23 rd International Symposium on Transport Phenomena

Auckland, New Zealand

1922 November 2012

Computing of the Particle Transport in the Turbulent Hydrocyclone Flow

J. Dueck1 , L. Minkov2 , Th. Neesse1
1
Friedrich-Alexander-Universitt Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
2
Tomsk State University, Russia

Abstract The scheme of the hydrocyclone is shown in Fig. 1 which

This contribution is dedicated to the direct modelling the non-
monotonic course of the separation function of a hydrocyclone.
The results can be summarised as following:
The consideration of the interaction of particles in a polidisperse
suspension can explain the non-monotonic character of the
separation curve (the Fish-Hook-effect) by the deviation of the
particles' sedimentation rate from the law of Stokes.
The magnitude of the Fish-Hook-effect depends on the
concentration of the solid phase.
Nomenclature
presents the simplified flow in the hydrocyclone. The suspension
enters the apparatus tangentially under pressure which causes the
rotational motion and produces the centrifugal force. Suspended
coarse particles move in radial direction to the cyclone wall and
leave the apparatus through the underflow nozzle. Fine particles
are discharged with the main stream of the inner vortex through
the overflow nozzle.
To characterize the efficiency of separation in the hydrocyclones,
the partition curve is used. This curve shows the mass fraction
T(d j ) of each size class d j which is separated in the coarse
product (underflow).
Although the theory [1] predicts a monotonically increasing with
increasing particle size for the partition function T(d j ) , the

a acceleration, m/s 2 experiments shown in many cases, [4-13], that the partition
d diameter, m function is non-monotonic. Such behavior of the separation
D diameter, m curve is called the "fish-hook" effect. The reason for his
Dt diffusion coefficient, m2/s phenomenon is the disturbed particle settling due to particle
f coefficient of resistance interaction. In frame of this contribution it will be demonstrated
g acceleration due to gravity, m/s 2 by direct numerical calculation.
G drag function
k kinetic energy of turbulence, m2/s 2
m mass concentration Overflow
p pressure, Pa
Q volumetric flow rate; l/ min
Re Re-number
T separation function
U, V, W components of velocity, m / s
U velocity vector, m / s
volume fraction (volume concentration)
dissipation rate of turbulent energy, m2/s 3 Feed
stress tensor, Pa suspension
relaxation time, s
viscosity, Pa s
Indices:
c cylindrical section
in the input area (inlet)
0 liquid
m mi xture
k fractions number
m,k velocity of fraction k relative to mixure Underflow
rad radial
tan tangential
Figure 1. Principal scheme of the hydrocyclone
s solid (solid)
t turbulent
o overflow
u underflow Base of the simulation of the separation process in the
hydrocyclone is the description of the turbulent multiphase flow
in the apparatus. Numerical models based on the Navier-Stokes
Introduction
equations have clarified the main aspects of the hydrocyclone
The principle of the solids separation in a hydrocyclone bases on swirl-flow problem [12-18].
the sedimentation of solid particles in a rotating turbulent fluid
flow, [1-3].
An appropriate description of the particle transport in a The velocity of the dispersed phase relative to the liquid (slip
polydisperse suspension has been developed in [19-22], based on velocity) is described by the known relation [23]:
a numerical analysis and considering particles interaction during
k s m , (9)
the disturbed settling. Uk,0 ak
f k s
Here, the latest developments in research of the solid/liquid flow
in the hydrocyclone are applied to the problem of numerical where the particle acceleration according to the "mixture model"
simulation of non-monotonic character of the separation curve. can be found via the pressure gradient:
1
Formulation of the mathematical problem a k g U Uk g - Um U m p . (10)
s
The system of equations describing the steady-state turbulent
flow of a polydisperse suspension consisting of a liquid phase Here for the drag function f k 1 0. 15 Re 0.687
k
is chosen, with
(water) and N fractions of the dispersed phase (particles) in the 0 d k
hydrocyclone, in line with the " mixtures model " [23, 24] can be Re k U k, 0 .
0
written in a form of conservation equations as follows.
a) Continuity equation for the mixture: The viscosity of the suspension [29] depends on the
concentration of the dispersed phase:
( mU m ) 0 . (1)
0 . (11)
m
b) Momentum equation for the mixture: 1 1.61 1 .55
( mU m U m ) p For the coefficient of turbulent diffusion of particles the inertia of
particles [30] was taken into account.
N
(2)
(m t ) mg k k U m,k U m,k t (12)
k 0 m Dt, k 2 2
s d2k
1 1.6

