Development of a cyclone separator for particulate matter control in fique bag production: A case study at Empaques del Cauca S.A

Environmental pollution has become a pressing global concern that poses significant health risks and socioeconomic challenges. Developing countries are witnessing increased chronic diseases attributed to water and air pollution. This study focuses on Empaques del Cauca S.A., a Colombian company that manufactures fique bags for domestic and international markets. Due to the existing technological and technical infrastructure, the production process of these bags generates the emission of particulate material, specifically PM10 and PM2.5. Thus, developing a cyclone separator is proposed, following the V-quadrant methodology, incorporating the requirements of problem recognition and integrating it into design and simulation stages through computer-aided design and engineering. In this way, the results of the design and simulation of the Stairmand-type cyclone separator demonstrate the fulfillment of the functional, technical, and operational requirements established by the problem of the case study company. The cyclone separator achieved an 88 % average separation efficiency for particles between 1 and 10 μm. In addition, static studies on displacement and stress in the critical component of the outlet pipe indicate the optimum performance of stainless steel as a construction material, outperforming black steel plate. Stainless steel not only has minimal static displacement but also has maximum stress tolerance and operating speed limits. The materials proposed for the cyclone separators show commendable performance, especially for 10 μm particulate material (PM10). Both materials effectively eject zero particles per second into the air and collect the particles in the collector condenser with variable velocity profiles. In the case of the stainless-steel design, a marginal increase in particle collection is observed at specific velocity profiles, highlighting its overall efficiency. This research not only presents a satisfactory solution to reduce particulate emissions in the production of fique bags but also highlights the importance of material selection in the design of cyclone separators. [Display omitted] •Cyclone separator achieves 66–99 % efficiency for particles 1–10 μm in fique bag production.•Stainless steel outperforms black steel for cyclone construction, with better stability.•Both materials collect 12–14 particles/s at various velocities, expelling 0 into the air.•The system was developed to mitigate industrial processes' environmental and heal