3. Centrifugal separator

3.1 Operating principle

• In a centrifugal separator, the dust- or vesicle-laden gas to be removed is set in rotation. The effect of centrifugal force will then move the particles or vesicles towards the wall, where they will be collected. A cyclone can also be seen as a sedimentation chamber in which the effect of gravity is augmented by centrifugal force. According to R. Perry and H. Chilton, this increase in gravity ranges from 5 to 2,500 times for very small cyclones. Cyclones are among the cheapest and most robust pieces of equipment, and can operate in an incredibly wide range of applications and temperature and pressure conditions. However, you shouldn't expect extraordinary performance from a cyclone. While particles or vesicles larger than 10 µm are usually...