CFD simulation of an industrial hydrocyclone based on multiphase particle in cell (MPPIC) method

Due to the high efficiency of the hydrocyclone for the removal of particles and the ease of installation and operation and reasonable prices, simulation and modelling of hydrocyclones seem to be necessary. In this research, a CFD simulation was conducted to investigate the hydrocyclone performance with spiral inlet at Sarcheshmeh copper complex using the OpenFOAM software. Continuity and momentum equations were solved with the inclusion of buoyancy and drag forces by finite volume method. To simulate the turbulent flow, the large eddy simulation model (LES) was used. Multiphase Particle in Cell (MPPIC) method was applied to predict the behaviour of solid particles. There was a good agreement between the simulation results and the experimental data. The effect of operating parameters such as particle density, inlet mass flow rate of solid particles and inlet feed velocity, as well as the effect of design parameters like diameter and height of the vortex finder, the length of the cylinder and conical section and the type of inlet on the hydrocyclone performance were investigated. The results showed with increasing the feed velocity from 2.66 to 3.4 m/s and the height of the vortex finder from 0.15 to 0.45 m, the efficiency of the hydrocyclone increased by an average of 7.7% and 6.8% respectively. With increasing the length of the cylinder body of the hydrocyclone from 0.4 to 1 m, and the length of the conical section from 1 to 1.7 m, the particle separation efficiency increased by an average of 3.4% and 10.3% respectively. Hydrocyclone with tangential inlet had an average of 6.6% less efficiency than one from Sarcheshmeh copper complex. With decreasing the inlet mass flow rate of solid particles from 55.12 to 40.74 kg/s and the diameter of the vortex finder from 0.2 to 0.13 m, the separation efficiency increased by an average of 7.9% and 4.5% respectively.