Cyclonic separation is a method of removing particulates from air or gas, without the use of filters, through vortex separation. Rotational effects and gravity are used to separate mixtures of solids and fluids. The method can also be used to separate fine droplets of liquid from a gaseous stream.
Dust laden gas or air enters the collector tangentially and follows a spiral path to the bottom of the cone. The centrifugal force created by the circular flow throws the dust particles toward the wall of the cyclone. After striking the wall, the combination of the gravitational and swirling forces causes the dust to move downward to the dust outlet. Pressure drop for normal operation is about 75-100 mmWG. They are very efficient in collecting dust particles down to 30 microns in size. Efficiency of the equipment depends on the material being conveyed, material/air flow rates and cyclone design. Depending upon the application, cyclone separator can be designed in single, twin and quad arrangement.
Similar to Cyclone, AIL also manufacturers Multiclone Dust Collectors wherever application of the cyclone could not serve the purpose and Multiclone can provide higher efficiency. Multiclone Dust Collector consists of a number of small-diameter cyclones, operating in parallel and having a common gas inlet and outlet, as shown in the figure. Multi-clones operates on the same principle as cyclones, creating a main downward vortex and an ascending inner vortex. Multiclones are more efficient than single cyclones because they are longer and smaller in diameter. The longer length provides longer residence time while the smaller diameter creates greater centrifugal force. These two factors result in better separation of the dust particles. The pressure drop of the multiclone collectors is higher than that of single cyclone separators.
