Continuous flow particle separators are essential devices for separating solid, liquid or gaseous particles based on characteristics such as size, density or dynamic behavior. These instruments find application in a wide range of sectors, from water purification to industrial materials treatment to pharmaceutical production. A continuous flow particle separator exploits the interactions between suspended particles and the fluid that transports them, using forces such as: – Gravitational force: used to separate denser particles that tend to settle compared to the surrounding fluid – Centrifugal force: applied in cyclonic separators, where the particles are pushed towards the outside of the flow due to rotation – Hydrodynamic forces: The design of the separator creates specific fluid dynamic paths that favor separation. Process steps: 1) Flow inlet: the fluid containing the particles enters the separator through a specific duct. FLOW-3D is used in this phase to simulate the flow behavior, optimizing speed and direction to ensure uniform particle distribution 2) Separation zone: the separation chamber is designed to create specific flow conditions (e.g. vortices or laminar flows). Thanks to CFD simulation, it is possible to analyze and adjust the forces at play (gravitational/centrifugal and hydrodynamic) to maximize separation efficiency.
FLOW-3D also allows to identify and correct critical points such as unwanted turbulence or efficiency losses 3) Collection/discharge: once separated, the particles are conveyed to dedicated compartments. CFD can help to simulate the discharge phase, ensuring that the residual flow does not replenish the separated particles or that the “clean” fluid maintains optimal characteristics for further process steps. One of the major advantages of these devices is that it is sufficient to vary the flow to be able to use it with particles with different characteristics, without having to build a specific device for each case. In fact, FLOW-3D allows to optimize the fluid dynamic parameters, so as to adapt them for each type of particle, while maintaining the constant geometry of the chamber. In which sectors do you find the use of these separators more useful?