Cyclone (Centrifugal Separator): Utilizes "centrifugal force," a pseudo-force caused by a particle's inertia, to separate the particle from the

fluid. Dusty gas comes in through a rectangular inlet in a tangential direction. After entering, the gas is forced into a circular (spiral), downward motion. (See picture of cyclone) Because particles have more mass (inertia) than gas molecules, they require a greater external force (= mp. u2/r) to sustain a circular motion; i.e., to turn and move with the gas. But because there's NO such force (initially), the particle's path will start to deviate from that of the gas. The particles will appear (to the gas) to move towards the wall of cyclone, collide with the wall, slide down and be collected at the bottom. The cleaned gas then enters the inner cylinder and exits the cyclone from the top. If the particles travel at the same speed (u) as the gas when they enter the cyclone, then the "centrifugal acceleration" = (u2 / r). For typical u and r, (u2 / r) >> g e.g., (u2 / r) = (18 m/s)2 / (0.3 m) = 1,080 m/s2 >> 9.81 m/s2 The centrifugal force/acceleration (and hence ) increases with increasing u. (1) gravity can be ignored (2) cyclones should be more effective than gravity settlers

If we let centrifugal force = drag force (i.e., ignore gravity and buoyancy) and assume Stokes' law applies, then v = (u2 / r) . dp2 . p / (18 . ) = u2 . dp2 . p / (18 . . r) = horizontal, outward velocity (toward the wall) of particle (relative to gas)

Cyclone efficiency (): The inner wall of a cyclone is equivalent to the bottom of a gravity settler, except H is replaced by W (inlet width) and L is replaced by ( . D . Ne). Using the block-flow model: b = v . L / (u . H) (for gravity settler)

= v . ( . D . Ne) / (u . W) = u2 . dp2 . p / (18 . . r) . (2 . r . Ne) / (u . W) = ( . Ne . u . dp2 . p) / (9 . W . ) (D = 2r)

Using the mixed-flow model: m = 1 - exp [ -(v . . D . Ne) / (u . W) ] = 1 - exp [ -( . Ne . u . dp2 . p) / (9 . W . ) ]

Example: Calculate efficiency of a conventional cyclone (D = 1.0 m, W = 0.25 m, and H = 0.5 m) to remove spherical particles with p = 2.0 and dp = 1, 5, and 10 m in a gas stream moving at 20 m/s at STP.

Ne can be estimated from H, Lb, and Lc using Eq. 4.1 in Cooper & Alley: Ne = (1/H) . (Lb + Lc/2) = (1/0.5) . (2.0 + 2.0/2) = 6 revolutions can be estimated using Eq. 11.7 in Heinsohn & Kabel (1999): (kg/m/s) = 1.3554E-6 + (6.738E-8)T - (3.808E-11)T2 + (1.183E-14)T3 (oK)

At STP,

1.84E-5 kg/m-s = 0.0182 (1.82%) for dp = 1 m = 0.456 (45.6%) for dp = 5 m = 1.823 (~100%) for dp = 10 m = 0.0181 (1.81%) for dp = 1 m = 0.366 (36.6%) for dp = 5 m = 0.839 (83.9%) for dp = 10 m

We see that by replacing "g" with "u2/r," cyclones can remove PM10 somewhat more effectively than gravity settlers (only ~3% for dp = 10 m).

Q1: Is our assumption correct that Stokes' law applies here, for 1, 5, and 10 m?

Q2: Cyclones can achieve higher efficiency than gravity settlers but at what cost?

Particles that enter at the inner wall of inlet are most difficult to remove, because they need to travel the farthest. For these particles to be collected, the radial (horizontal, outward) distance traveled within the retention time must be W (v . R) = [ u2 . dp2 . p / (18 . . r) ] . ( . D . Ne / u) = [ . Ne . u . p . dp2 / (9 . ) ] W

i.e.,

In theory (according to block-flow model), the smallest "collectable" particle that enters at the inner wall of inlet has diameter (how about mixed-flow model?) dp = [ 9 . W . / ( . Ne . u . p) ] 1/2 i.e., this particle would travel an outward distance of W during R = D Ne / u

Cut Diameter (dcut) = diameter of particles for which removal efficiency (b) = 50% = diameter of particles which travels W/2 during R Replace "W" in the above equation with "W/2" to obtain dcut dcut = [ 9 . W . / (2 . . Ne . u . p) ] 0.5

dcut is an indicator of the effectiveness of a device to remove particles: dcut , b dcut , b

As noted earlier, block-flow and mixed-flow models are useful for understanding how settlers and cyclones work, and for seeing what parameters are important, but they are not good predictors of cyclone efficiency. Why? Simplistic assumptions: instantaneous complete mixing or no mixing at all, no re-entrainment, no particle-particle interactions. These models tend to over-predict for large dp and under-predict for small dp. Why? A more accurate predictor of cyclone efficiency is the empirical Lapple model. For particles of size dp and cyclone with cut diameter dcut, the collection efficiency (dp) = [ 1 + (dcut/dp)2 ] -1 = (dp/dcut)2 / [ 1 + (dp/dcut)2 ] (Eq. 4.7, C&A)

We have been discussing single-size particles. In reality we deal with a population of particles of different sizes, and the overall removal efficiency depends on the size distribution. Example: For a Swift conventional cyclone (Table 4.1, column 4) having D = 1 m and Q = 250 m3/min at 394 K and 1 atm, calculate for the spherical particles below (p = 1.5 g/cm3).

dp (m) mass fraction mean dp (m)

0-5 0.02 2.5

5-10 0.10 7.5

10-20 0.20 15

20-50 0.30 35

50-70 0.20 60

70-90 0.10 80

90-110 0.08 100

If the size distribution of a population of particles is known, then overall = mi*i(dp,i) where mi = mass fraction of the ith size group

For example, if dcut = 6.0 m, then the removal efficiency for the 10-14 m fraction (geometric mean dp,i = 12 m) = 12 = 1 / [ 1 + (6/12)2 ] = 0.8 And the overall removal efficiency overall = m11 + m22 + m33 + ......

