Separation efficiency and pressure drop of cyclones

at high temperatures
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Bohnet and Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Lorenz
Institute of Process Technology
Technical University of Braunschweig
Langer Kamp 7, 3300 Braunschweig, Germany

Abstract
The design of aero cyclones operating at high temperatures is still a difficult
problem, because practical experiences show that the separation efficiency really
obtained is mostly smaller than calculated. For this reason, the pressure drop and
grade efficiency have been measured in the temperature range from 293 to 1073 K.
Both quantities show a remarkable influence of temperature. \Vith regard to the
calculation of the pressure drop, the proposed calculating procedure leads to very
good results. The model for calculating the grade efficiency curve still shows diffe-
rences between calculated and measured results and needs further improvement with
respect to the boundary layer flow and the particle movement due to turbulence.

Introduction
The main design parameters of aero cyclones - pressure drop and separation efficiency -
can be calculated with a number of models, which were developed on the basis of experi-
mental data received at environmental conditions, that means at ambient pressures and
temperatures. But the extrapolation of calculated data with these models over a tempe-
rature range of several hundred degrees shows that the results obtained don't agree with
experimental data. Fig. 1 shows grade efficiency curves for three cyclone models calcula-
ted for a gas temperature of 293 K and ambient pressure. The calculations corresponding
to the proposals of Muschelknautz [1] and Mothes and Lomer [2] lead to grade efficiency
curves, which show the same tendency but different values for the cut-size diameter dp50 •
The grade efficiency curve calculated with the model of Leith and Licht [4] shows a con-
siderably smaller cut-size diameter but has a completely different shape. With the model
of Leith and Licht a higher separation efficiency is calculated for very small particles with
diameters less than Ijlm, but the model predicts a lower efficiency for particles with larger
particle size. The models were developed and fitted to experimental data measured with
different cyclones. The dimensions of the cyclones uesd are for some cases not published
in detail, so that it is very difficult to compare the results obtained with these cyclone mo-
dels even at environmental conditions. Fig. 2 shows the change of the calculated cut-size
diameter for the data given in Fig. 1 in the temperature range from 293 to 1173 K.

17

R. Clift et al. (eds.), Gas Cleaning at High Temperatures

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1993
 1,0
r=-
u
>-.
0,8
c and LOff ler
OJ
u Leith and Licht
4-
4-
0,6
OJ

OJ
"'0
0,4
ro
c....
0'1 gas te mperature 293 K
0,2 gas press ure 1 bar
particle dens ity 2650 kg/m 3

° 2 4 6 8 1 2 4
particle size dp -
6 8 10 10- 6 m

Figure 1: Ca lculated grade efficiency curves with different models. (Dimensions of the
cyclone as shown in Fig.4, outlet velocity Wi = 20m/s, dust loading: lOOmg/m3 .

5,0 I I I

I
C>
U"l

....-
Cl.
"'0
c.... ~ m

~
OJ
+-
OJ
E 3,0 '-
ro
"'0

2,0
~
----
OJ
N
VI ~ /Mothes and Uiffler

--
I
+-
~ 1,0
u Leith and Licht

°200
I I I I I

400 600 800 K 1200

temperature T •

Figure 2: Calculated increase of cut-size diameter with gas temperature

18
 The calculation of the cut-size diameter due to the model of ?l1uschelknautz shows the
greatest increase with temperature.

Experiences with cyclone separators operating at high temperatures show that the
separation efficiency actually obtained is mostly smaller than calculated. Besides the fact
that numerous publications over the last ten years have been published [5,6,7, S, 9,10,11]
the design of hot gas aerocyclones is still an unsolved problem.

Experimental Investigations
At the Institute of Process Technology at the University of Braunschweig an experimental
set-up has been installed which allows the measurement of pressure drop and separation
efficiency in the temperature range between :293 and 117:3 I{ (Fig. 3). The particle size
distributions and the particle concentrations in the inlet and outlet gas streams are mea-
sured with light scattering aerosol counters. The measured quantities are scanned and
transmit.ted to a PC. The dimensions of the cyclone used are shown in Fig. 4. The pres-

Figure 3: Experimental Set-up

sure drop of the cyclone was measured as difference of the static pressures in the inlet and
the outlet duct behind a straightener for reducing the torque of the flow. The straightener
was located 300 mm downstream of the gas outlet.

