Horizontal cyclone precleaner for cartridge filters: effects on flow distribution and filtration efficiency

Abstract

To address the challenges of high-concentration industrial dust control, this study focuses on the technical bottlenecks encountered by conventional cartridge dust collectors when handling fine particulate matter. These challenges include uneven flow field distribution, imbalanced filter cartridge loading, and high cleaning frequency. Consequently, this paper proposes a composite dust collection system that features the synergistic integration of a transverse cyclone separator and a cartridge dust collector. Utilizing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based gas-solid two-phase flow numerical model, and incorporating a user-defined function (UDF) to precisely characterize the selective dust capture mechanism of the filter cartridges, this study systematically analyzes the impact of the pre-dust removal unit on flow uniformity and particle capture characteristics. The research findings reveal that the transverse cyclone pre-dust collector significantly improves internal flow distribution. Specifically, it reduces the mass flow rate unevenness coefficient by 18.6%, decreases the dust load variation coefficient by 45.1%, and increases the pressure uniformity index by 3%. Furthermore, the transverse cyclone separator exhibits distinct particle size-graded capture characteristics, achieving efficient pre-separation of coarse particles above 50 μm and consequently substantially reducing the dust load on the filter cartridges. The composite system demonstrates superior graded efficiency across all particle size ranges compared to a single cartridge, achieving a 2% increase in efficiency for 10–50 μm particles and ensuring the complete capture of 50–100 μm particles. This study elucidates the fundamental mechanism by which the pre-dust removal unit synergistically optimizes filter cartridge performance via the dual mechanisms of airflow rectification and particle size classification. The findings provide a theoretical foundation for and inform the design of high-efficiency, low-resistance, long-life dust removal systems suitable for high-concentration dust environments, particularly within narrow, elongated spaces.

Keywords: Transverse cyclone separator, Cartridge dust collector, Numerical Simulation, Particle capture characteristics, Flow field uniformity