Work

CFD-DEM Simulation of the Effect of Transverse Inclination Angle on Particle Moving Behavior in Spiral Separation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Spiral separators commonly face the issue of particle misplacement during fine particle separation, which severely limits separation accuracy. This study employs a coupled CFD-DEM numerical simulation method to systematically investigate the influence mechanism of transverse inclination angle (10°, 15°, 20°) on particle moving behavior. The results show that the separation process exhibits distinct stage characteristics, which can be divided into an initial stage (first 1/3 turn), a transition stage (1/3 to 2 turns), and a quasi-steady stage (after 2 turns). A steeper angle (20°) optimizes the flow field, reducing the inner low-velocity zone and widening the high-velocity core, which promotes inward migration of particles. This enhances the enrichment of high-density particles while effectively suppressing their mixing into the clean coal product at the outer edge. For difficult-to-separate fine particles below 0.1 mm, although complete separation is challenging, increasing the transverse inclination angle still shows a clear reduction in the misplacement of high-density particles, providing a controllable approach for improving the quality of the outer edge product. This study offers theoretical insights and design guidance for optimizing spiral separator structures and enhancing fine coal separation efficiency.

Source: Separations

DOI: 10.3390/separations13020073

Authors: Wanzhong Liu, Guichuan Ye, Penghui Liu

Institutions: China Energy Engineering Corporation (China), Taiyuan University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Cyclone Separators and Fluid Dynamics

Subfield: Computational Mechanics

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Shanxi Scholarship Council of China