Enhanced collection of fine particles in a cyclone using ultrasonic vapor with surfactants

Using water vapor to improve the efficiency of dust removal in gas cyclones was recently proposed. However, some dust particles are not hydrophilic which can reduce the effectiveness of the vapor. This paper investigates using surfactants to overcome such a difficulty. In particular, surfactants are added to the water solution which is atomized into vapor and added in a cyclone dust collector. The effects of surfactant type and quantity on the removal efficiency of the cyclone are studied by a series of experiments. Three surfactants are used to change the wettability of the two types of fine particles to be collected: molecular sieve dust and white carbon black. The particles in the cyclone are found to form agglomerates, which are measured by using a laser particle size analyzer and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the addition of surfactants can greatly enhance the agglomeration and thus improve the collection efficiency, especially for particles approximately two microns in size. This indicates that using the atomized vapor with containing surfactants is an effective way to enhance the collection of fine particles in a cyclone separator.     

THEORY OF THE FRACTIONAL COLLECTION EFFICIENCY FOR THE AXIAL FLOW CYCLONE DUST COLLECTOR

A cyclone dust collector is a simple device with no moving parts, so it is applied in many industrial fields. However there is still no satisfied theory to estimate the collection efficiency for a given cyclone with high reliability since it is very difficult to predict the movement of the fine solid particles in the three dimensional turbulent rotational flows in the cyclone. A new model of the fractional collection efficiency including the diffusion effect of the solid particles and the decay effect of the tangential velocity of gas flow along the concave wall surface has been derived. In order to confirm this model, a simplified axial flow cyclone of body diameter D₁ = 99 mm has been constructed and fly-ash particles were used as a test dust. The experimental results of collection efficiency were compared those predicted by the Ogawa model and the Fuchs model.     

Structure optimization of granular bed filter for industrial flue gas filtration containing coagulative particles: An experimental and numerical study

A numerical model for the flow and filtration characteristics of industrial flue gas in granular bed filter (GBF) was established and the local filtration efficiency for different granule layers was investigated. Numerical validation results show that the GBF structure with large size granules at the inlet region and small size granules at the outlet region can effectively improve the filtration performance of GBF and the underlying mechanism was revealed. Then an experimental system was built to validate the suitability of the optimized GBF structure for the filtration of industrial flue gas with coagulative particles. The experimental results show that the optimized GBF structure is also suitable and its superiority is more significant with the increase of filtration time. The results show that the pressure drop and filtration efficiency of the experimental system increase with the increase of dust particles concentration. The existing of coagulative particles is conducive to the growth of smaller size dust particles, the pressure drop and filtration efficiency increase significantly. In addition, the pressure drop and filtration efficiency decrease with the increase of cooling rate. The results of this study are expected to be useful for the design and optimization of industrial flue gas purification and waste heat recovery.     

Parameter study and optimization on filtration and resistance characteristics of granular bed filter

In this paper, experimental studies were carried out to investigate the filtration and resistance characteristics of a fixed granular bed filter (GBF) during the process of dust particles removal for hot industrial flue gas. The effects of geometric and operating parameters (including filtration superficial velocity, granules size, bed height, dust particles concentration and flue gas temperature) were examined according to the orthogonal array design method. The experimental results show that the filtration superficial velocity has the most significant effect on filtration efficiency, which is followed by granules size, bed height, flue gas temperature and dust particles concentration respectively; for pressure drop, the order of the factors are granules size, filtration superficial velocity, bed height, flue gas temperature and dust particles concentration respectively. Based on the experimental results, correlations of filtration efficiency and pressure drop with these parameters were established, which have good prediction accuracy with most of the deviations within 15%. The optimized parameters combinations of the maximum filtration efficiency and the minimum pressure drop of the GBF were gained which agree well with the experimental results. The correlations are significant for design and evaluation of GBF in practical applications.     

