Tangential cyclones modified to form spiral cyclones are very efficient in separating solid particles from dust laden gases. They offer a lower gas pressure drop and higher particle separation efficiency when compared to basic tangential cyclones. Their high performance is believed to be related to their special structure. A mathematical model is introduced to explain why a spiral cyclone is more efficient than a tangential one. An experimental apparatus is designed to compare both the performances of spiral and tangential cyclones and to check the effectiveness of the model equations. The experimental data were found to be consistent with the model predictions.