Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #283052

Title: Advances in dust cyclone research

Author
item Funk, Paul
item Whitelock, Derek

Submitted to: Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE)
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/22/2012
Publication Date: 8/1/2012
Citation: Funk, P.A., Whitelock, D.P. 2012. Advances in dust cyclone research. Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE). July 29-August 1, 2012, Dallas, TX. Paper no. 121338015.

Interpretive Summary: Dust cyclones reduce dust emissions but their operation consumes electrical energy. Appropriate statistical methods for engineering experiments were used to compare two strategies to reduce energy costs without increasing emissions. Cyclones of a standard design were operated singly and in series. A novel design was also tested. The amount of material conveyed by air entering the cyclones was varied from 3 to 75 grams per cubic meter. Air speed entering the cyclones varied from 18 to 40 miles per hour. Air speed had little influence on the collection efficiency of Standard cyclones across the tested range. A second cyclone in series reduced emissions but more than doubled energy consumption for a given air speed. The Experimental cyclone had a larger inlet and outlet. It produced slightly less pressure drop at a given air speed. Unfortunately, it had a lower collection efficiency.

Technical Abstract: Dust cyclones reduce particulate emissions but their operation consumes electrical energy. Response surface methodology was used to compare two strategies to reduce energy costs without increasing emissions. Cyclones of a standard design (1D3D) were operated singly and in series, as was an ‘Experimental’ cyclone of a novel design. A central composite experimental design was used with loading rates from 3 to 75 g m-3 and velocities from 8 to 18 m s-1. Velocity had little influence on the collection efficiency of Standard cyclones across the tested range. A second cyclone in series reduced emissions but more than doubled energy consumption for a given velocity. The Experimental cyclone had a larger inlet and outlet, slightly less pressure drop at a given entrance velocity but lower collection efficiency than the Standard design.