A comparison of the measured pressure drop with calculated data following a proposal
of Mothes and Loffier and Meissner [13] is shown in Fig. 5. For a temperature of 293 ](
19
 Figure 4: Cyclone dimensions

2500 temperature ,DO ••

0-293 K 0
Cl..
Pa 0 - - - 473 K
<I
6 - · 673 K 0
Cl..
0
t..
1500 e --873 K
-0 0-··973 K
QJ
t.. 1000
::l
til
til
QJ
t..
500
Cl..

-
0 40 80 120 m3/h 200
flow rate V

Figure 5: Measured and calculated (Meissner, Mothes and Lamer) pressure drops depen-
ding on gas flow rate and t emperature

20
 and gas fiow rates abo\'e 60 m 3 / h the measurements agree \'ery well with the calculated
data, but at higher temperatures the differences between experiment and calculation are
significant. In the calculation a wall fricion coefficient of 0.0075 has been used. The pres-
sure drop coefficient for the cyclone outlet was multiplied by the factor O.S as proposed
by Meissner for pressure drop measurements behind a straightener.

Fig. 6 shows the inlet particle size distributions of the quartz dust we used. The density
was determined to 2650 kg / m 3 .

The measured grade efficiency curves at 293,473,753,1003 J( show a strong influence

of temperature (Fig.7). The curves are shifted with increasing temperature to larger par-
ticle sizes. At the same time the shape of the curves is changing at higher temperatures:
the curves become steeper. A comparison with the calculation model according to Mothes
shows that the measurements at 293 f{ are described quite well, whereas the influence of
temperature cannot be predicted by the model.

Theoretical Investigations
The model of Mothes shows the greatest potential to describe cyclone performance. For
this reason we are working on a modification of this model that allows a calculation of
grade efficiency curves in the temperature range from ambient conditions to highest tem-
peratures. As the model of Mothes may not be general known a brief summary is provided
in the following.
Mothes and Loffier based their model on considerations of Dietz [20). They divided the
cyclone into four separation regions (Fig. 8) : The inlet region 1, the region of downstre-
aming gas 2, the region of upstreaming gas 4 and a region 3 which takes into account the
turbulent backmixing of particles that have already been deposited in region 2.
From the \"olume of the cyclone lIcy c/one and the overall height of the cyclone hg they
calculate a fictitious barrel diameter of a cylindrical cyclone:

(1)

In each region the radial particle concentration is regarded as constant (perfect radial
backmixing). Mass balances render differencial equations for the particle concentrations
in dependency of the axial coordinate z:

Region of entry (1):

d .
dz[1~cl(z)l = -2r.r:jl(r:)

The particle flux towards the wall jl (r~) can be calculated as product of the settling
velocity of particles in the vicinity of the wall ws(r:) and the particle concentration c] (z):

ws(r:)Cl(z) (2)
6.pdi,u 2 (r:)
(3)
181lr~

21
 c 1.o-,------,-- -- ------::::::or""-?--- - ----.
o
::;
~

.0 0.8 --+-----+---~L----IL___-------l
..:::;
In
"0

if 0.6
number

<7
~0.4__+-----__+f_------+-+--------~

"J
~
~
:;l 0.2
;:l
E
;:l
()

100
particle size

Figure 6: :Measured inlet particle size distributions

1, ° I

temperature
I I I II

0-- 293 K
0,8 0--- 473 K

t
0 - - - - 753 K
D,. - - - - 1003 K

c:- 0,6
>-. Do
u 0
C
0,4
Q)
u
"- D.
"-
Q)

Q)
-0
0,2
rtI
'- D.
0"1

0
0,1 0,5 1,0 5,0 10
-
~m

particle size dp
Figure 7: Measured and calculated(Mothes) grade efficiency curves, V = 80 m 3 /h,
dust loading ~ 100mg/m3

22
 Jo

.c'"

I
Figure S: Cyclone geometry a.ccording to Mothes and LOfHer

Region of downward-directed flow (2):

The concentration of particles in this region is determined by the deposition of particles
on the wall her;) and by the convective and diffusive exchange with region 4 j2,4(ri):

d .
dZ W(Z)C2(Z)] -27rr;j2(r;) + 27rrii2,4(Ti) (4)
j2(r;) w.(r;)c2(Z) (5)
C2(Z) - C4(Z)
-Dp + (W.(T;) - Wr (r;))C4(Z) (6)
r~ - ri
C2rZ) - C4(Z)
-Dp + (W.(Ti) - Wr (r;))C2(Z) (7)
r; - ri

6.prfi,u 2 (ri)
(8)
lSWi
In equation 6 and 7 the parameter Dp which Mothes names " Diffusion-parameter" is
introduced. Mothes determined the value of this parameter to 0.0125 by fitting his model
to his measurements. The difference of the two radii r: -ri has been chosen as characteristic
length.

