Determination of Optimal Parameters for a Two-Stage Cyclone in Compound Feed Mini-Plants

The paper presents a method for determining rational design and operational parameters of the process of separating fine particles from an air stream in a cyclone apparatus. The study was conducted using numerical simulation methods in the SolidWorks Flow Simulation software, followed by verification of the obtained results through a physical experiment on an experimental setup. During the preliminary numerical simulation, key factors influencing the purification process were identified: inlet velocity, mass flow rate, height of the vortex funnel, and the impact cone. To account for the mutual influence of these factors, a Box-Behnken design of experiments was used. A theoretical mathematical model of the separation process was developed. Analysis of this model established rational design and operational parameters for the proposed two-stage cyclone. To verify the obtained results, a physical experiment was conducted using the same matrix of the multifactorial experiment and the same factor levels. As a result, a practical mathematical model of the process was obtained, with the relative error between the theoretical and practical models at corresponding points of the experimental design not exceeding 2%. This confirms the applicability of the proposed method for determining rational design and operational parameters of a cyclone apparatus using the SolidWorks Flow Simulation software.