CFD-DEM SIMULATION OF GAS-SOLID FLOW IN A CYCLONE SEPARATOR

Abstract

Cyclone separators are widely used in industry. They are used in chemical as well as in sugar, paint and agriculture industry. They are more versatile than other equipment. They consume less energy, less power, so they are cast efficient. In industry much geometry of cyclone separators are found, these geometries are given by Stairmand, Lapple and Swift. Design of cyclone separator is given and the effect of various parameters like solid loading, inlet and outlet gas velocity, length of outlet gas tube, roughness of wall of cyclone separator and apex cone on efficiency and pressure drop of cyclone separator is studied through available literature. An exhaustive literature search is carried out regarding "simulation of cyclone separator by use of CFD or CFD-DEM". Methods and findings of various researchers are studied. Due to the nature of cyclone flows, which exhibit highly curved stream lines and anisotropic turbulence, advanced turbulence models such as RSM (Reynolds Stress Model) are used. The RSM simulation was performed using the commercial package CFD-FLUENT 6.3.26. Discrete phase model is used to define the solid phase in the flow of continuous phase. Particle trajectories, pressure drop and the cyclone separation efficiency have been studied in some detail with change in geometry