattern; pressure drop; CFD simulations; CTA mesaurements; pressure drop (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/111/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/111/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2020:i:1:p:111-:d:469285

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().