23
Region of backmixing (3):
The mass balance renders:

(9)

with
(10)
in which the height of zone 3 ,I, and the mass flow of reentrained particles mw are not
clearly defined by Mothes and Lomer. Under the assumption that 10 % of the gas pass
through region 3, 1 can be calculated to:

1 = h _ h - ht (11)
10
Mothes and Lomer calculate for the special case of zero reentrainment with 1 = hand
mw =0.
Region of upward-directed flow (4):
In region 4 only the particle transport to region 2 has to be considered:
d .
- dz[Vzc4(z)] = -211"Tih,4(ri)
The particle concentrations in region 1 and 3 can be calculated directly from the mas·s
balances, Region 2 and 4 define a system of differential equations, which can be solved
analytically. The solutions are not described here, they can be found by Mothes and Lomer
[2, 3]. The separation efficiency can be calculated from the concentration in region 4 that
is entering the outlet pipe c4(dp , h t ) and the inlet concentration c.(dp ):

(12)

To describe the tangential velocities Mothes and Lomer use an equation which was derived
by Meissner [13] from a differential angular momentum balance:

(13)

The angular momentum parameter D, characterizing the exchange of angular momentum

between wall and gas, is obtained from

D= -U a
Wd
( AV+-.-AK)
stne
(14)

According to Mothes and Lomer for cyclones with smooth walls the wil-ll-friction coeffi-
cients should be chosen between 0.0065 and 0.0075.
The model of Mothes and Lomer has been proved a good tool to design cyclones at
ambient temperature. But the influence of temperature on the calculation of collection
efficiency and pressure drop does obviously not quite match experimental data. We sup-
pose that there are three reasons for the deviations between measurements and calculation
according to Mothes and Lomer:

24
 • the wall-friction coefficient must be related to the gas properties

• the secondary flow over the top of the cyclone is not taken into account

• the backmixing of particles is designed but not realized.

Therefore we replaced the constant values for the wall friction factor that have been pro-
posed by ;'I10thes and LomeI' by an approach similar to that derived by Spilger and Brauer
[19J on the basis of measurements of l\luschelknautz and Krambrock [18J. A two-parameter
approach for the wall friction factor was fitted to our pressure drop measurements which
gave the following result:
0.87
oX = 0.0049 + - (15 )
Re z
with
(16 )

and
h= Fr (17 )
2" JT a ITi
Fr is the total cyclone surface, at which friction losses take place (cylinder and cone, cover
plate and outlet duct surface). The Reynolds number takes into account the changes of gas
properties with increasing temperature. As the kinematic viscosity increas.es by an order
of magnitude from 293 to 1173 K the Reynoldsnumber decreases. The increasing wall-
friction factor diminishes the calculated tangential "elocities and results in lower pressure
drop and lower collection efficiency of the cyclone. With the modified wall friction factor
the measurements of pressure drop can be represented within the measurement accuracy
(Fig. 9). Fig. 10 shows the complete experimental data obtained in the temperature range
between 293 and 973 K. The pressure drop coefficient

~p
~i = -P--2 (18)
2"' Wi

plotted against the Reynolds number

Wi' d;· p
R e= ----'-- (19 )
TJ

show a strong influence of the Reynolds number. Fig. 11 shows that the representation of
the measured grade efficiency data became better though not quite correct. Our attempts
to fit the other two mechanisms of particle transport - secondary flow and backmixing
- into the model are not yet fully developed. For this reason only the principal ideas
shall be described.

Experimental and theoretical investigations on the boundary layer flow which leaves
the cyclone over the top and the outer outlet pipe through the outlet without entering the
main flow field have been performed by Trefz [14J. According to Trefz approx 10 - 15%
of the total gas flow rate take this way out. Due to the lower centrifugal forces they
carry even coarse particles in remarkable concentration to the gas outlet. Following the
proposals of Ebert [I5] the flow rate of the secondary gas flow can be calculated. Dividing

25
 2500
temperature
0-293 K
Pa o---473K
0..
<l 6 - · 673 K
g- 1500 0--873 K
L 0 - " 973 K
""0

OJ
L
1000
:J
Vl
Vl
OJ
L
500
0..

