By M. HEUMANN, JR., PE,
Fisher-Klosterman, Inc., Louisville, KY
Understanding
Poreaiieo te Cyclone Dust Collectors
Louisville, KY 40251-0190
PH: 502-572-4000
ee sinsroatas ..-operating principles,
Email: FKI@FKINC.COM specification needs, and costs
Cicorescrases ate simplest ces erodynaris ameter an the Sidi CLEAN
rand least expensive dust collec- particle's acceleration. Acceleration is,
tion devices for industrial air pollution a function of the square of the volu-
control. Operation and maintenance metric ar flow rate and the reciprocals
are simple because they have no mov- of the square of the inlet area and of
ing paris, This article discusses the the cyclone’s body diameter
most common cyclone separator Because the flow pattems in the
design, the involute entry type with a cyclone are three-dimensional, mathe
‘counterflow, coaxial clean air outlet. matical relationships describing per-
‘Operating Principle—Dustladen formance characteristics are very
air enters the eylindricavconical body complex. However, the application of
of the cyclone tangentially at the top established physical laws to empirical
andthe flow assumes. vortex pattem as data derived from laboratory tests and
it travels helically downward, Fig. 1. field experience has resulted in accu-
Centrifugal force fom the aie's tangen- rate computer models for predicting
tial velocity causes the heavier dust par- cyclone performance, In turn, overall
ticles to move radically outward toward cyclone performance has improved,
the cyclone’s wall. When the particles and the scope of applications for these
reach the wal friction and gravity force units has broadened.
them to descend and discharge into a Cyclone Myths —To appreciate the
receiver. The cleaned air spirals upward range and type of aic pollution prob-
and exits atthe top of the eyclone, Jems that cyclone separators can eco- OUST eg
Performance characteristics of a nomically and effectively solve, plant
cyclone are determined by its propor- engineers must consider some miscon-
tions and size and by the properties ceptions about the equipment.
and flow rates of the air and dust Cyclones are suitable only for col-
Performance is described by pressure _lecting particles down to about 5 t0 10