Hydrocyclones

Hydrocyclones
Hydrocyclones
1. Cyclone Operating Variables
2. Efficiency Curves
3. NageswararaoModel
4. Fish Hook Effect
5. Density Effects
6. Fitting the Model
7. Limitations of the Model
Hydrocyclones
Hydrocyclone Terminology
Feed inlet
Conical section
Apex
Cylindrical section
Vortex finder
Feed chamber
Hydrocyclones
Hydrocyclone Flow Patterns
Feed
Overflow
Underflow
Inner flow spiral
(upwards)
Outer flow spiral
(downwards)
Hydrocyclones
Forces on Particles
Centrifugal
Drag
Gravity
Hydrocyclones
Separation Variables
Particle Properties
size
shape
s.g.
Hydrocyclones
Separation Variables
Fluid Properties
density
solids present
viscosity
Hydrocyclones
Separation Variables
Machine Properties
inlet area
diameter
cylinder length
cone angle
vortex finder diameter
spigot diameter
vortex finder length
angle of inclination
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curves - I
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
0.01 0.10 1.00 10.00
Size (mm)
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

C
o
a
r
s
e
Actual
Efficiency
Curve
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curves - II
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
0.01 0.10 1.00 10.00
Size (mm)
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

C
o
a
r
s
e
D50 Act
Actual
Water
Split
Hydrocyclones
Short Circuit Model
Feed
Coarse
Product
Fine
Product
Short
Circuit
True
Classification
Remainder
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curves - III
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
0.01 0.10 1.00 10.00
Size (mm)
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

C
o
a
r
s
e
D50 Act
D50 Corr
Actual
Corrected
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curves - IV
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
0.1 1 10
D/D50c
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

C
o
a
r
s
e
Reduced
Efficiency
Curve
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curve Model - I
2 ) (
) 1 (
C = E
50
)
50
o(
+

e e
e
c d
d
c d
d
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curve - Varying
0. 0
0. 1
0. 2
0. 3
0. 4
0. 5
0. 6
0. 7
0. 8
0. 9
1. 0
1 10 10 0 1 0 0 0
S i ze ( m )
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

F
i
n
e
0.25
0.5
1
2
3
5
7.5
10
Hydrocyclones
Reduced Efficiency
Constant for a Given Mineral
Hydrocyclones
D50 Equation
65 . 0
0 1
15 . 0
2 . 0 5 . 0
1 2
)
(
(
93 . 0
47 . 0 52 . 0
2
50
22 . 0

=
=
=

D K K
D
L
D
D
K K
D
Du
D
D
K
D
d
D D
c
c
c
i
D D
gD
P
c c
o
D
c
c
c p

Hydrocyclones
Recovery to Underflow - I
22 . 0
24 . 0
50 . 0
1 2
27 . 0 53 . 0
40 . 2 19 . 1
2 ) (
c
c
c
i
w w
c p c
u
c
o
w f
D
L
D
D
K K
gD
P
D
D
D
D
K R

=
=

Hydrocyclones
Recovery to Underflow - II
22 . 0
24 . 0
25 . 0
1 2
31 . 0
83 . 1 94 . 0
2 ) (
c
c
c
i
v v
c p c
u
c
o
v v
D
L
D
D
K K
gD
P
D
D
D
D
K R

=
=

Hydrocyclones
Pressure-Throughput
Equation
1 . 0
0 1
2 . 0 1 . 0 45 . 0
1 2
68 . 0 5 . 0
2
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
2

=
=
=
c Q Q
c
c
c
Q Q
c
o
p
c Q
D K K
D
L
D
Di
K K
D
D P
D K Q

Hydrocyclones
Fish Hook Effect - I
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
10 100 1000
Si ze (m)
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

F
i
n
e
Hydrocyclones
Fish Hook Effect - II
Exaggerated in graph
Assumed originally to be caused by changing
size measurement technique
With advent of wide size range measurement
techniques (Laser etc) - phenomenon really
occurs sometimes
Assumptions about short-circuiting of particles
with water breaking down
High viscosity and large cyclones???
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curve Model - II
E = C
(1+
o( )
d
d c
c
d
d c
d
d
e
e e
50
50
50
1
2

+





*
*
)( )
( )
Hydrocyclones
Efficiency Curve - Varying
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
0.10 1.00 10.00 100.00 1000.00
Si ze ( m )
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

F
i
n
e
0.0
0.2
0.5
1.0
2.0
Hydrocyclones
JKSimMet Cyclone
Parameters - I
Geometry Data
Hydrocyclones
JKSimMet Cyclone
Parameters - II
Model
Parameters
Hydrocyclones
JKSimMet Cyclone
Parameters - III
Performance Data
Hydrocyclones
SG Effects - 1
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
10 100 1000
Si ze (m)
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

F
i
n
e
Galena
Sphalerite
Silica
d50c (Ga)
d50c (Sp)
d50c (Si)
Hydrocyclones
SG Effects - 2
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
10 100 1000
Si ze (m)
F
r
a
c
t
i
o
n

