Abstract:In order to reduce the pollution on the environment caused by waste eggshells, a method of collecting eggshell membranes and eggshells separately from eggshells mixture was explored, which acquired respective added value. Based on the Fluent-EDEM coupling simulation, the influences of cyclone structure parameters such as the diameter and height of the cleaning cylinder on the flow field characteristics, particles trajectories and particles distribution in the cyclone were studied. According to the simulation results, the structure parameters of the cyclone were determined within a reasonable range. In the eggshells and membranes collecting test, the cyclone top structure, fan rotational speed, feeding motor rotational speed and feed rate were taken as test factors, and the cleaning rate and recovery rate of eggshell membranes were taken as evaluation indexes. The simulation results showed that the flow field formed in the cleaning cylinder was that velocity was high in upward direction in the central columnar area and low in downward direction in the peripheral area, and air pressure was the lowest at the air riser, which were conducive to collecting eggshells and eggshell membranes. Increasing the diameter of cleaning cylinder would cause eggshells mixture reflux. Increasing the height of the cylinder would lead to excessive energy loss in the cylinder and low recovery rate of eggshell membranes, otherwise too small height of the cylinder would lead to small energy loss, high airflow velocity in the cylinder and low cleaning rate of eggshell membranes. The test results showed that the recovery rate of eggshell membranes adapting cone top was higher than that of flat top. If the speed of materials inlet was increased, the eggshells mixture would move against the cylinder wall due to the centrifugal force, which can not separate eggshells and eggshell membranes effectively. The experimental results showed when the feed rate was 500g/s, the fan rotational speed was 2892r/min and the feeding motor rotational speed was 918r/min, the eggshell membranes recovery rate was higher than 94%, and cleaning rate was higher than 96%. The result of verification test was close to that of optimization, and the optimization result was credible.