Estudo da fluidodinâmica do processo de separação partícula sólida/água via hidrociclone filtrante: modelagem e simulação.

Abstract

Conventional hydrocyclones are versatile equipment due to high processing capacity and low maintenance costs. Several studies are aimed at changing the typical structure of conventional hydrocyclone in order to alter its performance and purpose. In this way the hydrocyclones filtering in which it differs from the conventional hydrocyclone by the replacement of the conical or cylindrical wall by a porous membrane. During the operation of this separator, in addition to the traditionally observed currents (feed, underflow and overflow), there is a liquid stream coming from the filtration process, usually called filtrate. The present work proposes to study filtering hydrocyclones based on the work of Façanha (2012), based on the numerical study of the water / solid particle separation process performed with the commercial software ANSYS CFX® Release 15.0. The mathematical model used considers three-dimensional, turbulent, stationary flow, based on the Eulerian-Eulerian approach and SST turbulence model "Shear Stress Transport". Studies of flow dynamics, porosity effect, permeability effect and porous matrix effect were evaluated. The results show that the flow rate of the filtrate is lower in relation to the other outlets, it changes the flow inside the filter hydrocyclone in relation to the porosity, permeability and effect of the position of the filter medium. The increase in porosity and permeability altered the pressure distribution, liquid ratio and total efficiency inside the filter cylindrical hydrocyclones.