t
o

F
i
n
e
Galena
Sphalerite
Silica
Average
d50c (Ga)
d50c (Sp)
d50c (Si)
Hydrocyclones
KD0 depends on feed solids characteristics only -
size & sg
D50 Equation - II
c c d m d 50
mineral
feed
50
1 - sg
1 - sg
= ) (
Hydrocyclones
Fitting the Cyclone Model - I
Use measured pressure wherever possible
If in doubt about measured pressure, compare
with manufacturers tables
Make sure the Measured Pressure is available to
Model Fitting by activating it on the Equipment
Data Tab of the Model Fit Dialog window
Typical values of K
Q0
are 300 - 600
Hydrocyclones
Fitting the Cyclone Model - II
K
D0
is typically 0.001 - 0.00001
Actual water split to O/F is fitted rather than
K
V1
and K
W1
(both controlled by the water split)
You can calculate an estimate of the water split
from the mass balanced water flow data
Always fit the Water Split
Hydrocyclones
Fitting the Cyclone Model - III
If the fit is poor at fine sizes, try setting to 0.1.
If this improves the fit, then fit .
Plotting and inspecting the efficiency curve will
help (Remember that you need data in the
cyclone feed combiner port to plot efficiency
curves)
Hydrocyclones
Design Considerations - I
Cut Size
Cyclone Diameter
smaller > finer
Operating Pressure
higher > finer
Feed Density
lower > finer
Inclination
flatter > coarser
Hydrocyclones
Design Considerations - II
Water split to overflow
higher > more efficient
<50% very poor
50 - 60% poor
60 - 70 % reasonable
70 - 80% typical of good operation
80 - 90% subject to underflow limitations
>90% not usually achievable
Hydrocyclones
Design Considerations - III
Feed Size
coarse feeds limit water split to O/F
fine feeds increase viscosity
cant create fine material in cyclone
Pressure
controls wear in pump and cyclone
trade-off between wear and operational flexibility
Hydrocyclones
Design Considerations - IV
Operation at high overflow density
capital v operating trade off
capital
thickeners are expensive
operating
higher operating pressure
smaller cyclones
larger mill
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
I
Feed size effect
As the feed becomes coarser, d50c tends to decrease
even when all the other variables are kept constant.
Efficiency curve equation
The analytic form used does not provide a perfect
representation for the reduced efficiency curve.
Hydrocyclones
Alternative Efficiency Curve
Model
d/d50(corrected)
%

o
f

F
e
e
d

t
o

O
v
e
r
f
l
o
w

(
c
o
r
r
e
c
t
e
d
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50
Efficy. curve at 0.33xd50c
Efficy. curve at d50c
Efficy. curve at 0.66xd50c
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
II
Viscosity
Viscosity variations due to changes in pulp density
are largely accounted for by the model.
Viscosity variations caused by variable quantities of
slimes affect the parameters in quite a systematic
way.
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
III
Increasing viscosity causes
coarser cut size
water split to overflow reduced
pressure drop increased
reduced efficiency curve constant till roping
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
IV
Effect of roping
cut size increased by 5 to 10
alpha value reduced to 0.1 - 0.2
water split not affected much
pressure drop not affected much
inclination allows operation at higher underflow
density before roping
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations V
Prediction of roping difficult
SPOC constraint
feed density
Plitt constraint
underflow size distribution
JKSimMet warns when either constraint is
violated
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
VI
SPOC Constraint
at sg 2.7 at sg 4.0
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
% by Volume % by Weight % by Weight
5 53 12.4 75.3 17.4 81.8
10 54 23.1 76.0 30.8 82.4
15 55 32.3 76.7 41.4 83.0
20 56 40.3 77.5 50.0 83.6
25 57 47.4 78.2 57.1 84.1
30 58 53.6 78.8 63.1 84.7
35 59 59.2 79.5 68.3 85.2
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
VI
SPOC Constraint
at sg 2.7 at sg 4.0
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
% by Volume % by Weight % by Weight
5 53 12.4 75.3 17.4 81.8
10 54 23.1 76.0 30.8 82.4
15 55 32.3 76.7 41.4 83.0
20 56 40.3 77.5 50.0 83.6
25 57 47.4 78.2 57.1 84.1
30 58 53.6 78.8 63.1 84.7
35 59 59.2 79.5 68.3 85.2
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
VI
SPOC Constraint
at sg 2.7 at sg 4.0
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
Feed
Density
Underflow
Density
% by Volume % by Weight % by Weight
5 53 12.4 75.3 17.4 81.8
10 54 23.1 76.0 30.8 82.4
15 55 32.3 76.7 41.4 83.0
20 56 40.3 77.5 50.0 83.6
25 57 47.4 78.2 57.1 84.1
30 58 53.6 78.8 63.1 84.7
35 59 59.2 79.5 68.3 85.2
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
VII
Plitt constraint
Roping onset
% Solids by Vol.
Underflow
50% passing (m)
% Solids
at sg 2.7
% Solids
at sg 4.0
35.2 50 59.4 68.5
39.0 60 63.3 71.9
45.9 80 69.6 77.2
50.5 100 73.4 80.3
53.9 120 75.9 82.4
58.6 170 79.3 85.0
60.0 200 80.2 85.7
61.3 250 81.0 86.4
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
VII
Plitt constraint
Roping onset
% Solids by Vol.
Underflow
50% passing (m)
% Solids
at sg 2.7
% Solids
at sg 4.0
35.2 50 59.4 68.5
39.0 60 63.3 71.9
45.9 80 69.6 77.2
50.5 100 73.4 80.3
53.9 120 75.9 82.4
58.6 170 79.3 85.0
60.0 200 80.2 85.7
61.3 250 81.0 86.4
Hydrocyclones
Cyclone Model Limitations
VII
Plitt constraint
Roping onset
% Solids by Vol.
Underflow
50% passing (m)
% Solids
at sg 2.7
% Solids
at sg 4.0
35.2 50 59.4 68.5
39.0 60 63.3 71.9
45.9 80 69.6 77.2
50.5 100 73.4 80.3
53.9 120 75.9 82.4
58.6 170 79.3 85.0
60.0 200 80.2 85.7
61.3 250 81.0 86.4