Theoretical study of cyclone design

To design a cyclone abatement system for particulate control, it is necessary to accurately estimate cyclone performance. In this cyclone study, new theoretical methods for computing travel distance, numbers of turns and cyclone pressure drop have been developed. The flow pattern and cyclone dimensions determine the travel distance in a cyclone. The number of turns was calculated based on this travel distance. The new theoretical analysis of cyclone pressure drop was tested against measured data at different inlet velocities and gave excellent agreement. The results show that cyclone pressure drop varies with the inlet velocity, but not with cyclone diameter. Particle motion in the cyclone outer vortex was analyzed to establish a force balance differential equation. Barth??s "static particle" theory, particle (with diameter of d50) collection probability is 50% when the forces acting on it are balanced, combined with the force balance equation was applied in the theoretical analyses for the models of cyclone cut-point and collection probability distribution in the cyclone outer vortex. Cyclone cut-points for different dusts were traced from measured cyclone overall collection efficiencies and the theoretical model for calculating cyclone overall efficiency. The cut-point correction models (K) for 1D3D and 2D2D cyclones were developed through regression fit from traced and theoretical cut-points. The regression results indicate that cut-points are more sensitive to mass median diameter (MMD) than to geometric standard deviation (GSD) of PSD. The theoretical overall efficiency model developed in this research can be used for cyclone total efficiency calculation with the corrected d50 and PSD. 1D3D and 2D2D cyclones were tested at Amarillo, Texas (an altitude of 1128 m / 3700 ft), to evaluate the effect of air density on cyclone performance. Two sets of inlet design velocities determined by the different air densities were used for the tests. Experimental results indicate that optimal cyclone design velocities, which are 16 m/s (3200 ft/min) for 1D3D cyclones and 15 m/s (3000 ft/min) for 2D2D cyclones, should be determined based on standard air density. It is important to consider the air density effect on cyclone performance in the design of cyclone abatement systems.