Numerical Simulation Study of Baffle Structure on the Performance of a Two‐Stage Cyclone Separator

ABSTRACT This paper presents a numerical simulation study of a two‐stage embedded cyclone separator. By nesting an inner cyclone separator with a secondary inlet inside an outer cyclone separator, an additional outlet was designed at the hopper section of the inner cyclone to allow for two‐stage multiphase separation. Using the Reynolds stress model (RSM) in conjunction with the discrete phase model (DPM), this study investigates the influence of key structural components, specifically the position of the baffle (its location and the ratio of baffle height to cylinder height), on the tangential velocity, pressure, and turbulent kinetic energy inside the two‐stage embedded cyclone separator under a pressure of 8 MPa. The performance changes of the separator are analyzed and summarized. The results indicate that the position of the baffle significantly affects the separation performance. When the baffle is closer to the inlet of the inner cyclone, the tangential velocity distribution within the inner cyclone becomes more uniform, the low‐pressure core region maintains higher intensity, and the pressure gradient exhibits clear symmetry. The low‐pressure region becomes larger, which is more favorable for particle separation. However, the baffle‐to‐cylinder height ratio has a minimal effect on separation performance. The pressure drop increases with the height ratio, while the separation efficiency initially increases and then decreases, but the overall variation remains within 10%. The findings provide a reference for improving the separation performance of two‐stage embedded cyclones and offer valuable guidance for their engineering applications.