Lecture: Mechanical Process Engineering

Exercise – Flow separation in a hydrocyclone

Task:

A suspension of kaolin (china clay/ porcelain earth) (20°C) with a solid concentration 𝑐𝑆 = 250
kg/m³ and a solid mass flow rate of the feed 𝑚̇𝑆 = 100 t/h shall be classified (𝑑 𝑇 = 30 μm).
The product contains pure porcelain earth 𝜌𝐾 = 2580 kg/m³ and quartz 𝜌𝑄 = 2650 kg/m³. The
average solid density is 𝜌𝑆 = 2600 kg/m³. In the fine product there shall be a higher concen-
tration of pure kaolin and in the coarse product a higher concentration of quartz.

It is known, that the product suspension (feed) has a GGS-particle size distribution, with the
parameters 𝑑80 = 31.3 μm and 𝑘 = 0.7.

The suspension runs from a barrel to a hydrocyclone by use of gravity. The barrel is put on a
level (ℎ) 15 m higher than the cyclone feed opening.

Four different cyclones with diameters 𝐷 of 50, 100, 200, 400 mm, and a cone angel 𝛼 = 20°
are available.

Given:

solid concentration 𝑐𝑆 = 250 kg/m³

cut particle size 𝑑𝑇 = 30 µm
mass flow rate 𝑚̇𝑆 = 100 t/h
average solid density 𝜌𝑆 = 2600 kg/m³
density kaolinit 𝜌𝐾 = 2580 kg/m³
density quarz 𝜌𝑄 = 2650 kg/m³
density water (20°C) 𝜌𝐹 = 998 kg/m³
dynamic viscosity of water 𝜂𝐷,𝐹 = 1 mPas 𝑉𝑜̇ = 𝑉̇𝐹 + 𝑉𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑,𝑜
̇
̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝
𝐷𝑖
Wanted: 𝐷𝑜

Number of hydrocyclones 𝑛𝑍𝑦𝑘𝑙

𝐷

𝐷𝑎

𝑉𝑎̇ = 𝑉̇𝐺 + 𝑉𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑,𝑎

̇

Lehrstuhl für Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik 1

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Tomas
Basics:

The Reynolds numbers 𝑅𝑒 in hydrocyclone-flows are between 𝑅𝑒 = 105 to 106, so there are
high turbulent flow conditions.

 modified model of the turbulent cross-flow classification is requiered

Calculation of the inlet nozzles 𝐷𝑖 , the overflow nozzle diameter 𝐷𝑜 and the upper outlet noz-
zles 𝐷𝑎 .

𝐷𝑖 = 0.2 ∙ 𝐷 (1)
𝐷𝑜 = 0.3 ∙ 𝐷 (2)
2
𝐷𝑎 = ∙ 𝐷𝑜 (3)
3

simple empirical relations for low concentrated slurries (𝜑𝑝 = 5 bis 10 %)

a) according to PLITT

𝑉𝑜̇ 𝐷𝑜 3 bis 4
=( ) (4)
𝑉𝑎̇ 𝐷𝑎

b) according to TARJÁN

𝑉𝑜̇ 𝐷𝑜 3
≈ 0.91 ∙ ( ) (5)
𝑉𝑎̇ 𝐷𝑎

Calculation of the cut size diameter 𝑑𝑇 (includes TARJÁN)

𝐷 3
𝜂 ∙ 𝐷 ∙ ln [0.91 ∙ (𝐷𝑜 ) ]
𝑎
𝑑𝑇 = 0.284 ∙ 𝑘𝑑 ∙ √ (6)
𝑝𝑖
(1 − 𝜑𝑆 )𝑛 ∙ (𝜌𝑆 − 𝜌𝐹 ) ∙ √𝜌
𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝

with:
𝑚
𝜌𝑆 − 𝜌𝐹
𝑘𝑑 = [220 ∙ 𝑑50 ∙ √ ] (7)
𝐷

5 ∙ 𝐷 für 𝐷 < 0.1 𝑚

with 𝑚 = {
0,5 für 𝐷 ≥ 0.1 𝑚

The transformation of equation (6) gives for the diameter ratio:

