Investigation on flow pattern and performance of square and cylindrical cyclone by experimental and numerical approach

Abstract

Cyclone separators are commonly used for gas–solid separation in industrial processes. Traditional designs, namely square and Stairmand cyclones, exhibit compromises. Square cyclones are compact but have low efficiency with corner-induced recirculation, whereas Stairmand cyclones have better efficiency, but at the cost of a high pressure drop. To overcome these restrictions, this study introduces a series-connected design integrating a square cyclone with a Stairmand cyclone to maximize the overall separation efficiency using a computational-experimental methodology based on aluminum oxide powder with a mean particle diameter of 6.52 μm. The flow was controlled via a variable frequency drive, and the flow behavior was simulated using the Eulerian–Lagrangian approach with Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and Reynolds Stress Model (RSM). Particle paths were simulated through the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), taking into consideration drag-dominated behavior. Results show that combined setup clearly improves particle capture significantly, reaching an efficiency of 56.5 % at an inlet velocity of 12 m/s, performing better compared to individual square and Stairmand cyclones. The CFD predictions were very close to the experimental results, confirming the flow and separation behavior. The integrated design is more efficient with great potential as a solution for next-generation particulate control systems.