Effect of the Discharging Flap on Particle Separation in a Cyclone

Abstract

The flow field, pressure drop, and separation efficiency of an industrial cyclone separator were computationally investigated using the Reynolds stress model simulations. The effects of the flapper valve on the static pressure drop, cut size, and slope of the grade efficiency curve were revealed. For that, the cyclone was simulated in three operation regimes, when the flapper valve is open, closed, and without the flapper valve. The results showed that a flapper valve increases the cyclone cut size by 3.4 % when it is in the position “closed” and by 11.4 % when it is in the position “open”. The slope of the grade efficiency curve increases when a valve is switched to the position “open” but the static pressure drop increases by 4.8 % when a flapper valve is in the position “closed”.