入口带有加速段方形分离器性能研究

分离器的分级分离效率是循环流化床锅炉性能的主要影响因素之一。在冷态试验的基础上开发了带有加速段的方形分离器，并在热态实验台和工业规模设备上进行了热态测试。测试结果表明：分离器从小尺寸冷态放大到工业规模热态运行分级分离效率变化不大，与相同当量直径的常规圆形旋风筒的分级分离效率相近，设计工况下dc50为42μm，dc99为160μm；阻力约为500Pa。测试结果为其进一步放大提供了可靠的依据。     

Effect of the inlet angle on the performance of a cyclone separator using CFD-DEM

Hydrodynamic characteristics in a cyclone separator are simulated by means of DEM-CFD. Reynolds stress turbulence model (RSM) is used to capture gas turbulence. By changing the inlet angle, the distributions of pressure drop, tangential and axial velocity of gas phase are obtained within the cyclone. Simulated results indicate that the flow pattern consists of two regions: loss-free vortex region and forced vortex region. The negative inlet angle brings about a larger pressure drop comparing to positive inlet angle. The separation efficiency and trajectory of particles from simulation are obtained. The effects of inlet angle and particle size on separation efficiency are quantified. The separation efficiency is increased with an increase of particle size, while the separation efficiency firstly increases and then declined as inlet angle changes from negative to positive. An agreement between the numerical simulation and experimental results has been achieved in a cyclone separator.     

Development of a double-layered ceramic filter for aerosol filtration at high-temperatures: the filter collection efficiency

The performance of double-layered ceramic filters for aerosol filtration at high temperatures was evaluated in this work. The filtering structure was composed of two layers: a thin granular membrane deposited on a reticulate ceramic support of high porosity. The goal was to minimize the high pressure drop inherent of granular structures, without decreasing their high collection efficiency for small particles. The reticulate support was developed using the technique of ceramic replication of polyurethane foam substrates of 45 and 75 pores per inch (ppi). The filtering membrane was prepared by depositing a thin layer of granular alumina-clay paste on one face of the support. Filters had their permeability and fractional collection efficiency analyzed for filtration of an airborne suspension of phosphatic rock in temperatures ranging from ambient to 700 degrees C. Results revealed that collection efficiency decreased with gas temperature and was enhanced with filtration time. Also, the support layer influenced the collection efficiency: the 75 ppi support was more effective than the 45 ppi. Particle collection efficiency dropped considerably for particles below 2 microm in diameter. The maximum collection occurred for particle diameters of approximately 3 microm, and decreased again for diameters between 4 and 8 microm. Such trend was successfully represented by the proposed correlation, which is based on the classical mechanisms acting on particle collection. Inertial impaction seems to be the predominant collection mechanism, with particle bouncing/re-entrainment acting as detachment mechanisms.     

Extended CFD/DEM model for the simulation of circulating fluidized bed

The Euler–Lagrange approach combined with a deterministic collision model, so-called discrete element method, is investigated. In this work, the physical values of fluid and particle phases are determined in separated grids. The proposed procedure allows the variation of the fluid grid resolution independent of the particle size and consequently improves the calculation accuracy. A validation study has been performed to assess the results obtained from an in-house CFD/DEM code and a quasi-2D spouted–fluidized bed of Plexiglas®. The results suggest that the extended CFD/DEM model can predict accurately the particles motion and the pressure gradients in the bed. In view of the high computing cost, special emphasis is put on an effective program design such as the application of the multi-grid method and the parallel calculation. Hence, the influence of increasing the processor numbers (up to 36) on the calculation efficiency of the extended CFD/DEM model will be analysed. Finally, the improved CFD/DEM model is applied to simulate relevant engineering equipments but in small scale with relative large particles and thus less number of particles. In this context, the hydrodynamic behaviour of gas–solid flow in a 3D circulating fluidized bed with a particle separator (cyclone) will be estimated.     

