Energy consumption and its reduction in the hydrocyclone separation process. II. Time-averaged and fluctuating characteristics of the turbulent pressure in a hydrocyclone

A resistance wire strain gauge system was used to experimentally study time-averaged and fluctuating characteristics of turbulent pressure in a hydrocyclone for the first time. In the main space inside the hydrocyclone, pressure distribution could be described with a mathematical model in which pressure is a function of positional radius. When positional radius decreases, pressure drops, but the radial gradient of pressure increases. In the central area under the vortex finder, the radial gradient of pressure, pressure fluctuation, and relative pressure fluctuation are all very large. That is, both energy loss and turbulent energy dissipation are serious in this area. In the main space inside the hydrocyclone, turbulent pressure mostly fits in Gaussian distribution. At some positions within the cylindrical area and the upper part of inner helical flow, turbulent pressure does not fit in Gaussian distribution, which indicates turbulent fine-structure intermittency exists at these positions in the hydrocyclone.