Air Separator

Separation
Is the division of a material stream into two
separate streams using air as the carrying
medium

Static Dynamic
Separator Separator
 Main characteristic Static
separator
No rotating parts are required for the
separation

Typical Static Separator

Cyclone and the grit separator
Main characteristic Dynamic separator

Rotating parts are required for the separation

The fineness of the product can be changed by
adjusting the speed of the rotating part
Typical Dynamic Separator
Mechanical air separator
Cyclone air separator
Dynamic separator for air swept ball mills
& roller mill
Mechanical air separator and the cyclone air
separator are used as separating units in
grinding circuit mill bucket elevator mills.

Air separators are applied in :

Raw meal
Clinker & coal grinding circuits
 Separator as independent unit

Seprator Feed A

Seprator Tail G
Seprator Finish F

Fig 1
 Air Separator
Closed Circut with one Separator
Seperator Feed A

Separator Finish F
Separator Tail G

Mill Discharge

Original Feed M
Fig 2
Air Separator - Closed Circut
with two Separator Series Seperator Feed A

Separator 1

Separator 2

Separator Tail G
Separator Finish F

Mill Discharge

Original Feed M Fig 3

Air Separator - Closed Circut
with two Separator Parallel

Seperator Feed
Separator 1 A Separator 2

Separator Finish F

Separator Tail G

Mill Discharge

Original Feed M Fig 4

The advantage of installing separator(s) in
grinding circuit are :
Rapid change to various product qualities

More regular fines control of product

Less sensitive to variations of mill feed material
Possibility of cooling & drying in separator
Reduced power consumption for very fine
products
Increased capacity of grinding plant
Typical Arrangement of air separator
Principle of separation
Assume particle of spherical shape
Force acting upon this particle
Fu
Centrifugal force Fc
Fg Fc = Centrifugal Force
Gravity force FG Fu = Uplifting Force
Fg = Gravity Force

Uplifting force FU
Principle of Separation
The operation of air separator is based on
the following principles
The action of an air current of certain velocity
upon a mass-particle is proportional to the surface
presented by this particle to the air current, thus to
the square of the mean dimensions of the particle.
The action of the force of gravity upon a mass-
particle is proportional to the volume, thus to the
cube of the mean dimensions of the particle.
The effect of the force of gravity increase faster
than that of an air current of constant velocity
The operation of air separator is based on
the following principles

The effect of the force of gravity increase faster

than that of an air current of constant velocity

If these two forces are concurrent, the force of

gravity will prevail over the effect of the air current
as particle dimensions increase.
Main characteristic Static separator

No rotating parts are required for the separation

Air is the conveying media for introducing feed

material to the separator

The separator performs only the separating

function and not the collection function of the fines
Characteristics of Dynamic Separator
Rotating parts are required for the separation

Only conventional types of dynamic separating are

generating the separating air by means of fans
which are part of the separator internal system

Only conventional types the separation of both of

fine and coarse material take place inside the
separator
Application of Mechanical Air separator

Separating unit in grinding circuit with bucket

elevator

Separating unit in air-swept mills

Sturtevant
Type
Separator
Cyclone Air Separator
Advantages of separating and precipitation
Specific load of separating zone can be increased which
gives greater separation capacities up to 500 t/h of fine
material
Variation in the separator feed dont affect the fineness
of the product, so the quality of the fines remain
unchanged

Alteration of the products fineness can be achieved by

changing the revolutions of the auxiliary fan as well as
changing the circulating air volume through
adjustment of the blower or the damper
Air Separator :
High Efficiency Separator
The week points of Mechanical Air Separator
The amount of separating air can not be adjusted
sufficiently
The separation of the fine material from the
separating air is deficient
In larger units, the distribution of feed is not proper
in the separating zone.
The adjustment range of the product fineness is
limited
The advantages of high efficiency separators

Reduction in specific power consumption

Increase in grinding capacity

Improvement in product quality

Reduction in cement temp.

Wider adjustment range in view of product

fineness
High efficiency separators
High efficiency separator with separation by
vertical air flow
Sepax Separator
Advantages of Sepax separators

Separate discharge of broken and worn grinding

media, this reduce the clogging tendency in mill
partition diagram

The suspended material flows into the separator

via vertical guide vanes
 Selection
of cyclone
air Separator :
Grinding System - Air S wept Mill
Fig 14
Grinding System

Fig 15