Particle Deposition Mechanisms: Impaction
Cyclone Separator
Cyclones are used for
removal of particles with diameter more than a few microns from gases. Gas enters
from the side and acquires a rotational speed. Particles are moved towards the wall
due to centrifugal forces.
Radial force balance for a particle in the rotating flow in a cyclone is given as
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(1)
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For small particles, , it
follows that
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(2)
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or
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(3)
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where is used.
It is assumed that
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(4)
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Equation (3) then becomes
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(5)
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or
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(6)
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The number of turns needed to deposit the particles of size d (that is, moving the particles from the radius a to the side wall at r=b) is given by
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(7)
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or
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(8)
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Alternatively, the smallest particle that can be
removed in turns is given by
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(9)
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In practice, an approximate expression
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(10)
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is used, where U is the mean inlet velocity.
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