Structural Optimization of a Novel Up-run Gas-solid Separator

A new gas-solid separator dedicated to heavy-oil fast pyrolysis process incorporating inertial and centrifugal separation was designed. Gas and typical fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst particles (with a density of 1500 kg/m(3), and a mean diameter of 45.81 mu m) were used in the study. The inlet gas velocity was kept constant at 13.36 m/s, while the solid loading at the inlet ranged from 0 to 700 g/m(3). When the exhaust pipe opening was provided with two narrow-width slots near the inlet without baffles, the solid collection efficiency increased with an increasing solid loading at the inlet and was close to 95% along with a decreasing pressure drop. After increasing the secondary separation structure, the separation efficiency greatly improved. By adjusting the diameter of the secondary exhaust pipe, the separation efficiency and pressure drop could be balanced. Under the experimental conditions, when the diameter of the second exhaust pipe was equal to d=100 mm, the pressure drop was lower than 1400 Pa while the separation efficiency could exceed 99.50%; and when the diameter was equal to d=120 mm, the pressure drop was less than 700 Pa, with the separation efficiency reaching over 99.00%.