Design of an Optimized Hydrocyclone for High Efficiency and Low Energy Consumption

Hydrocyclones are centrifugal devices used to perform the separation of a discrete phase (solid or liquid) from a continuous one. Depending on the process goal, particle classification, or thickening, it is possible to enhance the performance of these devices by optimizing their geometric relationships. In this study, innovative geometric relationships for a hydrocyclone were proposed to maximize the separation efficiency and provide low energy consumption. A database composed of 60 hydrocyclones with different geometric dimensions designed over 17 years of research at our laboratory was used to perform this study. Regression equations were adjusted to these previous experimental data, and a differential evolution algorithm was used in the optimization study. The optimized geometry of the hydrocyclone obtained in this work, named MOEH (maximum overall efficiency hydrocyclone), was built, and its performance was compared with the best equipment of the database through numerical simulation and experiments. The results indicated that for fine particles (D-63.2 = 10.80 mu m), the MOEH showed better performance than all devices already analyzed by our research group, with an overall efficiency of approximately 9% higher and a 33% reduction of energy consumption when compared with the best hydrocyclone of the database.