𝑝𝑖
3 2 (1 − 𝜑𝑆 )3 ∙ (𝜌𝑆 − 𝜌𝐹 ) ∙ √
𝐷𝑜 1 𝑑𝑇 𝜌𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝
=√ ∙ exp ( ) ∙ (8)
𝐷𝑎 0.91 0.284 ∙ 𝑘𝑑 𝜂∙𝐷
[ ]

Lehrstuhl für Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik 2

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Tomas
Calculation of a theoretical separation sharpness of a hydrocyclone
1
𝐷 3 2
ln [0.303 ∙ (𝐷𝑜 ) ]
𝑑25 𝑎
(9)
𝜅= =
𝑑75 𝐷 3
ln [2.73 ∙ (𝐷𝑜 ) ]
[ 𝑎 ]

The suspension flow rate of a hydrocyclone 𝑉̇𝑍𝑦𝑘𝑙 can be calculated by the following formula.

𝑝𝑖
𝑉̇𝑍𝑦𝑘𝑙 = 𝑘𝛼 ∙ 𝐷𝑖 ∙ 𝐷𝑜 ∙ √ (10)
𝜌𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝

with

1
𝑘𝛼 = für 𝛼 = 20° (11)
3.6

or:

0.225 𝜋
𝑘𝛼 = 0.2 𝛼 in radian (𝛼𝐵𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑛 = 𝛼𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑑 ∙ ) (12)
𝛼𝐵𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑛 180

Solution:

Calculation of each diameter 𝐷𝑖 , 𝐷𝑜 , 𝐷𝑎 and characteristics 𝑘𝑑 and 𝑚 (see Table 1) according

to equation (1) to (3) and (7).

For the determination of 𝑘𝑑 the 𝑑50 diameter of the GGS-distribution is used by BOND.

𝑑 𝑘
𝑄3 (𝑑) = 0.8 ∙ ( ) (13)
𝑑80

After conversion of equation (13) and with 𝑄3 (𝑑) = 0.5; 𝑘 = 0.7 and 𝑑80 = 31.3 µm results for
the 𝑑50 diameter:

0.7 0.5
𝑑50 = 31.3 µm ∙ √ = 16 µm
0.8

Table 1: solution table I

hydrocyclone inlet nozzle overflow nozzle underflow nozzle 𝑘𝑑 𝑚

𝐷 in m 𝐷𝑖 in m 𝐷𝑜 in m 𝐷𝑎 in m
0.05 0.01 0.015 0.01 0.891 0.25
0.1 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.667 0.5
0.2 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.561 0.5
0.4 0.08 0.12 0.08 0.471 0.5

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Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Tomas
For the calculation of the diameter ratio according to equation (8) it's important to determine
the volume fraction of solids in the feed stream 𝜑𝑆 by the solid concentration 𝑐𝑆 :

𝑚̇𝑆
𝑐𝑆 = (14)
̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝

𝑚̇𝑆
𝑉𝑆̇ = (15)
𝜌𝑆

𝑚̇
𝑉𝑆̇ ( 𝜌 𝑆) 𝑐
𝑆
𝜑𝑆 = = 𝑆 = (16)
̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 𝑚̇𝑆 𝜌 𝑆
(𝑐 )
𝑆

𝑘𝑔
2503
𝜑𝑆 = 𝑚 = 9.6 %
𝑘𝑔
2600 3
𝑚

and the inflow pressure 𝑝𝑖 :

𝑝𝑖 = 𝜌𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 ∙ 𝑔 ∙ ℎ (17)

𝜌𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 = ∑(𝜑𝑘 ∙ 𝜌𝑘 ) = 𝜑𝑆 ∙ 𝜌𝑆 + (1 − 𝜑𝑆 ) ∙ 𝜌𝐹 (18)

𝑘

𝑘𝑔
𝜌𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 = 1154
𝑚3

𝑘𝑔 𝑚
𝑝𝑖 = 1154 3
∙ 9.81 2 ∙ 15 𝑚 = 170 𝑘𝑃𝑎
𝑚 𝑠

With the obtained results and the equations (5), (8) and (9) can be calculated the values in
table two.

