Axial flow cyclone for segregation and collection of ultrafine particles: theoretical and experimental study

In this study, an axial flow cyclone was designed, fabricated, and evaluated at different conditions of air flow rates (Q0) and low-pressure environments (P), especially for the segregation and collection of ultrafine particles. An evaporation/condensation type of aerosol generation system consisting of tube furnace and mixing chamber was employed to produce test aerosols. The test aerosol was then classified by a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and number concentration was measured by a condensation nuclei counter (CNC) and an electrometer upstream and downstream of the cyclone, respectively. The s-shaped curve of the collection efficiency in submicron particle size range was obtained to be similar to the traditional cyclone found in the literatures when the particles were largerthan 40 nm at Q0 = 1.07, 0.455 L(STP)/min, and P = 4.8-500 Torr. The curve was found to be fitted very well by a semiempirical equation described in this paper. For particles smaller than 40 nm, however, the collection efficiency was unusually increased as the particle diameter was decreased due to the fact that the diffusion deposition becomes the dominant collection mechanism in the low-pressure conditions. A model composed of centrifugal force and diffusion deposition is presented and used to fit the experimental data. The cyclone was demonstrated to separate and collect ultrafine particles effectively in the tested vacuum conditions.