Simulation Analysis of Flow Patterns Inside a Cyclone Bag Separator at Increasing Clogging Levels

Milling plants often employ pneumatic conveying systems that use air to transport grains and flour within the plant. Before the particulate-laden air can be released into the atmosphere, however, it must be purified to meet strict environmental regulations. Cyclones and bag filters are commonly adopted for this purpose. In this study, CFD simulation was used to reproduce the functioning of a cyclone separator equipped with a fabric bag filter. The digital model was used to simulate different clogging conditions of the fabric bags and evaluate their impact on the system functioning in terms of flow rate distribution and pressure drop. Based on the results of the simulations, additional sensor locations could be defined where the calculated velocities exhibited a clear trend as the clogging levels increased. In future research activities, additional sensors will be installed on the plant at the identified locations to validate the results obtained. The results of the simulations performed allowed for gathering important insights for the optimization of the maintenance of the device. Indeed, in future research activities, the digital model developed aims to be implemented for predictive maintenance purposes and the generation of a Digital Twin of the pilot plant.