c) Continuity equation for the k-th fraction of the particles
k 0
according to their diffusion through turbulence:
The central point of the calculation is to consider the interaction
m k
m m k Uk Dt,k 0 , (3) of particles of different sizes.
mk
This is reflected in the calculation of the relaxation time in
k=1, 2, , N. equation (9). The relaxation time of particles in the liquid
(without regard to its interaction with other particles) is
Here the index k 0 refers to the liquid phase, and the indices
determined by the known expression [23],
s d2k .
k 1 - to fractions of the dispersed phase. k
180
The viscous stress tensor for the mixture: m , and the turbulent
stress tensor mixture t are introduced in equation (2). To According to the previously developed model [19, 22], fine
particles are entrained by large ones and acquire a velocity much
determine the turbulent parameters of the flow field the
higher as after Stokes law. In polydisperse suspension k is
turbulence Reynolds stress model [25, 26] was involved.
proportional to the square of the "apparent" particle diameter:
To close the system of equations the following algebraic relations
d2k G( ) f(d k ) , where the functions of the particles entrainment
are used.
are:
The relationship between mass concentration m k and volume 1
N 3 (13)
fractions k is given by f(d k ) jd 6j , dj dk
j

m m k s k . (4)
and
The velocity of each fraction is expressed in terms of its
"diffusion velocity and velocity of the mixture:
1

G ( ) 2 .5 3 exp - (5 ) 3 . (14)

Uk Um ,k Um . (5) Therefore, the relaxation time of particles in the formula for the
particle velocity relative to the suspension is as follows:
According to definition
m 1 l s , (6) k
s
18 m
2

dk G( ) f(d k ) . (15)

1 j N

0 1 U 0 s j U j It is obvious that at low concentrations of solid phase k
Um (7)
m j 1 . increases if increases due to the entrainment of small particles
by coarse one (function G ( ) f(d k ) increases), but at high
Diffusion velocity can be presented in terms of the k-phase slip
velocity: concentrations of a suspension k decreases due to increased
viscosity of the suspension (according to equation (11)).
s N
(8)
U m,k U k,0
m
U j j,0 It is assumed that the flow in the hydrocyclone is circulated with
axial symmetry, i.e. U m U m , Vm , W m , x x, r
j 1
.
.
The system of equations (1), (4), (8), (9) was solved numerically At the entrance of hydrocyclone it is supposed that liquid and
with the following boundary conditions: particle velocities are equal. The flow rate o f the suspension at
the inlet of the hydrocyclone was equal to 74.9 liter / min. The
at the entrance to the classifier: density of particle substance s = 2650 kg/m3. The volume
2 fraction of particles was equal to 0.0189, which corresponds to
k 0.015Um , (16)
the content of the solid phase in suspension of 50 g / L. The
particle size distribution was taken from [31]. The entire set of
3
k 2 , with C 0.09
3 particles was divided into 12 fractions, the volume fraction of the
C 4 . (17)
dispersed phase are given in Table 2.
0.07 d in
Here d in hydraulic diameter of the inlet section, for a
rectangular inlet: d in 2a in b in /( a in b in ) . Number d, m k 10 3
1 0.66 0.596
Um 0 , V QF , QF . (18)
m Wm
D c a in a inbin 2 0.88 0.743

at the two outlets of the hydrocyclone an equality to the 3 1.63 0.972

atmospheric pressure p p a was specified and the condition of 4 2.73 1.236
free flow of suspension was used. 5 4.43 1.531
on the axis of symmetry the set conditions of symmetry is valid.
6 6.67 1.698
Reynolds stresses at the wall of the hydrocyclone were
determined by the method described in the manual [27]. 7 9.44 2.293
8 12.71 3.388
Parameters of calculation
9 17.74 3.301
The geometrical parameters of the hydrocyclone are given in
Fig.2 and in Table 1. 10 24.91 2.312

