Effects of the Outlet Pipe Diameter on the Performance of Aerocyclone in Gas Droplet Two-Phase Flow

In this study, effects of the aerocyclone outlet diameter on its performance are studied. The Reynolds Stress Model (RSM) model has been used in order to predict the turbulent flow patterns inside the aerocyclone and its droplet removal efficiency. The EulerianLagrangian method was used for gas droplet flow simulations. Due to the precessing vortex core (PVC), unsteady simulation of the flow is performed for duration of 0.73 s. The results show that for smaller diameter of the outlet pipe, the gas flow pressure loss and tangential velocity are increased. Also, by decreasing the outlet diameters of aerocyclone (e.g. at the velocity of 10m/s) the Euler number increases. Increasing in the velocity can change the Euler number significantly. The wall reflection term effects (in RSM model) on the flow field and droplet trajectories are studied. By implementation of wall reflection effects, the numerical results approach to the experimental data. The simulation results show that the cyclones with the smaller outlet diameter has the higher efficiencies at different velocities than others.