Cyclones

Cyclones are dust collection device that separates particulate from the air by centrifugal force. The cyclone operates by making a vortex out of the incoming airstream. The inertia of the particles keeps them moving in the original order and separates them from the airstream as the airstream is pushed to change directions. The interactions inside a cyclone are complicated despite the cyclone’s simplicity in appearance and operation. The existence of two vortices during operation offers a straightforward explanation for what is happening inside a cyclone. The larger particles are carried downward by the main vortex as it spirals. Near the cyclone’s base, an inner vortex forms and spirals upward, carrying smaller dust particles.

Cyclones are inexpensive, low-maintenance, and temperature-resistant machinery. Additionally, they enable the dry recovery of the product and lessen the burden on the primary collector. Cyclones, on the other hand, provide unique design difficulties and are difficult to predict in terms of performance. Accurate intake data are essential, yet they take up a lot of plant area. Cyclones perform poorly at removing fine particulates. They are often used as a pre-cleaner to get rid of larger particles that could harm fabric collector bags or clog wet scrubbers otherwise. It should be noted that adding a cyclone to a ventilation system may not reduce the overall system resistance since the pressure drop of the inertial cyclone collector may more than equal the reduction in resistance at the baghouse caused by lower dust loading. Pressure drops range from 3 inches wg for inertial cyclone collectors with low efficiency to up to 8 inches wg for models with higher efficiency.