Separators: experimental set up for cyclone testing

The technical department…

… of the Suvis GmbH also has a test cyclone set up which is installed over a horizontal measuring path at its disposal. In an ongoing project we investigate separation processes in rotary separators. Most of the existing studies regarding processes in particle separators only take the volume inside the cyclone into account. This is meanwhile relatively well understood. However, to date the interaction between the cyclone inner volume and the dust hopper is still to be investigated.

In this area the so called apex cone is installed. The lack of knowledge here is also demonstrated by the fact, that for this cyclone part still no design and lay out standards exist contrary to other cyclone components. One therefore has to investigate the interaction processes within the apex cone in order to optimise it for the application. This interaction processes also have been investigated with the aid of numerical simulation CFD. Here, the Large-Eddy-Simulation LES has been applied.

Construction and set up of the test facility for particle separation
In the technical department of the Suvis GmbH a cyclone test facility has been designed and built in extension of the existing vertical dust measuring chain. The complete set up is designed in such a way, that the already existing technique of the horizontal dust channel can be used in a very efficient way (see corresponding figure). The complete steal construction consist of modular and reusable components. The flow direction was designed with a most flexible use of standard components.

The relevant areas of the cyclone are directly accessible. It is easily possible to include cyclones of different sizes. In cooperation with users we take into account relevant industrial applications.

For the investigations a modular cyclone was designed and built. With that it is easily possible to quickly clean it when changing the particulate phase to be separated. Also it is possible to install windows in all components for visualization purposes. This allows the application of relevant measurement techniques we usually apply. The apex cone allows the optical access of the apex slit because of the set up with adjustable mirrors and windows. Thus it is now possible to investigate it by direct measurements in important regions within the cyclone.

Lay out data:

• Throughput: 0,208 m³/s
• Pressure difference: 4,820 Pa
• Load: 0,0003
• Particle size limit: 1,5 µm

Investigations with the cyclone test facility
After inauguration of the test facility the necessary measurement techniques for temperature, pressure and particle size distribution have been installed. Furthermore, with the aid of a measurement campaign it was ensured that the entrance flow within the cyclone is fully developed and exhibits in applications typical turbulence intensities. Further investigations in order to optimise the apex cone configuration are in preparation. The separation efficiency of the cyclone is determined by the particle size distribution within the gas before and after the separation process, respectively.

For further information or a first cost free consultation on cyclone separators, particle separators in general or numerical flow simulation please contact our experts Professor Günter Wozniak or Gernot Trommer.