Which device uses centrifugal force to separate solids from a gas stream?

Which device uses centrifugal force to separate solids from a gas stream?

• A. Absorber
• B. Separator
• C. Cyclone
• D. Filter

Answer: (C)

The ability to separate solids from a gas using inertia and centrifugal forces is what defines a cyclone. In a cyclone, the gas enters tangentially and slashes into a tight, spiraling vortex. The solids, having more inertia, can’t follow the sharp curved path and are flung outward toward the wall by the centrifugal effect. They slide down the conical body to a collection hopper, while the cleaned gas spirals upward and exits through the central outlet. This simple, robust arrangement has no moving parts and is effective for removing relatively larger particles at moderate operating conditions. Absorbers remove components by gas–liquid mass transfer, not by inertial separation. Filters trap particles by passing the gas through a porous medium, relying on size exclusion and capture rather than centrifugal acceleration. A generic separator can do various separations but doesn’t inherently rely on centrifugal force to push solids to the wall and out of the gas stream.

The ability to separate solids from a gas using inertia and centrifugal forces is what defines a cyclone. In a cyclone, the gas enters tangentially and slashes into a tight, spiraling vortex. The solids, having more inertia, can’t follow the sharp curved path and are flung outward toward the wall by the centrifugal effect. They slide down the conical body to a collection hopper, while the cleaned gas spirals upward and exits through the central outlet. This simple, robust arrangement has no moving parts and is effective for removing relatively larger particles at moderate operating conditions.

Absorbers remove components by gas–liquid mass transfer, not by inertial separation. Filters trap particles by passing the gas through a porous medium, relying on size exclusion and capture rather than centrifugal acceleration. A generic separator can do various separations but doesn’t inherently rely on centrifugal force to push solids to the wall and out of the gas stream.