786

Shakib Afzal

Reg:09PWMIN0581

Semester#7th

Department of mining engineering UET

peshawer

An Introduction to Basic

Hydrocyclone

• A cyclone is a piece of process equipment

capable of handling large volumes of

slurry and classifying it based on

differences in size and/or specific gravity.

• Based on these differences a cyclone will

then produce two products – an underflow

and an overflow.

Hydrocyclone

Working principals

A cyclone uses centrifugal force that is generated by a slurry entering the feed chamber under pressure to make the separations. This centrifugal force causes the larger particles to be ‘slung’ to the cone wall while the finer material is kept closer to the center. The vortex finder draws the water and fine material to the overflow while the coarser material makes its way out the apex.

Internal Workings of a

CycloneSlurry enters through the feed inlet.

Cycloning starts to take place in the

feed chamber. Heavier particles move

to the outer walls and move toward

the apex. Lighter particles stay near

the center of the cone and are carried

away by the vortex finder.

Factors affecting Hydrocyclone

performance1: vortex finder

2:pressure drope

3:apex dia

4:feed flow rate

5:cyclone dia

6:cyclone length

7:particle size

1:Vortex finder dia

Change Effect Reasons

increase

s

Decrease

efficiency

Coarser particles will mix with finer particles

decrease

s

Increase

efficiency

Only finer particles will flow through the vortex

finder

2:Pressure drope

Change Effect reasons

increase Efficiency increases Flow rate increases

decreases decreases decreases

3:Apex dia

Change Effect Reasons

increases Decreases efficiency Large volume of fluids

will loose along with

finer particles

decreases increases Large volume of Fluids

will be available for

overflow

4:Feed flow rate

Change Effects reasons

increases Increases efficiency Increases G.forces

deceases decreases Decreases G. forces

5:Cyclone dia

Change Effects Reasons

increases Decreases efficiency Decreases G.forces

decreases increases Increases G.forces

6:Cyclone length

Change Effects reasons

increases Increases efficiency Residence time

increases

decreases decreases decreases

7:Particle size

Change Effects reasons

increases Increases efficiency More likely for

particles to migrate to

exterior wall

decreases decreases To interior wall

Uses

A hydrocyclone is most often used to

separate "heavies" from a liquid

mixture originating at a centrifugal

pump or some other continuous

source of pressurized liquid.

A hydrocyclone is most likely to be the

right choice for processes where

"lights" are the greater part of the

mixture and where the "heavies" settle

fairly easily.

Applications

In pulp and paper mills to remove sand, plastic particles and other contaminants.

In the drilling industry to separate sand from the expensive clay that is used for lubrication during the drilling.

In industry to separate oil from water or vice versa.

In metal working to separate metal particles from cooling liquid.

In potato processing plants to recover starch from waste water.

In mineral processing, hydrocyclones are used extensively both to classify particles for recirculation in grinding circuits and to differentiate between the economic mineral and gangue.

To remove sand and silt particles from irrigation water for drip irrigation purposes.

End….

thanks a lot.