Separation of Particulate Matter Conveyed in High Temperature Gas Streams

Gasification of cotton gin trash and other biomass produces a synthetic gas useful for electricity generation.  The particulates in the gas must be removed before introduction into an internal combustion generator to prevent fouling. Cyclones are capable of reducing the concentration of particulate matter from these high temperature gas streams. However, the high temperature of the gases after gasification causes an increase in the cyclone’s inlet velocity and reduces cyclone efficiency. An analysis of cyclone performances in simulated high temperature gas streams was performed, based on the Texas A&M Cyclone Design (TCD) process for gas streams above 350°F. Inlet velocities for the cyclone testing ranged between 5,000 and 9,000 actual feet per minute (fpm). It has been hypothesized that increased inlet velocity results in an increased natural length of the cyclone. Using the TCD process to collect data using simulated high temperature gas streams enables us to modify cyclone diameter and length to achieve the desired collection efficiency and calculate the pressure drop across the cyclone.