Engineered for maximum plant performance

The Multotec hydrocyclone technology range comprises cyclone diameters from 25 to 1 400 mm. Most of these diameters can accommodate a range of cone angles, while different vortex finders and spigot diameters are standard for all diameters.

Small diameter cyclones (up to 100 mm) are manufactured mainly from polyurethane, while larger cyclones can be polyurethane, steel cyclones with bonded or loose rubber lining, and steel with ceramic lining.

Innovative designs to improve your performance

Scrolled evolute design

The scrolled evolute and ribbon inlet cyclone designs have a much higher capacity compared to standard inlet designs. The result is that vortex finder wear is substantially reduced, thereby lowering operating costs while maximising hydrocyclone separation efficiency.

Weep holes

If the hydrocyclone liner becomes damaged, the material which finds its way between the liner and the cyclone shell will begin to drain from weep holes, indicating that the liner needs to be replaced. With better insight into the state of your hydrocylone liner, you can reduce unplanned stoppages and downtime, and extend the life of the cyclone’s steel shells.

Weep holes also reduce the frequency of internal cyclone inspection. This is because cyclones without weep holes require regular inspection to assess the integrity of the liner itself.

Silicon carbide (SiC) lined cyclone components

To improve cyclone component wear characteristics, and to ensure they can be used in highly aggressive applications, Multotec has been developing and supplying SiC (Silicon Carbide) lined cyclones and components, with all trial applications have showing excellent results. This ensures that gaps between tiles are minimised, meaning less epoxy, which wears faster than tiles, is used. 

Engineered tiles

Sized to your process requirements

Cyclones are selected and sized by Multotec’s experienced process team using our specialised CY-i cyclone sizing software to achieve optimum centrifugal forces and cut points to best suit your precise requirements. For specialised applications Multotec can custom design and manufacture a cyclone to meet your application.
 

Hydrocyclone Troubleshooting

Cyclones need to be correctly maintained to ensure they operate at peak separation efficiency. Your local Multotec branch will help apply sound operating and maintenance procedures for your cyclones to help ensure they reliably deliver your required cut points to meet your process parameters.

Need hydrocyclone spares? We have stock of all the spare parts you need, and are available with short lead times on any parts you need.

Maintenance should preferably be done on every maintenance shutdown in order to allow for internal inspection. Your local Multotec service crew will provide end-to-end cyclone inspections and servicing, which includes:

• monitoring the internal condition to determine if there are any abnormal wear patterns forming, or if any tiles, if it is a ceramic cyclone, have been damaged
• measuring the spigot diameter since the hydrocyclone efficiency can become affected as the spigot diameter increases
• looking at the vortex finder leading edge, which means looking from the spigot side into the finder, to determine if the condition is still good. In the event that it is not possible to inspect from the spigot side, the length can be measured from the top of the cyclone after the overflow pipe has been removed
• measuring the finder length and spigot diameter
• checking for excessive grooves in the cyclone body or vortex finder
• checking for wear, uneven surfaces and step on the feed inlet and conical section

Maintaining optimum cyclone pressure

With the Multotec pressure gauge installed on your cyclones, plant operators will be quickly notified if there is any surging or pressure drop in the hydrocyclone feed stream. The reading on the pressure gauge will allow for an accurate calculation of volumetric flow rates to the cyclone which will make it possible to calculate the mass flow rate.

Lower cyclone pressure results in inefficiencies while high pressure increases the centrifugal force beyond its design specifications, which increases cyclone wear rate. Ensuring your cyclone operates in the optimum pressure range helps reduce costly potential downtime, and improves downstream processing performance.

iSPi Camera Inspection

Multotec has developed the Internal Surface Photographic Inspection (iSpi) system for cyclones. By making use of a 360° camera, our application engineers are able to offer a system which enables them inspect the inside of a customer’s cyclone in-situ and with minimal effort.

When used in conjunction with a coloured dot tile, iSPi can also help detect the remaining life on Alumina lined cyclones.
 

Frequently asked questions

What is a hydrocyclone separator?

A hydrocyclone separator is a piece of equipment used to classify particles according to their size and density. Hydrocyclones have no moving parts; instead they are shaped like a cone to produce a vortex when slurry is fed into the cyclone. In generating sufficient centrifugal force, this vortex allows coarser and finer particles to separate. Coarser particle will exit the cyclone through the underflow discharge, while finer particles will be discharged via the overflow discharge.

The point of separation between coarse and fine particles is called the cut point. A number of factors must be considered when defining this cut point. Size and cone angle of the cyclone; the velocity and angle of the feed; as well as the specific slurry characteristics all play a role in determining how the vortex will develop in the cyclone. Once the vortex is established, the vortex finder is configured to the required point of particle separation.

Multotec will provide a completely customised cyclone solution to optimise your classification efficiency.

What is cut size in hydrocyclone?

In a hydrocyclone, cut size is the separation point between particles deemed to be ‘coarse’ and ‘fine’. If a particle is at the cut size, it will have a 50% chance of reporting to either the overflow or underflow. Any particle size greater than the cut size will exit via the underflow (coarse particles), while particles less than the cut size (fine particles) will be discharged via the overflow.

To produce a particular cut size from a cyclone, engineers must consider velocity and angle of slurry feed, cone angle and cyclone diameter, and position of the vortex finder, which is a short pipe that extends from the overflow discharge into the cyclone’s vortex. 

How does a dewatering cyclone work?

A dewatering cyclone, used for solid-liquid separation, operates in the same principle as a conventional cyclone. Feeding slurry at high velocity into a cone shape generates centrifugal force and solid particles inside the slurry begin to separate according to size and density. In this way, suspended solids can be removed from ballast waters.

Hydrocyclones are an excellent dewatering solution because of their low-cost, low-maintenance design. Multotec dewatering cyclones are ideal for a range of applications in solids dewatering, water recovery and densification applications.

What is a cyclone used for?

A hydrocyclone is used to separate particles in liquid. They are used in industries such as mining, minerals processing and aggregates to classify, densify, dewater, de-slime and recover fines. They are specially designed to provide an environment where centrifugal force can be harnessed to separate matter based on size and density. 

What is a vortex finder?

A vortex finder is a small pipe that extends from the overflow discharge section into the body. It provides the channel that will separate the fine material from higher mass particles. It is sized and positioned within the body of the cyclone to produce your exact cut point.

Do you have a specific question for our cyclone division? Get in touch with us here.