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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #114209
Title: DUST CYCLONE MODELING AND VALIDATION

Author
item Funk, Paul
item Hughs, Sidney
item Holt, Gregory

Submitted to: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Meetings Papers
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2000
Publication Date: 8/12/2000
Citation: Funk, P.A., Hughs, S.E., Holt, G.A. 2000. Dust Cyclone Modeling and Validation. American Society of Agricultural Engineers Meeting Papers. p 1-10. Paper No. 004026.

Interpretive Summary: Cyclone efficiency is critical for economic compliance of cotton gins with air pollution regulations. Several modifications suggested by computer modeling were tested in a screening trial and shown to make little contribution to the real world performance of a cyclone collecting gin trash. However, a stronger case was made for the potential to save energy by reducing cyclone air velocity. Lower velocity resulted in lower pressure drop but not in significantly higher dust emissions.

Technical Abstract: Computational fluid dynamics software was employed to generate a model of airflow streamlines inside a 1D3D dust cyclone with typical (2D2D inlet, D/3 trash outlet) modifications. The observed response led to experimentation with 12" model cyclones that were further modified to have rectangular and square inlets, inlets at various angles, expansion chambers and neutral air tubes in the vortex. Statistically significant improvements in cyclone performance were not realized with the modifications tested. Reducing entrance velocity has the potential to save energy without increasing emissions. This needs to be verified in full scale.