导叶式旋风管内短路流颗粒夹带的研究

采用数值模拟方法,结合试验与理论分析,研究Shell型导叶式旋风管内短路流颗粒夹带问题。结果表明:Shell型旋风管直筒芯管下口存在短路流现象,计算得知短路流量占进口总流量的39.3%。理论分析发现,短路流主要夹带粒径小于9μm的颗粒,短路流夹带颗粒临界粒径为9μm。另外,数值模拟跟踪颗粒逃逸的轨迹证明,Shell型旋风管能将粒径大于9μm的颗粒全部除尽;粒径小于9μm的颗粒既有经排尘口返混逃逸,又有短路流夹带逃逸,其中短路流夹带逃逸占主要部分,且随着粒径的增加,经芯管下口短路夹带逃逸的数目减小。     

Investigation on separation performance and structural optimization of a two-stage series cyclone using CPFD and RSM

Cyclones are generally operated in series when the efficiency of a single cyclone is not sufficient for the process. This study firstly used computational particle fluid dynamics (CPFD) to simulate the gas-solid two-phase flow characteristics in a two-stage series cyclone separator. The separation efficiency and distribution of energy consumption was interpreted by analyzing particle distribution characteristics. Secondly, the structure of the two-stage cyclone separator was optimized via response surface methodology (RSM) to make up for the disadvantage that the distribution of the separation load was non-uniform. The results showed that the grade efficiency for 3 μm of the first-stage cyclone separator was increased from 45.408% to 59.932% compared to the original model. The pressure drop of the first-stage cyclone separator is about 2.147 kPa while the second-stage cyclone separator is about 2.774 kPa. It can be seen that the overall optimized two-stage cyclone separator has the advantages of high efficiency, low energy consumption and load-balanced separation performance.     

多效旋风分离器压降的实验研究

为了有效提高新型多效旋风分离器对粒径为0.1~3μm颗粒的分离效率,获取该设备的阻力性能,采用实验方法研究该新型多效旋风分离器压降与进口气速的关系,并与Lapple型旋风分离器进行比较。结果表明:进口风速为5~30m/s时,主体直径为0.25m的多效旋风分离器总阻力系数为7.29,其中,一级和二级预分离螺旋管的阻力系数分别为1.04和1.73;主体的阻力系数为4.52。直径为0.25m的Lapple型旋风分离器的阻力系数为7.21。     

Experimental and CFD study on effects of spiral guide vanes on cyclone performance

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study on a tangential inlet cyclone separator with a spiral guide vane which is not often researched. Numerical pressure drop results were in close agreement with the experimental data. The spiral guide vane was also found to considerably influence the velocity distribution, turbulence intensity, pressure drop and collection efficiency in the cyclone. A critical value of spiral guide vane turns appeared below or above which there was a marked increase in collection efficiency, pressure drop, and tangential velocity. Compared to a cyclone with zero spiral guide vane turn, the maximal decrease in collection efficiency in the cyclone with the critical spiral guide vane turns (one turn) was 2% approximately. The maximum-efficiency inlet velocity appeared to exist independent of spiral guide vane turns, as inlet velocity affected the radial distance traveled by the rebounded particles from the inner wall. The analysis of flow field in cyclones indicated that the flow field was improved with the spiral guide vanes employed to some extent. The results presented here may provide a workable reference for the effects of spiral guide vanes on the flow field and corresponding performance in cyclone separators.     

