CFD Simulation of Inlet Design Effect on Deoiling Hydrocyclone Separation Efficiency

An Eulerian-Eulerian three-dimensional CFD model was developed to study the effect of different inlet designs on deoiling hydrocyclone separation efficiency. Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes and continuity equations were applied to solve steady turbulent flow through the cyclone with the Reynolds stress model. In addition, the modified drag correlation for liquid-liquid emulsion with respect to the Reynolds number range and viscosity ratio of two phases was used and the simulation results were compared with those predicted by the Schiller-Naumann correlation. Pressure profile, tangential and axial velocities and separation efficiency of the deoiling hydrocyclone were calculated for four different inlet designs and compared with the standard design. The simulation results for the standard design demonstrate an acceptable agreement with reported experimental data. The results show that all new four inlet designs offer higher efficiencies compared to the standard design. The difference between the efficiency of the LLHC, of the new inlets and the standard design can be improved by increasing the inlet velocity. Furthermore, the simulations show that the separation efficiency can be improved by about 10% when using a helical form of inlet.