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Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Abstract

In this study, a Computational Fluid Dynamics method is used to investigate the oil–water separation kinetics in a dual-port inlet cyclone separator. This was achieved using the Reynolds Stress Model coupled to an Eulerian multiphase framework. Three Reynolds numbers were studied (Re = 1.41×10⁵, 1.94×10⁵ and 2.52×10⁵) to analyse the flow; axial velocity distribution, vortex stability, radial migration velocity and separation efficiency were examined individually. Results indicate that both the radial migration velocity (vᵣ) and separation probability (premove) grow with Reynolds number, especially for larger oil droplets (10–100 µm). The best condition concerned is that when Re = 1.94×10⁵, the tangential velocity distribution is symmetric and the vortex core maintains stability, achieving the highest separation efficiency of 93.76%. This ability competes against common single-inlet hydrocyclones, which are only able to achieve an efficiency within 73–90% for comparable flow situations. Radial migration velocities spanned two orders of magnitude (from 10⁻⁵ to 10⁻² m/s) across conditions, resulting in removal probabilities >89% for ~100 µm droplets under optimal flow conditions. On the other hand, at high Reynolds number (Re = 2.52×10⁵), despite centrifugal forces being enhanced more than ever before, secondary turbulence leads to loss of vortex stability and encourages greater remixing, thus reducing overall separation efficiency based on observations. Thus, these findings confirm that an appropriate balance between centrifugal force and flow stability is a determinant requirement to extract the optimal incisive effect of dual-inlet hydrocyclones, whose applications are compact systems and efficient for oily wastewater treatment.

Publisher

State University of Malang (UM)

First Page

63

Last Page

75

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