“IN THE NAME O F

ALLAH THE MOST

BENAFICIENT THE
MERCIFUL”
Presentation On:
Hydrocyclone
Introduction:
 This is the continuously operating classifying
device that utilize centrifugal force to
accelerate the settling rate of particles.
 This device is of great importance in minerals
industry because it is extremely efficient at
fine separation sizes.
 It is widely used in closed-circuit grinding
operations.
Introduction (cont…)
 It has replaced mechanical classifiers in
many applications as it is also used for
de-sliming, de-gritting and thickening.
 It is simple and have high capacity
relative to its size.
 A variant “water-only-cyclone” has been
used for the cleaning of fine coal and
other minerals.
 They can classify over a very wide
range of sizes.Typically from 5-500um,
smaller diameter units being used for
finer classification.
CONSTRUCTION:
A typical hydrocyclone consists of a
conically shaped vessel.
 It is open at its apex or underflow,
joined to a cylindrical section which has
tangential feed inlet.
 The top of the cylindrical section is
closed with a plate through which
passes an axial mounted overflow pipe.
Construction (cont…)
 The pipe is extended into the body of the
cyclone by a short removable section known
as the vortex finder,which prevents short-
circuiting of feed directly into the overflow.
 The bottom of the vortex finder protrudes
below the feed chamber.
 The feed chamber and the cones are lined
inside with the rubber or synthetic linings due
to the abrasive nature of most metallurgical
slurries.
Construction (cont…)
 The lined material is hard rubber,
neoprene or urethane.
 The apex is fitted with a concentric
hardwearing synthetic rubber.
 Hydrocyclones are occasionally
provided with a nozzle just above the
apex for injecting the water to
compensate for water loss of fines.
Working:
 The feed is introduced under pressure
through the tangential entry which imparts a
swirling motion to the pulp.
 This generates a vortex in the cyclone with a
low pressure zone along the vertical axis.
 An air core develops along the axis,normally
connected to atmosphere through the apex
opening.
Working (cont…)
 The classical theory of hydrocyclone action is
that particles within the flow pattern are
subjected to two forces. a) Outward
centrifugal force. b) Inward drag
force.
 These forces accelerate the setting rate of
particle.
 So, particles separate according to their size
shape and specific gravity.
Working (cont…)
 Faster settling particles moves to the
wall of the cyclone where the velocity is
lowest and migrate to the apex opening.
 Due to the action of the drag force the
slower-settling particles moves towards
the zone of low pressure along the axis
and are carried upward through the
vortex-finder to the overflow.
Regions for similar size
distribution:
 Experimental work reported by “Renner” and
“Cohen”(1978) has shown that classification
does not takes place throughout the whole
body of the cyclone.
 Using a high speed probe,sample were taken
from several selected positions within a 150
mm diameter cyclone,and were subjected to
size analysis.
 The results showed
that the interior of
the cyclone may be
divided into four
regions that
contains distinctively
different size
distribution.
 Unclassified feed exist in a narrow regions A
adjacent to the cylinder wall and the roof of
the cyclone.
 Region B occupies a very large part of the
cone of the cyclone contains fully classified
coarse material (under flow product).
 Similarly fully classified fine material is
contained in a region C(a narrow region).
 Only the toroidshaped region D does
classification takes place. The cyclone was
run at low pressure ,so that region D may be
larger in production units.
 Hydrocyclone are almost universally
used in grinding circuits because of
their high capacity and relative
efficiency.
 They are also classified over a very
wide range of sizes(5—500 micro
meter),smaller diameter are use for
finer classification.
Presented by:
 Ali Haider Mustajab MME-O7-26
 Faisal Shahzad Jutt MME-07-30
 Rai Ajrar Husain MME-07-20
 Faizan Ali Ghauri MME-07-29