Hydrocyclone is a primary treatment equipment used in the separation of solids from liquids. It is a mechanical device that utilizes centrifugal force to separate materials. The hydro cyclone is composed of a cylindrical section, a conical section, and a vortex finder. The inlet of the hydro cyclone is tangential to the cylindrical section, which causes a swirling motion of the liquid inside the hydro cyclone.
The conical section of the hydro cyclone causes the separation of the solid and liquid components due to the centrifugal force. The solid particles move to the wall of the hydro cyclone and are discharged through the underflow outlet, while the clarified liquid is discharged through the overflow outlet.
Hydrocyclones are commonly used in industries such as mining, oil and gas, and wastewater treatment. They are used for various purposes such as the separation of sand and gravel from drilling mud, the separation of oil and water in oil refineries, and the separation of solids from wastewater in treatment plants. The size and design of the hydro cyclone can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the application.
Hydrocyclones offer several advantages over other separation technologies. They are relatively simple to operate and maintain, have a small footprint, and can handle a wide range of flow rates. Additionally, hydro cyclones can be used as a pre-treatment step to remove large solids before further treatment processes.