Simulation of Flow in Single Phase Hydrocyclone using Computational Fluid Dynamic

Hydrocyclones are the most efficient used classifiers in the grinding circuits. Hydrocyclones are normally modeled and simulated using empirical models. These models can only be used within the range of the experimental data from which the model parameters have been derived. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a powerful tool in simulating fluid flow in hydrocyclones. This research work deals with 3D simulation and modeling of fluid flow in a single phase hydrocyclone using CFD. The main simulation steps include preparing the geometry, meshing it, defining the properties of the materials involved, and setting the boundary layer and conditions. The experimenal data measured in a laboratory hydrocyclone were used for validation of the model. The simulation results indicated that the tangential velocity increased traversing towards the core, before decreasing at the interface with the air core. The liquid axial velocity inside the hydrocyclone varied from -1.59 m/s to 6.52 m/s. The axial velocity is a result of two swirling flows, the inner upward flowing inside the air core and the outer downward flowing near the cyclone wall. The liquid axial velocity inside the hydrocyclone varied from -5.58 m/s to 5.46 m/s. The LES model showed the least error on predicting the velocity profiles, the air core dimensions (7.8%), the pressure drop (7.52%) and the mass split ratio to overflow (0.18%). The effect of various geometric (spigot diameter, vortex diameter and cone angle) and process (feed flow rate) parameters on tangential velocity of the fluid was investigated.