Parametric study of mini-axial flow hydrocyclone through numerical simulation

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Abstract

This research article encompasses the parametric analysis of axial flow hydrocyclone with suitably designed numerical experiments at various operating conditions. The effect of inlet dimensions, vortex finder length, and vortex finder diameter on the performance and flow pattern has been computationally investigated using large eddy simulation (LES) for twelve hydrocyclone separators altogether. The result shows that the maximum tangential velocity and axial velocity profiles in the hydrocyclone decreases with increasing inlet dimensions, vortex finder length and diameter. A similar trend is found for turbulence fluctuation in tangential and axial directions, vorticity and helicity. Power spectral density is analysed to check the distribution of velocity fluctuation (Vin=2m/s) over the frequency component, and the results show the PSD magnitude is almost the same for the geometric parameter variations, which peaked at 10 5 Hz. To examine the effect on the performance of hydrocyclone, the separation efficiency, cut size (d50), sharpness of separation and pressure drop were evaluated. The separation efficiency of smaller diameter vortex finders is higher for the large particles than that of wider ones at the cost of high-pressure drop. Numerical results also show that prolonging the vortex finder length increases the separation efficiency, decreasing the cut size due to weakness of vortex strength. It elucidates a critical length for the vortex finder. According to the results, changing the vortex finder diameter and length is more significant than the inlet dimensions, especially for velocity profiles. This study also analyses the identification of vortex (iso-vortex surface) and decay through Q-criterion, which helps understand the vortex formation of hydrocyclone separator.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication7th Minerals Engineering International (MEI) Conference: Physical Separation’22
Place of PublicationCornwall, Falmouth, UK
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 13 May 2022

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