顶灰环对旋风分离器分离特性的影响

针对旋风分离器顶部灰环逃逸现象,采取在升气管根部开孔直接导出顶灰环中颗粒的方法,以探究顸部灰环在环形空间的分布形态及粒径分布特性。实验在升气管圆周的8个位置分别开孔并试验,通过粗粉收率的变化判断顶灰环中颗粒的逃逸量,并分析了细粉中的粒径分布。发现顶灰环中颗粒逃逸的量是由于顶灰环在空间分布不均造成的,而且在空间的粒径含量和分布是一个动态平衡过程。实验数据袁明相对于升气管开孔前的收率下降了0．37％-5．5％,压降下降了20．1％-40％。最大效率可达97．47％,最低压降可达176．4Pa。     

高效、低阻分离器入口结构改进及测试分析

为了改进旋风分离器的分级除尘效率和压力损失等性能指标,通过对SLK型高效低阻分离器的分级过程和不同入口形式的旋风分离的颗粒切向速度和沉降速度的分析计算,重点研究SLK型分离器入口形式对旋风分离器内气流速度的影响及其对分级除尘效率和压力损失的影响,通过试制SLK样机并利用粉煤灰进行测试分析,定性验证SLK型分离器高效低阻的性能特点。结果表明:该分离器能获得较高的分离效率,并且压力损失比同型号分离器减小100～400Pa。     

RE-ENTRAINMENT OF DUSTS FROM THE DUST LAYER ON THE THE DEPOSITED DUSTS IN THE CYCLONE DUST COLLECTORS

There were many papers concerning the experimental results of the collection efficiency, but up to this time there are a few papers concerning the experimental results of the re-entrainment or dispersion of the dust particles from the dust layer by the turbulent rotational air flow in the dust bunker for the cyclone dust collector. Then in this paper, the author described the experimental results of the re-entrainment of the test dust ( talc X_R50 = 8.O µm ) for the four kinds of the throat diameter D₃ = 50, 80, 100 and 150 mm. Especially it is very importance to take into consideration of flow rate Qb into the dust bunker which is a function of D₃ and cyclone diameter D₁ and the maximum tangential velocity Vet in the dust bunker which depends on D₁,D₃ and Qb.     

Bed pressure drop of a bubbling fluidized-bed with overflow solid discharge

The pressure drop of a bubbling fluidized-bed that employed an in-bed inlet and an overflow outlet for continuous flow of solid particles was investigated with variation in the particle size and density, the solid flow rate and the gas velocity. The bed pressure drop decreased with increasing the gas velocity, but increased with the solid flow rate. The characteristics in lifting the solid particles vertically to the level of the overflow outlet by bubbles appeared different from the ones of particle entrainment and bed expansion. Regardless of size and density of particles, bed height in minimum fluidizing condition (pressure head by solid bed weight, H_mf,f) decreased with increasing the volume flow rate of bubble but increased with the mass flow rate of solid particles. The nominal vertical height from H_mf,f to the level of the overflow outlet that the particles should overcome in the course of discharging out of the fluidized-bed with the aid of bubbles increased as either the volume flow rate of bubble increased or the mass flow rate of solid particles decreased. The power consumed while bubbles lifted particles to be discharged appeared to be same at the fixed volume flow rate of bubble. A correlation was proposed successful even for predicting the bed pressure drop of the recycle chamber of the loop seal and the external solid circulation rate in the circulating fluidized-bed system.     

DESIGN AND CALIBRATION OF A STACK SAMPLER FOR OIL FLY ASH

A particle sampling system was developed for the collection of Fly ash the stacks of ail-fired electrical generation plants. The apparatus has a cyclone separator which is designed to provide a cutpoint of approximately 2.5 µ followed by a pulse jet fabric filter. Flow rate is a nominal 226 L/min (8 cfm).

The system was tested in the laboratory with monodisperse aerosols to determine the fractionation characteristics of the cyclone and the inlet probe. Efficiencies of three candidate filters were examined with clean media, with a dust cake and with the dust cake removed. Tests were conducted using monodisperse polystyrene aerosols of 0.50, 0.76 and 1.09 µ

The pulse Jet apparatus was checked by operating the system at a flow rate of 200 L/min, loading the filter with AC fine test dust, and determining the stable filter pressure drop as a function of pulse jet air pressure.     

