Used Hydrocyclones

About second-hand Hydrocyclones

Hydrocyclones, also known as hydrocyclone separators, sand separators, sand filters or cyclone filters, are highly effective systems for removing sand, grit, starch and other settleable solids from water and process liquids. A hydrocyclone works by using centrifugal force instead of a conventional filter medium. The liquid enters tangentially, creating a vortex that pushes heavier particles to the outer wall and down into the collection chamber, while the cleaner liquid exits through the vortex outlet. Because this principle is based on density difference, flow pattern and inlet pressure, hydrocyclones are especially suitable for removing particles that are heavier than the liquid stream.

A major advantage of a hydrocyclone separator is its simple and robust design. These systems have no moving parts, can operate continuously and do not require routine shutdown for filter cleaning or element replacement. The brochure from Dutch Filtration also highlights low water loss during cleaning, no interruption of flow during purging and reduced maintenance costs. Depending on the model and configuration, hydrocyclones are available in multiple series and sizes, with design pressures from 1 bar up to 10 or 16 bar, a maximum working temperature of 90 degrees Celsius and materials such as carbon steel, stainless steel 304, stainless steel 316 and other special materials on request.

In food processing, hydrocyclones are widely used for the separation of sand, starch and other heavier solids from process water. Manufacturers specifically mention the vegetable and fruit processing industry, potato and starch processing and the sugar industry as important application areas. In these sectors, hydrocyclones help to remove abrasive or sedimenting particles from wash water and process streams, protecting pumps, valves and downstream equipment while improving product recovery and water quality. Because hydrocyclones are able to handle continuous flows, they are well suited for industrial production lines where stable capacity and limited downtime are essential.

In horticulture, hydrocyclones are used as sand separators and pre-separation units for irrigation water, drain water and recirculated process water. They can remove sand, sediment and other heavier contamination before the water reaches finer filtration steps or drip irrigation systems. This helps prevent clogging, improves the reliability of water reuse and supports a more stable cultivation process. Hydrocyclones are also attractive in horticulture because they can be combined with integrated prefiltration such as a sieve bend or drum screen for separating coarser solids before the cyclone stage.

Additional applications include shellfish processing, textile industry and laundries, paper and pulp processing and waste recycling. In these sectors, hydrocyclones are used to separate abrasive or settleable solids from water streams, recover useful fractions and reduce the load on downstream filtration or treatment systems. Hydrocyclone systems are also applied in seawater intake, injection water, cooling water, surface water intake, power plants, geothermal energy, wastewater, reverse osmosis prefiltration, frac fluids and pipeline flushing. Dutch Filtration further states that hydrocyclone separators are used in oil and gas, process, geothermal and mining industries, as well as for individual equipment protection and sidestream applications.

From a technical perspective, hydrocyclones are available in a wide capacity range. The REKO hydrocyclone system page mentions systems up to 180 m3/h, while the Dutch Filtration brochure shows model ranges from small units of 1 to 4 m3/h up to large models reaching 110 to 2000 m3/h, depending on series and inlet size. Optional executions include corrosion-resistant coatings, stainless steel 316L, super duplex, titanium, ASME Section VIII Division 1 design with U stamp and ATEX-certified configurations. This makes the hydrocyclone a versatile solution for industrial water treatment, sand separation and process water protection.