Study of particle's shape factor, inlet velocity and feed concentration on mini-hydrocyclone classification and fishhook effect

•We obtain exact particle's shape factor by SEM and BET analysis.•We examine changes in the particle sphericity on the separation efficiency and fishhook effect.•Increasing particle sphericity will increase separation efficiency.•Decreasing inlet velocity will decrease separation efficiency.•Increasing particle's shape factor will increase Fishhook effect.

This research aims to study the influence of particle's shape factor, inlet velocity and feed volume concentration on the particle classification and fishhook effect in a mini-hydrocyclone. To develop study of innovation, three particles with extensive range of sphericities (0.05, 0.34, and 0.82) were chosen. The maximum separation efficiency was determined at three conditions: the highest inlet velocity, most sphericity and lowest particle concentration. The high particle sphericity offers less drag for an equivalent particle diameter. The results revealed that fishhook effect is more explicit for spherical particles. The presence of fishhook effect was described based on available theories.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide