Separation hydrocyclones

Units are sometimes placed in series to provide multiple stages of separation. Hydrocyclones are used on ships and drilling platforms for removing oil from water [Bednarski and Listewnik, Filtration and Sep., pp. 92-97 (March/April 1988)]. Numerical simulations ofhydro-cyclone performance and flow profiles are described by Bai and Wang [Chem. Eng. Technol., 29(10), pp. 1161-1166 (2006)] and by Murphy et al. [Chem. Eng. Sci., 62, pp. 1619-1635 (2007)]. 

A promising technique currently under development is downhole separation whereby a device similar to a hydrocyclone separates oil and water in the well bore. The water is subsequently compressed into a zone beneath the producing interval and only the oil is produced to surface. 

The hydrocyclone, commonly referred to simply as cyclone, is a nonmechanical sedimentation-type classifier (2,6,10,27) (Fig. 7). It has no moving parts or power attachments directly connected to it. The hydrocyclone has become the workhorse of most mineral processing operations because of its simplicity, short residence time, compactness, and low cost of operation. It is, however, characterized by lack of sharpness of separation. Equipment... 

Time is a critical variable because the magnetite settles if the mixture is held too long in a static condition. Use of hydrocyclones makes possible the separation in a fraction of a minute (21). These devices impart centrifugal force to the system, thereby permitting a separation to be made at a specific gravity less than that required in static, heavy-Hquid separations. 

Mechanical Gleaning. A cleaner is a hydrocyclone device utilizing fluid pressure to create rotational fluid motion (20). Pulp is introduced tangentially near the top of the cleaner. Contaminants denser than water such as chemically treated toner inks and sand migrate toward the outer wall of the cleaner and exit in a separate (reject) stream. For most forward cleaners, optimal ink removal efficiency is obtained at a pulp consistency of 0.2—0.3%. Most forward cleaners deinking efficiency declines at pulp feed consistencies greater than 0.4%. However, a cleaner said to be efficient at 1.2% pulp consistency has been reported (39). 

In 1981, a novel flotation device known as the air-sparged hydrocyclone, shown in Figure 3, was developed (16). In this equipment, a thin film and swid flotation is accompHshed in a centrifugal field, where air sparges through a porous wall. Because of the enhanced hydrodynamic condition, separation of fine hydrophobic particles can be readily accompHshed. Also, retention times can be reduced to a matter of seconds. Thus, this device provides up to 200 times the throughput of conventional flotation cells at similar yields and product quaHties. 

L., and Thew M. T., (eds.). Hydrocyclones Analysis and Applications, p. 95, Kliiwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 1992. Dahlstrom D. A., Fundamental of Solid-Liquid Separation, Mnlar A. L., and Anderson,... 

Hydrocyclones are available in numerous sizes and types ranging from pencil-sized 10-mm diameters of plastic to the 1.2-m (48-in) diameter of rubber-protected mild or stainless steel. Porcelain units 25 to 100 mm (1 to 4 in) in diameter are becoming popular, and in the 150-mm (6-in) size the starch industry has standardized on special molded nylon types. Small units for fine-size separations are usually manifolded in multiple units in parallel with up to 480 ten-mm... 

Cyclones, hydrocyclones and centrifuges utilize centrifugal force to separate material of differing... 

Theoretical representation of the behaviour of a hydrocyclone requires adequate analysis of three distinct physical phenomenon taking place in these devices, viz. the understanding of fluid flow, its interactions with the dispersed solid phase and the quantification of shear induced attrition of crystals. Simplified analytical solutions to conservation of mass and momentum equations derived from the Navier-Stokes equation can be used to quantify fluid flow in the hydrocyclone. For dilute slurries, once bulk flow has been quantified in terms of spatial components of velocity, crystal motion can then be traced by balancing forces on the crystals themselves to map out their trajectories. The trajectories for different sizes can then be used to develop a separation efficiency curve, which quantifies performance of the vessel (Bloor and Ingham, 1987). In principle, population balances can be included for crystal attrition in the above description for developing a thorough mathematical model. 

Tongeniioii Liquid-SoUds Cyclone (Hydrocyclones) Separators... 

Cyclones can be used for the classification of solids, as well as for liquid-solid, and liquid-liquid separations. The design and application of liquid cyclones (hydrocyclones) is discussed in Section 10.4.4. A typical unit is shown in Figure 10.3. 

The capacity of filtration centrifuges is very dependent on the solids concentration in the feed. For example, at 10 per cent feed slurry concentration 9 kg of liquid will be centrifuged for every 1 kg of solids separated whereas with a 50 per cent solids concentration the quantity will be less than 1 kg. For dilute slurries it is well worth considering using some form of pre-concentration such as gravity sedimentation or a hydrocyclone. 

Hydrocyclones are used for solid-liquid separations as well as for solids classification, and liquid-liquid separation. It is a centrifugal device with a stationary wall, the centrifugal force being generated by the liquid motion. The operating principle is basically the same as that... 

Estimate the size of hydrocyclone needed to separate 90 per cent of particles with a diameter greater than 20 pm, from 10 m3/h of a dilute slurry. 

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