Influences of inlet height and velocity on main performances in the cyclone separator

Aiming at improving collection efficiency in the cyclone separator, the effects of inlet height and velocity on tangential velocity, static pressure and collection efficiency were studied. A three-dimensional model including gas-flow, and particle-dynamics fields was built by the Reynolds stress turbulence model, and the numerical simulation was achieved using the FLUENT software. The static pressure distribution, tangential velocity distribution, and particle trajectory of the cyclone were obtained, and the variation law of the collection efficiency with inlet height and velocity as well as particle diameter was analyzed. Numerical results indicate that both the static pressure and the tangential velocity in the cyclone basically present the axial symmetrical distribution, the static pressure shows a nonlinear increasing trend in the radius direction and the distribution of the tangential velocity is in the shape of a “hump.” The increase of inlet height in a certain range reduces the rotation numbers of particles in the cyclone and shortens the residence time, which results in the improvement of trapping performance. Furthermore, the appropriately increasing inlet velocity in a reasonable range can make the collection efficiency increased.     

Overall characterization of cork dust explosion

Explosibility and ignitability studies of air/cork dust mixtures were conducted in a near-spherical 22.7 L explosibility test chamber using pyrotechnic ignitors and in a furnace of 1.23 L. The suspension dust burned as air-dispersed dust clouds and the uniformity of the dispersion inside the chamber was evaluated through optical dust probes. The range of tested particle sizes went from a mass median diameter of 47.4 to 438.3 microm and the covered dust cloud concentration was up to 700-800 g/m(3). Measured explosion parameters included minimum explosible concentration, maximum explosion pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise and minimum autoignition temperature. The effect of dust particle size on flammability was evaluated and it was found that the minimum explosible concentration is around 40 g/m(3) and it is relatively independent of particle size below 180 microm. Maximum explosion pressure of 7.2 bar and maximum rate of pressure rise of 179 bar/s were detected for the smallest tested sizes. The limitations on the rates of devolatilization of the solid particles became rate controlling at high burning velocities, at high dust loadings and for large particle sizes. The effect of initial pressure on the characteristic parameters of the explosion was studied by varying the initial absolute pressure from 0.9 bar to 2.2 bar, and it was found that as initial pressure increases, there is a proportional increase of minimum explosion limit, maximum explosion pressure, and maximum rate of pressure rise. The influence of the intensity of the ignition energy on the development of the explosion was evaluated using ignition energies of 1000 J, 2500 J and 5000 J, and the experimental data showed that the value of 2500 J is the most convenient to use in the determination of minimum explosion concentration. The behavior of the cork dust explosion in hybrid methane air mixtures was studied for atmospheres with 2% and 3.5% (v/v) of methane. The effect of methane content on the characteristic parameters of the explosions was evaluated. The conclusion is that, the hazard and explosion danger rise with the increase of methane concentration, characterized by the reduction of the minimum dust explosion concentration. The minimum autoignition temperature obtained with the thermal ignition tests was 540 degrees C and the results have shown that this value is independent of particle size, for particles with mass median diameters below 80 microm.     

页岩灰与催化裂化催化剂细粉旋风分离性能的对比试验研究

试验测定和对比页岩灰和流化催化裂化三旋灰(FCC三旋灰)的旋风分离器性能,考察入口气速、入口浓度对分离效率和分离器压降的影响.结果表明,在相同操作条件下,同一台旋风分离器上,粒度小于75 μm的页岩灰与FCC三旋灰的分离效率和分离器压降曲线差别显著;页岩灰的分离效率与分离器压降都明显低于FCC三旋灰,且入口浓度增大,页岩灰分离器压降的下降幅度高于FCC三旋灰;页岩灰分离效率最高的入口气流速度也低于FCC三旋灰.颗粒特性对旋风分离器的分离性能有明显影响,页岩灰和三旋灰的颗粒特性与形状差别是导致其旋风分离特性不同的一个基本原因;油页岩旋风分离器的设计应当考虑油页岩颗粒特性的影响.