Performance analysis of a cyclone separator using CFD

Abstract

Cyclone separator is a well-recognized, cost effective procedure of particle separation which used in many industrial works. As in cement industry, this cyclone separator used in order to separate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) particles from hot gas. Apart from that, it also used to pre heat CaCO3 particles by cyclone riser duct and to produce calcium oxide (CaO) (calcinations). Both of these procedures take place within the cyclone separator simultaneously. The efficiency of the cyclone separator determined by many factors such as cyclone dimensions & geometry, particle diameter & density and gas velocity. In this study, we considered about the effect of following 2 parameters on the efficiency of our fabricated cyclone separator. They are, Air flow velocity (inlet velocity) and Particle diameter. Experimental data were taken from the INSEE cement plant at Puttalam. Our experimental setup was the four stage preheater cyclone zone at the INSEE cement plant. Experimental data were taken from the bottom cyclone of the, Four Stage Pre Heater Cyclone Zone at the INSEE cement plant and figured the optimum values for those parameters to enhance the efficiency of the cyclone separator. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis also involved in to figure the optimum values for same parameters. In CFD analysis, for two phase air & calcium carbonate dust mixture, both multiphase ((k-epsilon, RNG (Re Normalization Group), wall function)) & discrete phase models have been used. Using multiphase model, we could plot contours of velocity, volume fraction and etc, of the individual phases. The Discrete model enabled us to track particles. This helped us to study collection efficiency by changing particle diameters & inlet velocities. It appeared that the final results of the experimental data and the CFD analysis were quite similar.