Modeling the Effects of Design Parameters on Hydrocyclone Performance in Fine Particle Classification

Abstract

The principle and design of conventional hydrocyclones are first patented in 1891 but they do newlinefound significant application in industry until after the Second World War. First in mineral newlineprocessing and mining, but lately also increasing in the chemical industry, petrochemical newlineindustries, power generation, textile industry, metal working industry and many others, newlinehydrocyclones are now well established and their application areas are still widening. newlineApplication of liquid hydrocyclone in industry falls into several broad categories of two phase newlineseparation with the liquid being suspending medium, liquid classification, slurry thickening, newlinesolid washing, degassing of liquids, solid classification or sorting according to particle size, newlinedensity or shape. Specially adapted hydrocyclones can also be successfully applied to separation newlineof two immiscible liquids. Recent developments in this field show that such cyclone can separate newlineoil from water, dewater light oils, and produce highly concentrated samples of a lighter dispersed newlinephase. However, mineral processing industries still remain the major user of hydrocyclones for newlinevarious purposes. One of the key application areas is the particle classification based primarily newlineon the differences in respective particle sizes. Hydrocyclones are normally cylindro-conical in newlineshape. Inlet water enters the hydrocyclone tangentially and the spiral movement down the cone newlinepromotes a high centrifugal force. Particle with a size or specific gravity greater than the cut newlinepoint or threshold value of the hydrocyclone are forced outwards by this centrifugal force. They newlineimpinge on the internal walls of the hydrocyclone and run down to be deposited at its base or newlineremoved as the underflow. Finer particles and the carrier liquid travel in a vortex back up the newlinehydrocyclone and exit through the vortex finder as overflow. The underflow volume is designed to newlinebe a small fraction of the flow. newlineThe cut point size of a hydrocyclone is strongly related to its design and operating parameters.