Hydrocyclones belong to an important group of equipments designed to solid-liquid or liquid-liquid separation in a centrifugal field. It is possible to adapt a hydrocyclone to the accomplishment of several industrial activities depending on the geometrical relations among its main dimensions. The operation and design of these devices are relatively simple; however, the flow inside them is very complex and its prediction is very difficult. For that reason, most models that are used to predict hydrocyclone performance are empirical ones. The objective of this work was to study the influence of geometric variables in the performance of hydrocyclones, using CFD and response surface techniques. The obtained results show that it was possible to find an optimum hydrocyclone design, that is, geometric relationships that lead to Euler number and cut size in minimum levels.Les hdrocyclones appartiennentà un groupe important d'équipements conçus pour la séparation solide-liquide ou liquide-liquide dans un champ centrifuge. Il est possible d'adapter un hydrocycloneà la réalisation de plusieurs activités industrielles selon les relations géométriques dans ses dimensions principales. Le fonctionnement et la conception de ces dispositifs sont relativement simples; cependant, leur circulation interne est très complexe et sa prédiction est très difficile. Pour cette raison, la plupart des modèles utilisés pour prédire le rendement des hydrocyclones sont des modèles empiriques. L'objectif de ce travailétait d'étudier l'influence des variables géométriques sur le rendement des hydrocyclones en utilisant une DFN et des techniques de surface de réponse. Les résultats obtenus indiquent qu'ilétait possible de trouver une conception d'hydrocyclones optimale, c.-à-d. les relations géométriques qui mènent au nombre d'Euler età la mesure fixeà des niveaux minimaux.

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-Filtering hydrocyclone is a device that was developed and patented by the Particulate System Research Group at the Federal University of Uberlandia. This equipment consists of a hydrocyclone whose conical section is replaced by a conical filtering wall. Thus, during the operation of these devices, besides the underflow and overflow streams, there is another stream of liquid, resulting from the filtrate produced in the porous cone. In the present work, the influence of some geometric variables of a filtering hydrocyclone was analyzed by an experimental and CFD study. The geometric variables analyzed were underflow orifice diameter (D U ) and vortex finder length (ℓ). Data from a conventional hydrocyclone of the same configuration were also obtained. The results indicated that the performance of hydrocyclones is significantly influenced by the conical filtering wall. The incorporation of the filtering medium decreased the Euler numbers and increased the total efficiency of the hydrocyclones. Depending on the specific functions of the separator (as a classifier or concentrator) the best values of D U and ℓ were also found for the filtering hydrocyclone.

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-The filtering hydrocyclone is a solid-liquid separation device patented by t he Chemical Engineering Department at the Federal University of Uberlândia, which consists of a hydrocyclone whose conical section was replaced by a conical filtering wall. The objective of this work is to compare the performances of the filtering hydrocyclones designed by Bradley and by Rietema. The experimental results obtained with the filtering hydrocyclones under the same operational conditions as those used with the conventional device allow the conclusion that performance of the Bradley and Rietema types is significantly influenced by the filtering medium. Rietema's filtering hydrocyclones had a lower volumetric feed flowrate than the conventional device and Bradley's filtering hydrocyclones showed increases in this same variable. In both designs, overall efficiency was influenced by the underflow-to-throughput ratio.