0
0 40 80 120 m3/h 200
flow rate V •

Figure 9: Measured and calculated(Meissner, .\ modified by Lorenz[12]) pressure drops

depending on gas flow rate and temperature

t temperature

---
24
r 0 293 K
)J.}"l ~
0 473 K
....... 22 l-
c: t:. 673 K V
<lJ
u
20 t- • 973 K
873 K 0
0
~
iJ!
......
...... 0
<lJ
0
u 18 0Cl>
u
0..
0
t....
"0
16 J~
~v
<lJ <1
]I
t....
14
:J
Vl 7
.9
Vl
Q)
12
lY
L
0..
-
10 _0, I

4 6 810000 2 4 6 81000002
• Reynoldsnumber Re
Figure 10: Pressure drop coefficient depending on Reynolds numbel

26
 1,0
temperature
o 293 K
0,8 0 - - - 473 K
t 0 - - - - 753 K
t::.---- 1003 K
I=""
>...
0,6
w
c
OJ
u
+- 0,4
+-
OJ

OJ
"0
ro 0,2
<-
O'l

° 0,1 0,5 1,0 5,0 10

particle Size do -----
11 m

Figure 11 : Measured and caJculated(~10thes, .\ modified by Lorenz[12]) grade efficiency

curves, li = 80 m 3 / h, dust loading:::::: 100mg/m 3 •

the entry region defined by !\10thes and Liiffier it is possible to calculate the solid loading
of the secondary flow (proceeding as l\.fothes and Liiffier did) without further assumptions.

The boundary layer flow above the particle outlet carries most of the solid loading
(region 3 in Fig. 8). Data Oil the flow field in this region is not available for this reason a
physical separation mechanism cannot be applied. Hence, we try to find a semi-empirical
relationship which fits our grade efficiency data.

The efforts to consider these two effects in the calculation have not yet been successful.
For a first calculation of the cut-size diameter the following equation may be used :

lS7] . Wri • ri
dp50 = \ 2 (
(20)
Ui' Pp - P)
with
Wi ri
Wri= - - - (21)
271" . ri . h 2 hi
The tangential velocity Ui on th~ outlet duct radius ri can be calculated following a
proposal of Barth [16J:
Ui
- = F. (22)
/Ti + .,\ . ;;
h
Wi ];f . To

Q and r" can be taken from Bohnet [17J.

Q
0.153)
= 1 - ( 0.54 - - - (b)1
-
/ 3
(23)
F./Fi r.

27
 temperature °C 20 200 480 730

dpso (clac.) /1 771 1.49 2.12 3.28 4.54

dpso(meas.) /1m 1.1 1.8 3.0 3.9

Table 1: Calculated and measured cut-size diameter for different gas temperatures

and
b
1'", = 1'a - 2" (24)

Tab. 1 compares calculated and measured cut-size diameters. Even though the calculated
values have a considerable deviation from the measurements, the magnitude of deteriora-
tion of the cyclone performance is predicted right. The pressure drop coefficient can be
calculated using the following equations:

(25)

~iedescribes the pressure drop in the entrance region of the aerocyclone and ~ii the pressure
drop in the outlet duct. It is:

(26)

(27)

The calculation of pressure drop with eq. 4 and 11 to 13 gives results with an accuracy
comparable to the calculation according to Meissner shown in Fig. 9 and 10.

Conclusion
Measurements of pressure drop and grade efficiency for hot gas cyclones show a strong
influence of temperature. The decrease of pressure drop with increasing temperature can
be described by the model of Meissner (with a modified wall friction factor, eq. 1). The
measured grade efficiencies indicate that the curves become steeper with increasing tem-
perature. The deviation between calculated and measured data can prop ably explained
with the influence of boundary layer flow and turbulent backmixing in the cyclone. Both
these effects are not yet integrated into the calculation model for the grade efficiency. A

28
calculation procedure based on a proposal of Barth allows the calculation of the cut-size
diameter with sufficient accuracy.

Nomenclature
a [m] entrance height

b [m] entrance width

c [11m 3 ] particle concentration

dp [m] particle diameter

d p50 [m] cut-size diameter

D" [m 3 /s] diffusivity of particles

Fr [m] inner cyclone surface

Fe.; [m 1] inlet, outlet area Fe = ab, Fi = lor;

h [mJ cyclone friction height: h = Fr/(2r.rm)
hg [m] overall height

[1/m 2 s) flux of particles

/::"p [PaJ pressure drop

r; [m) outlet radius

ra [m) cyclone radius

r'a [m] characteristic cyclone radius

rm [m) mean radius rm = Vrar;

Re [-) Reynolds number, Re = w;d;/v
Re. [-) Reynolds number

Ui,a. [m/s) tangential velocity

Wd [m/s) gas velocity Wd = V/(r.r~)

