Numerical Analysis and Experimental Study on the Classification of Fine Particles Using a Hydrocyclone with Multiple Vortex Finders
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Mathematical Model
2.1. Physical Model
2.2. Grid Generation and Boundary Condition Settings
2.3. Model Validation
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Static Pressure
3.2. Tangential Velocity
3.3. Axial Velocity
3.4. Radial Velocity
3.5. Air Core
3.6. Efficiency Curve
4. Experimental Investigation and Numerical-Experimental Consistency Validation
5. Conclusions
- The use of a hydrocyclone with triple vortex finders can achieve higher classification accuracy for fine particles of various sizes compared to conventional methods. Additionally, it can be employed in a parallel configuration to achieve high-efficiency separation, effectively addressing the issue of low concentrate recovery rates caused by excessive grinding of qualified products.
- The pressure and velocity fields within the hydrocyclone with triple vortex finders exhibit greater stability compared to those with a single vortex finder. This results in smoother particle movement within the hydrocyclone, while the LZVV shifts inward, allowing fine particles to migrate more easily toward the inner swirling flow, thereby reducing the carryover of fine particles in the underflow. Meanwhile, the diameter of the air core is minimized, and the “throat-like” bulge within the vortex finder disappears, which reduces the impact of convergence on the particles.
- Experimental analysis indicates that the content of fine particles in the underflow structure with triple vortex finders decreased by 4.36 percentage points compared to the single vortex finder. The mass efficiency improved by 18.85 percentage points, while the volumetric efficiency did not show a significant decrease. This demonstrates that it is possible to effectively enhance particle classification accuracy while ensuring classification efficiency.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Diameter of the body | 75 mm |
| Inlet size | 25 mm |
| Vortex finder length | 75 mm |
| Diameter of apex | 15 mm |
| Length of cylindrical part | 211 mm |
| Length of conical part | 79 mm |
| Diameter of the First Vortex Finder | 25 mm |
| Diameter of the Second Vortex Finder | 23.5 mm |
| Diameter of the Third Vortex Finder | 22 mm |
| Size/µm | Volume Fraction/% |
|---|---|
| 1 µm | 0.38 |
| 5 µm | 1.26 |
| 10 µm | 0.96 |
| 15 µm | 1.31 |
| 20 µm | 1.02 |
| 25 µm | 0.12 |
| 30 µm | 0.93 |
| 35 µm | 1.58 |
| Size/µm | Interval/% | Positive Cumulative Content/% |
|---|---|---|
| 0~10 | 2.56 | 10.53 |
| 10~21 | 15.63 | 18.19 |
| 21~29 | 40.35 | 58.54 |
| 29~52 | 28.62 | 87.16 |
| >52 | 12.84 | 100 |
| Underflow Content of −20 µm (%) | Overflow Content of −20 µm (%) | Quality Efficiency (%) | Quantity Efficiency (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 18.13 | 36.38 | 31.28 | 82.23 |
| Double | 15.22 | 41.62 | 45.62 | 81.53 |
| Triple | 12.11 | 49.19 | 50.13 | 81.16 |
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Li, F.; Huang, G.; Zou, C.; Fu, Y.; Li, J.; Ma, B.; Wang, Y.; Zhang, C. Numerical Analysis and Experimental Study on the Classification of Fine Particles Using a Hydrocyclone with Multiple Vortex Finders. Separations 2025, 12, 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12110318
Li F, Huang G, Zou C, Fu Y, Li J, Ma B, Wang Y, Zhang C. Numerical Analysis and Experimental Study on the Classification of Fine Particles Using a Hydrocyclone with Multiple Vortex Finders. Separations. 2025; 12(11):318. https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12110318
Chicago/Turabian StyleLi, Feng, Guodong Huang, Chaoqi Zou, Yuting Fu, Jiawei Li, Baocong Ma, Yanchao Wang, and Chenglei Zhang. 2025. "Numerical Analysis and Experimental Study on the Classification of Fine Particles Using a Hydrocyclone with Multiple Vortex Finders" Separations 12, no. 11: 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12110318
APA StyleLi, F., Huang, G., Zou, C., Fu, Y., Li, J., Ma, B., Wang, Y., & Zhang, C. (2025). Numerical Analysis and Experimental Study on the Classification of Fine Particles Using a Hydrocyclone with Multiple Vortex Finders. Separations, 12(11), 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12110318

