Development of a Software and Hardware Complex for Investigation of the Velocity Vector Field in a Cyclone Separator

Abstract

The current issue of automation and investigation of the vector velocity field in a cyclone-separator with a screw insert is considered in the paper. Unlike cyclones currently used in grain processing plants with an efficiency of 80 %, a cyclone separator with a screw insert allows to increase the cleaning efficiency up to 99.5 - 99.9 %, which makes it more efficient to use it in explosive flour-grinding production. To identify effective operating conditions and cyclone-separator parameters, a vector velocity field simulation was performed in SolidWorks, tangential, axial and radial velocities were investigated. Also, a software and hardware complex was developed that makes it possible to obtain data on the speed inside a cyclone separator. The basis of the developed software and hardware complex is Raspberry Pi, which allows to process the received data with high speed. Also, the paper describes the principles of the developed complex. The results of the experiment showed that on flour dusts the efficiency of the cyclone separator in question was more than 99.5 %, with an air flow rate of 376 m3/h, 472 m3/h and 516 m3/h, and DР less than 600 Pa. The velocity in the inlet branch of the screw insert was 18-20 m/s, and at the exit of the screw insert the airflow velocity is 50-70 m/s.