Empirical design parameter study of a bidirectional flow cyclone

Abstract

This paper investigates a cyclonic separator called "Double vortex finder cyclone" (DVFC), a bidirectional flow cyclone, which is distinguished by two coaxially aligned clean gas outlets (vortex finder), resulting therefore in a particularly low pressure drop. Due to lacking experimental data regarding the ideal dimensions and operating conditions, dedusting experiments according to DIN ISO 5011:2014 were conducted. The influence of the vortex finder diameter, of the inlet inflow velocity and of a partially blocked clean gas outlet on the separation efficiency, pressure drop and fractional efficiency were investigated. The specific pressure drop coefficients were determined for each vortex finder diameter. The findings indicate an increasing separation efficiency, pressure drop and fractional efficiency for a higher inlet inflow velocity and a smaller vortex finder diameter. A partially clogged clean gas outlet results in a pressure drop increase but exerts no significant influence on the separation efficiency nor the cut size diameter. Based upon the acquired data, the DVFC has proven to be a promising separator, most notably due to the low pressure drop, with the potential to be considered in some applications as a successor of the established reverse flow cyclone and uniflow cyclone models.