11 36.90 0.617
12 45.84 0.181

Table 2. The initial function of particle size distribution

r
Results of calculation

x For the analysis of the obtained results all factions of the particles
were divided into three main groups: "small" - with less than 5
microns, "medium-sized" - the size from 5 microns to 15
microns, "large" size from 15 microns and above. The first group
consisted of particles from the first to fifth fraction (in Table 2),
the second from the sixth to eighth one and the third - from the
ninth to twelfth fractions. The volume fraction of fine particles
entering the apparatus was 0.0051, medium - 0.0074, largest -
0.0064.
In Figure 3 is shown the distribution of the volume fraction of
particles of different sizes across the cyclone in the middle of the
cylindrical part of hydrocyclone, x = 0.165 m.
In Fig. 3a the concentration profiles of particles of different size
groups (referred to the appropriate concentration at the inlet to
the hydrocyclone) are shown.
This figure illustrates the degree of dilution of the suspension
near the axis and thickening at the wall.
Figure 2. Scheme of the hydrocyclone
The large particles are expectedly concentrated at the apparatuses
wall, the particles of average particle size distribution along the
hydrocyclone radius is almost uniformly, but the fine particles
a in b in Dc D of D uf l1
are unexpectedly collected at the wall, just as is the case with the
22 9.1 50 14.4 7.2 30.1 larger particles.
l2 L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 This means that fine particles are entrained by large one, as
described above.
45.5 277 192 76 102 43
The neglecting of the entrainment effect, as shown by special
calculations, does not affect the concentration profiles of large
Table 1. Di mensions of hydrocyclone in mm and medium-sized particles.
It is quite different for the fine particles. This is shown in Fig. 3b. diffusion happens. The centrifugal force influences mainly large
It is seen that the proportion of fine particles increases, compared particles which are thrown to the periphery, whereas fine
with the case of calculation without account of the entrainment
particles due to turbulent diffusion are more or less evenly
effect. The proportion of small particles increases towards the
wall of the cyclone, due to an increased velocity of small distributed throughout the volume.
particles caused by their entrainment with large particles.

0,01
6 1
5 0,008 2
C
4 M

V, m/s
in,-

0,006
3 F
0,004
2
1 0,002
0
0
0 0,005 0,01 0,015 0,02 0,025
0 0,01 0,02
r, m
) r, m
)

0,016 0,02 1
1 2
0,012 0,016
, -

2
V, m/s
0,012
0,008
0,008
0,004
0,004

0 0
0 0,01 0,02 0 0,01 0,02
r, m
b) r, m
b)
Figure 3. Profiles of relative volume fraction of particles of
different sizes (a) and of volume fraction of fine particles in the 0,2
cylindrical part of apparatus. C coarse, M medium, F fine 1
fractions. 1 - without consideration of entraiment effect, 2 with 0,16 2
V, m/s

consideration of entrainment.
0,12

0,08
In Fig. 4 the profiles of the relative radial velocity of particles of
different fractions in the cylindrical part of cyclone (the section 0,04
x= 0.165 m), are shown.
0
As expected, the particle velocity on the axis and at the wall is 0 0,01 0,02
zero (here the driving force that is proportional to the square of r, m
the tangential velocity becomes zero). In the middle part of
c)
cyclone, between the wall and the axis V is greater than zero, a
movement of the particles relative to the center of the mixture Figure 4. The radial velocity of the particles in the cylindrical
mass is indicated. part of the cyclone. a - fraction d 4 2.73 m , b - fraction
d 8 12.71 m , c - fraction d 11 36.90 m . 1 - with
Consideration the entrainment effect leads to an increase in the
velocity of small particles by an order of magnitude (Fig. 4a, consideration of entrainment, 2 without consideration of
curve 2). entraiment effect.

In opposite, the velocities of medium and large particles are

practically unchanged (Figs. 4b, 4c).
If the entrainment of fine particles by coarse ones is not taken
During the transport of the suspension in the hydrocyclone a into account, i.e. G ( ) 0 is set in (16), then a separation curve
redistribution of particles due to centrifugal forces and turbulent
rises monotonically to 1 with increasing particle size (Fig. 5 mk V (d k ) Dc . (20)
exp
curve 1). m k, 0 2D
t ,k
Accounting the entrainment effect leads to the fact that some
Now, the function of separation,
small particles move to the wall of the cyclone with large one and
leave the apparatus through the underflow. V(d k )D c
Q u mk,0exp
As a result, there is a physically justified increase of the 2D t, k , (21)
separation functions in small-sized particles (Fig. 5, curve 2),
T(d k )
V(d k )D c
observed in many experimental studies [4, 5, 6, 10]. Fig.6 shows Q 0m k,0exp Q u m k,0

2D t,k
also the comparison with the experimental points [31].
i.e. the ratio of the solid phase flux of every size fraction through
the underflow to the total output flux from the apparatus, can be
1 estimated by assuming that on the basis of calculations (Fig. 6a)
and the experiments. Here, the discharge particles through the
0,8 underflow is performed by the flow near the wall, and the
discharge of the particles through the overflow nozzle by the
0,6
T(d), -

flow near the cyclone axis..

