Performance of a New Geometry of Deoiling Hydrocyclones: Experiments and Numerical Simulations

A new geometry of liquid-liquid hydrocyclones is proposed seeking to perform the separation of oil emulsified in water. The hydrocyclone performance was investigated by means of a factorial experimental design (23) leading to a total of ten experiments. The results enabled the determination of empirical mathematical models that describe capacity, total separation efficiency, and flow ratio as a function of oil concentration in the feed inlet, operating pressure drop, and presence or absence of a vortex finder in the geometry. Numerical simulations were also carried out to further understand the flow field characteristics in the studied hydrocyclone.