Abstract
This paper describes a new and simple experimental method for obtaining the reduced cut size and the rest of the reduced grade efficiency curve of an operating hydrocyclone. The method relies on feeding a known and fully-characterised slurry to the hydrocyclone under test, and on measuring only two solids concentrations (in the feed and in the overflow), one static pressure differential and the slurry temperature. These measurements are best done and logged by a personal computer, and have to be repeated at two different pressure settings.
The new method eliminates the need for sampling, particle size determinations (except that of the feed suspension but this is only done once for a whole string of experiments) or flowrate measurements, thus making the tests simpler than the conventional test methods and also capable of being performed by simple, on-line instrumentation and a computer.
The underlying theory is fully developed in the paper, together with its application to a specific case of testing a small diameter hydrocyclone for monitoring of very fine particle size in industrial slurries.
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Abbreviations
- c:
-
is mass concentration of solids in the feed
- co :
-
is mass concentration of solids in the overflow
- D:
-
is the internal diameter of a hydrocyclone
- ET :
-
is the total coarse efficiency (or recovery)
- E′T :
-
is the reduced total efficiency defined in egn.5
- Eu:
-
is Euler number as defined in eqn.12
- F(x):
-
is the cumulative percentage undersize in the feed
- G(x):
-
is the actual grade efficiency function (curve)
- G′(x):
-
is the reduced grade efficiency function, egn.l
- Rf :
-
is the underflow-to-throughput ratio (by volume)
- Q:
-
is the volumetric flowrate of the feed
- Stk′50 :
-
is Stokes number as defined in eqn.13
- v:
-
is characteristic velocity as defined in eqn.14
- x:
-
is particle size as a variable
- xg :
-
is the mass median of the feed solids [F(xg) = 0.50]
- x′50 :
-
is a the reduced cut size [G′(x′50) = 0.50]
- Δp:
-
is static pressure drop across the hydrocyclone
- μ:
-
is liquid viscosity
- ρ:
-
is liquid density
- ρs :
-
is solids density
- σg :
-
is the geometric standard deviation of F(x)
- σs :
-
is the geometric standard deviation of G′(x)
References
Svarovsky, L., (ed), ‘Solid-liquid Separation’, 3rd edition, Butterworths, London, 1990
Svarovsky, L., ‘Hydrocyclones’, Holt Rinehart and Winston, London, 1984
Gibson, K., “Large scale tests on sedimenting centrifuges, and hydrocyclones for mathematical modelling of efficiency”, pp 1–10, in Proc. Symp. on Solid-liquid Separation Practice, Yorkshire Branch of the I. Chem. E., Leeds, 27–29 March 1979.
Schubert, H., and Neesse, T., “A hydrocyclone separation model in consideration of the turbulent multi-phase flow”, Paper 3, Proc. Int. Conf. on Hydrocyclones, Cambridge, 1–3 October, 1980, BHRA Fluid Engineering, Cranfield, 1980, pp 23–36
Davies, L., Dollimore, D., and McBridge, G.B., Powder Technology, 1977, 16, 45
Svarovsky, L., Evaluation of clarification performance of a two-stage hydrocyclone system, 2nd International Conf. on Hydrocyclones, Bath, 19–21 Sept.1984, Paper J2, Proceedings published by BHRA, Cranfield, 1984
Svarovsky, L., Evaluation of small diameter hydrocyclones, I.Chem.E. Symposium on Solid/Liquids Separation Practice and the Influence of New Techniques, Leeds, 3–5 April, 1984, Paper 24, pp 193–205, Inst. of Chemical Engineers, Yorkshire Branch, 1984
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© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Svarovsky, L., Svarovsky, J. (1992). A New Method of Testing Hydrocyclone Grade Efficiencies. In: Svarovsky, L., Thew, M.T. (eds) Hydrocyclones. Fluid Mechanics and Its Applications, vol 12. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7981-0_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7981-0_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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