table 2: solution table II

hydrocyclone 𝐷𝑜 𝑉𝑜 𝜅
𝐷 in m 𝐷𝑎 𝑉𝑎
0.05 3.961 56.53 0.757
0.1 3.421 36.43 0.729
0.2 2.408 12.7 0.632
0.4 1.879 6.04 0.49

Lehrstuhl für Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik 4

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Tomas
For the further hydrocyclone choice is important that the underflow suspension must be suffi-
ciently flow ability (solid maximum is about 𝜙𝑠,max = 35 Vol.-%). Thus, the volume ratio limits
the design of the hydrocyclone.

𝑉𝑜̇ 𝑉𝑜̇
≤( ) (19)
𝑉𝑎̇ 𝑉𝑎̇ 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡

𝑉𝑜̇ ̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 − 𝑉𝑎̇ ̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝
( ) =( ) =( − 1) (20)
𝑉𝑎̇ 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡 𝑉𝑎̇ 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡
𝑉𝑎̇ 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡

̇
By rewriting equation (14) results for 𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 :

𝑚̇𝑆
̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 = (21)
𝑐𝑆

The under flow 𝑉𝑢̇ can be calculated with 𝜙𝑠,max .

𝑉̇𝐺 𝑚̇𝑆,𝐺
𝑉𝑎̇ = = (22)
𝜙𝑠,max 𝜌𝑄 ∙ 𝜙𝑠,max

Equation (21) and (22) in (20):

𝑉𝑜̇ 𝑚̇𝑆 ∙ 𝜌𝑄 ∙ 𝜙𝑠,max

( ) = −1 (23)
̇𝑉𝑎 𝑚̇𝑆,𝐺 ∙ 𝑐𝑆
𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡

The ratio of the mass flow rates of the underflow and the feed is called mass recovery of the
coarse. It shall be assumed, that all particles larger than the cut size (30 µm) are in the
coarse product.

𝑚̇𝑆,𝐺 𝑑𝑇 𝑘
𝜇𝐺 = = 1 − 𝑄3 (𝑑𝑇 ) = 1 − 0.8 ∙ ( ) (24)
𝑚̇𝑆 𝑑80

30 0.7
𝜇𝐺 = 1 − 0.8 ∙ ( ) = 0.223
31.3

used in (23):

𝑉𝑜̇ 𝜌𝑄 ∙ 𝜙𝑠,max
( ) = −1 (25)
𝑉𝑎̇ 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡
𝜇𝐺 ∙ 𝑐𝑆

𝑘𝑔
𝑉𝑜̇ 2650 3 ∙ 0.35
( ) = 𝑚 − 1 = 15.64
𝑉𝑎̇ 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡 0.223 ∙ 250 3
𝑘𝑔
𝑚

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Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Tomas
Only cyclones with a diameter of 𝐷 = 0.2 m and 𝐷 = 0.4 m are considered. Slim cyclones
have a higher separation sharpness, which can be seen in the calculations. Choosing of the
diameter 𝐷 = 0.2 m.

The suspension flow rate of a hydrocyclone can be calculated with equation (10) and (12)
with a cone angle of 𝛼 = 20°.

1 170000 𝑃𝑎 𝑚3
𝑉̇𝑍𝑦𝑘𝑙 = ∙ 0.04 𝑚 ∙ 0.06 𝑚 ∙ √ = 29.13
3.6 𝑘𝑔 ℎ
1154 3
𝑚

It follows for the required number of cyclones:

̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝
𝑛𝑍𝑦𝑘𝑙 = (26)
𝑉̇𝑍𝑦𝑘𝑙

̇
with using 𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 which is calculated by equation (14):

𝑚3
̇
𝑉𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝 = 400 (27)
ℎ

𝑚3
400
𝑛𝑍𝑦𝑘𝑙 = ℎ = 13.73 ⇒ 𝑛
𝑔𝑒𝑤. = 14 (28)
𝑚3
29.13
ℎ

14 cyclones with a diameter of 200 mm are required.

Lehrstuhl für Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik 6

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Tomas