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Chemical Engineering & Technology, Vol.17, No.2, 73-80, 1994
THE CYCLONE SCRUBBER - A HIGH-EFFICIENCY WET SEPARATOR
Due to induced turbulent interactions between particles to be separated and the scrubbing liquid present as droplets, very good collection efficiency down to submicron particle size can be achieved as shown by detailed studies [1]. Assumed are suitable flow conditions, a long residence time and a certain droplet size distribution or a special liquid dispersion system. As the name implies, the cyclone-scrubber basically consists of a cyclone. This cyclone serves as a contact space in which the interaction between dust particles and scrubbing liquid droplets takes place, and as a droplet separator. Thus, under normal conditions, a water saturated but dust- and droplet-free gas stream leaves the cyclone. The droplets are generated by a pneumatic atomization nozzle, arranged at the cyclone inlet in the direction of flow. A complete theoretical description of the three-dimensional, three-phase, nonsteady turbulent flow in the cyclone scrubber has not been possible up to now. The detailed experimental investigations presented in this work, and covering multiple parameters, led to physically based conclusions about the dominant interactions and separation mechanisms involved. Grade efficiencies which did not fall below 0.75, down to a particle size of 0.5 gm, could be measured by an optical particle counter. Collection efficiency of 99.2% was determined by gravimetric analysis of the dust load, according to VDI-guideline 2066, in the raw and clean gas sections of the dust load, according to VDI-guideline 2066, in the raw and clean gas sections of the cyclone scrubber.