Therefore Eq.21 changes to
0,4 1
1 (22)
2 T(d k )
0,2 Q V(d k )Dc
3 1 0 exp

Qu 2 D t, k
0
0,1 1 10 100 Here, for simplicity the average values V(d k ) and D t, k in the
d, m volume of the apparatus are taken for si mplicity.

Figure 5. Influence of entrainment effect on the separation Dependence T ( d k ) on the particle size in this analysis is given
function. 1 without accounting of entrainment, 2 with by the dependence V( d k ) on particle size.
accounting of entrainment; 3 - experimental data from [31].
Accordingly, we should expect: T( dk ) V(d k ) .
d k dk
Discussion In particular, excluding the small particles acceleration effect,
Qu
Thus, direct calculation shows that considering the effects of V( d k ) tends to 0 and T ( d k ) T ( 0) , if d k 0.
particles interaction in polydisperse suspensions under the action Qu Q0
of mass forces (centrifugal force here is caused by in strongly
swirling flow) leads to a non-monotonous separation curve of the Eq. (22) represents the so-called "tapping" model of classification
hydrocyclone. [1, 3].
It can be explained taking into account that, with some Equation (22) represents the so-called "tapping" model of
simplification, for any fraction the total flow to the wall is the classification [1, 3].
sum of the convective sedimentation flow, and in opposite
direction the diffusive flow due to turbulence. The transformation of equation (27) to the form:

ln 1 ln 0 c V ( d) ,
The sum o f these components of the total flow is almost 1 Q D (23)
balanced, according equation (3) and corresponding boundary T Q u 2 D t, k
conditions by:
k s m m k predicts a linear dependence ln 1 1 of V (d ) . In Fig. 6 this
ak Dt,k 0 (19)
fk s mk T
dependence is depicted.
The integration of this equation gives an expression for the radial
profile of the considered volume fraction in the form, Note that 1
1 is the ratio of the mass flow fractions of
V ( d k ) r , where, for simplicity, the radial T(d)
mk m k, 0 exp
particles of size d through the overflow and the underflow
D t, k nozzles.
component of the slip velocity of particles, is denoted by
k s m , and m - the value of the mass From the proportionality ln 1 1 and V (d ) the effective
V(d k ) ar
fk s
k ,0
T
(average) coefficient of turbulent diffusion can be estimated:
fraction of particles in the axial region of the apparatus.
D t ,k 2.54 104 m2 / s .
The ratio of mass fractions at the wall and in the axial region will
be
 [4] Gerhart Ch. Untersuchungen zum Trennverhalten in
Hydrozyklonen niedriger Trennkorngrossen: Dissertation.
2
Erlangen: Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, 2001.
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0 2
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P.4965.

1 [9] Schubert H. Zu den Ursachen "anomaler" Verlaufe der

Figure 6. The linear dependence ln 1 of V(d). Trennkurve bei der Feinskornklassierung in Hydrozyklonen
T insbesondere zum so genannten Fish-Hook-Effekt //
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For calculated p 0 .73 10 5 Pa, f 10 3 kg/m3, [12] Wang B., Yu A. B. Computational Investigation of the
Mechanisms of Particle Separation and Fish-Hook
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Conclusions
The direct calculation of the separation curve for a hydrocyclone
shows that the non-monotonic course of the separation curve,
often observed in experiments, can be successfully explained by
the rapid settling of fine particles under the influence of the
entrainment by large fractions.
It is shown that the logarithm of the ratio of particles fraction of
the size d through the overflow and the underflow is linearly
dependent on the sedimentation velocity of the particles to the
wall in the hydrocyclone.
Acknowledgments
The work was supported by the Ministry of Education and
Science of the Russian Federation within the framework of the
Federal Target Program "Research and scientific-pedagogical
personnel of innovative Russia". State Contract
12.740.11.1421.
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