29
Wi [m/s] axial outlet velocity

tVri [m/s] radial velocity on outlet radius

w. [m/s] settling velocity of particle

T [1<] temperature

,; [m 3 /s] gas flow rate

,Ieyclone [m 3 ] Volume of cyclone

Greek symbols

v [m 2 /s] kinematic viscosity

>. [-] wall friction factor

1) [kg/(m. s)] dynamic viscosity

1) [-] grade efficiency

P [kg/m 3 ] gas density

Pp [kg/m 3 ] particle density

~ [- ) pressure drop coefficient

References
(1) Muschelknautz, E., Theorie der Fliehkraftabscheider mit besondererBeriicksichtigung
hoher Driicke und Temperaturen, VDI-Berichte Nr. 363, 1980, p.49 - 60.
[2) Mothes, H., Loffier, F., Zur Berechnung der Partikelabscheidung in Zyklonen,
Chem.Eng.Process.,18, 1984, p. 323 - 331.
[3) Mothes, H., Loffier, F., Prediction of particle removal in cyclone separators, Int.
Chern. Eng. (28) 2, 1988, P. 231 - 240.
[4) Leith, D., Licht, W., The collection efficiency of cyclone type particle collectors - A
new theoretical approach, AIChE Symp. Ser., 68(126), 1972, p. 196 - 206.

[5) Wakeman, R.J., Progress in filtration and separation, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1981.

[6) Patterson,P.A., Munz, R.J., Cyclone collection efficiencies at very high temperatures,
Canad.J.Chem.Eng. 67, 1989, p. 321 - 328.

30
 [7] Ernst, Tl1., Hoke,R.C., Siminski,V.J., Parker. R., Drehmel,D.C., Evaluation of a cy-
clone dust collector for high-temperature high-pressure particle control, Ind. Eng.
Chem. Proc. Des. Dev. 21(1), 1982, p. 158 - 161.

[8) Bernard, J.G., Andries, J., Scarlett, B., Pitchumani, B., Cyclone performance at high
temperatures and pressures, Proceedings 5th \VorId Filtration Congress, Nizza, 1990.

[9) \Vheeldon, J.!l1., Burnard, G.K., Snow, G.C., Svarovsky 1., The performance of cy-
clones in the off-gas of a pressurised fluidised bed combuster, Inst.Chem. Eng. Symp.
Ser. 99, 1986, p. 4.5-65.

[10] Gulyurtlu,I., Cabrita, 1., Bordalo, C., Separation of particles in a cyclone at 0 tem-
peratures above 400 C, 1. Europ. Symp. Partikelabscheidung aus Gasen, Niirnberg,
1989.

[ll] Parker, R., Jain, R., Calvert, S., Drehmel, D.,Abbot, Particle collection in cyclones
at high temperatures and high pressures, Env. Sci. Tech. 15(4),-1981, p. 451 - 458.

[12] Lorenz, T., PhD-Thesis, TU Braunschweig, 1993.

[13] Meiilner, P., Zur turbulenten Drehsenkenstromung in Zyklonabscheidern, Diss. TH-

Karlsruhe, 1978.

[14) Trefz, !I1. , Die verschiedenen Abscheidevorgange 1m hoher und hoch belade-
nen Gaszyklon unter besonderer Berucksichtigung der Sekundarstromung, VDI-
Fortschrittsber., Reihe 3, Nr. 295, Dusseldorf, 1992.

[15] Ebert, F., Berechnung rotationssymmetrischer, turbulenter Grenzschichten mit Se-

kundarstromung, Deutsche Versuchsanstalt fur Luft- und Raumfahrt, Forschungsbe-
richt 67-56, Freiburg, 1967.

[16] Barth, \V., Berechnung und Auslegung von Zyklonabscheidern auf Grund neuer Un-
tersuchungen, Brennstoff, \\larme, Kraft, 8, 1956, p. 1-9.

[17) Bohnet, :-'1., Optimalauslegung von Zyklonen, Chemie-Ing.- Techn. 56 (1984) 5, p.

416-417.

[18] Muschelknautz, E., Krambrock, \V., Aerodynamische Beiwerte des Zyklonabscheiders

aufgrund neuer verbesserter !lfessungen, Chemie-Ing.- Techn. 42, 1970, Nr. 5, 247 -
255.

[19] Spilger, H., Brauer, H, VDI-Forschungsheft Nr. 602, VDI- Verlag, Dusseldorf, 1980.

[20] Dietz, P. \V., Collection Efficiency of Cyclone Sepa.rators, AIChE Journal, 27, 1981,
Nr. 6, 888 - 892.

31