From Table 4.1, column 4, for D = 1.0 m, H = 0.5 m W = 0.25 m and Ne = (1.75 + 2/2) / 0.5 = 5.5

u = Q/(WH) = [(250/60) m3/s] / (0.25m*0.5m) = 33.3 m/s @ 394 K (249 F), is calculated to be 2.27E-5 kg/m/s dcut = [ 9 W / (2 Ne u p) ]0.5 = 5.45 m That is, for ~5 m particles, the cyclone has a removal efficiency of ~50% ! Use dcut to calculate i for each particle group (mean dp,i): i(dp,i) = [ 1 + (dcut/dp,i)2 ]-1 (Eq. 4.7, C&A)

dp (m) mass fraction mean dp (m) i mii

0-5 0.02 2.5 0.1738 0.0035

5-10 0.10 7.5 0.6544 0.0654

10-20 0.20 15.0 0.8834 0.1767

20-50 0.30 35.0 0.9763 0.2929

50-70 0.20 60.0 0.9918 0.1984

70-90 0.10 80.0 0.9954 0.0995

90-110 0.08 100.0 0.9970 0.0798

Sum up all the mii's:

overall = mii = 0.916

(or ~92%)

From this example, we see that cyclones are not very effective for removing PM10. Empirically, depends on Q, , p, and L (particle loading) (Table 4.2, C&A): Q p L

Cyclone efficiency is ~inversely proportional to dcut (= [ 9 W / (2 Ne u p) ] 0.5 ). What can we do to reduce dcut and increase ? (i) increase u (expensive, since P u2, as we'll see in a minute) (ii) increase Ne (making cyclone taller, much like making gravity settler longer) (iii) decrease W (making inlet narrower, much like making gravity settler flatter or with horizontal plates; however, this would reduce treatment capacity, which with W2)

 Use many small cyclones in parallel to maintain capacity (much like inserting multiple parallel plates in gravity settler) (See picture of multiclone) This would reduce dcut from ~5 m to ~2 m. The overall efficiency depends on size of individual cyclones, whereas the number of cyclones determines capacity and fan power. Pros and cons of cyclones: simple, inexpensive, and low-maintenance only somewhat effective for PM10 (not effective for PM2.5) relatively high pressure drops used as pre-cleaners for higher-efficiency equipment downstream

Pressure drop across cyclone (P): expressed as "inlet velocity head" P = Pin - Pout = Hv * [ (gas u2) / 2] where [(gas u2) / 2] = inlet velocity head = kinetic energy per unit volume of gas and Hv = number of inlet velocity head = K * (WH / De2) Power required (energy needed per unit time) = (energy per unit volume of gas) * (volume of gas per unit time) = P * Q = Hv * (gas u2) / 2 * Q Example 4.5: Design a Lapple standard cyclone to treat a gas (gas = 1 kg/m3) containing the particles below (p = 1,500 kg/m3). Q = 120 m3/min, = 0.07 kg/m/hr, K = 14. must be 70% and P must be 3,000 Pa. Determine D, , u, and P.

dp (m) mass fraction

0-2 0.02

2-4 0.18

4-10 0.30

10-20 0.30

20-40 0.15

40-100 0.04

> 100 0.01

First, guess D.

Let D = 1.0 m, then

W = 0.25 m, H = 0.5 m, De = 0.5 m, Lb = Lc = 2 m, Ne = (Lb+Lc/2)/H = 6 u = Q / (HW) = 16 m/s dcut = [ 9 W / (2 Ne u p) ]1/2 = 6.96 m 7 m

Use spreadsheet to calculate i's: dp (m) mass frac. i mii 0-2 0.02 0.0202 0.0004 2-4 0.18 0.1568 0.0282 4-10 0.30 0.5031 0.1509 10-20 0.30 0.8230 0.2469 20-40 0.15 0.9490 0.1423 40-100 0.04 0.9902 0.0396 > 100 0.01 0.9952 0.01

overall = mii = 0.618

(< 70%)

D = 1.0 m is too large ! P = [(gas*u2) / 2] * Hv = [(gas*u2) / 2] * K * (WH/De2) = (1.0*162) / 2 * 14 * (0.25*0.5/0.52) = 896 Pa (acceptable) Try again. Guess D = 0.8 and repeat . . . . . . H = 0.4 m, W = 0.2 m, Ne = 6, and u = 25 m/s

dp (m) mass frac. i mii

0-2 0.02 0.0387 0.0008

2-4 0.18 0.2661 0.0479

4-10 0.30 0.6638 0.1991

10-20 0.30 0.9007 0.2702

20-40 0.15 0.9732 0.1460

40-100 0.04 0.9950 0.0398

> 100 0.01 0.9975 0.01

overall = mii = 0.714 (>70%, O.K.!) P = [(gas*u2) / 2] * Hv = [(gas*u2) / 2] * K * (WH/De2) = (1*252) / 2 * 14 * (0.2*0.4/0.42) = 2,188 Pa (< 3,000 Pa, O.K.!)
10