Captured three-dimensional turbulent behaviors inside cyclones using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) design method

• Main Authors: Steven, Soen, Hernowo, Pandit, Fajri, Imam Mardhatillah, Pasymi, Pasymi, Restiawaty, Elvi, Bindar, Yazid
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air flow; Computational fluid dynamics; Cyclones; Digitization; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Kinetic energy; Mathematical models; Production costs; Separation; Static pressure; Turbulence; Turbulent flow; Vortices
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0199443

The behavior of turbulent flow inside cyclones is a complicated matter to study. Fortunately, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become a powerful tool for comprehensively digitalizing and visualizing those phenomena. This study, hence, intends to capture and examine the behavior of turbulent flow inside cyclones. They were quantified using the standard k-ε model. The observed variables comprised static pressure, velocity magnitude, flow pathline, turbulent kinetic energy, and turbulent kinetic dissipation rate. The influence of vortex finder depth and inlet width on flow behavior was also scrutinized. According to the results, the greater turbulence of cyclones was generated at a higher inlet air flow rate and shallower vortex finder depth of below 9 cm or above the inlet air location. Although cyclones with a deeper vortex finder depth of more than 19 cm had a better separation performance, the cyclone manufacturing cost should be considered. Apart from that, the inlet width geometry should not be ≥ 15 cm and/or should not be ≤ 3 cm because it resulted in poor gas-solid separation performance. Finally, the standard k-ε model was concluded and proved can reveal the behavior of turbulent flow inside cyclones with logical results and patterns.