Maciej multi-cyclone vacuum cleaner build

Maciej writes:

Hi Matthias,

Let me introduce myself. My name is Maciej and I'm your big fan.
I lived in UK for several years but I'm from Poland.

I've got inspired by one of the projects from YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOi-CUx4v6U

and by yours of course and I decided to design and make my own version.

Objective of the project was:

  • small size
  • good suction
  • resistance to temporary weather conditions
  • ability to separate different kinds of dusts and contaminants
  • easy to clean


The photos present the final version (about 4 major modifications). This is 2-stage separating system based on 7 cyclones (6 on the top are side inlet cyclones + bottom 1st stage container used also as a 1-st stage cyclone)

The bottom bucket comes form British "Henry hoover", the filter housing is made out of polycarbonate plastic food cover. The rest is aluminium, laminated plywood, mdf
I'm using it for almost a year for everything and seems to work very well - this is powered by regular 1.6KW motor.
I've used it for any woodwork dust collection, sanding the plastering, door paint and most of the time as a regular vacuum cleaner. After modifications it handled well the hair, any dust, papers, small stones, etc.
Power suction is about 2x greater than good quality vacuum cleaner (e.g. Dyson)
Total weight is 11,6kg (plus power cord)

Kind Regards

Maciej (nickname pannonia75)

The principle of it is very simple.
  • Smaller cyclone can separate smaller particles: At the same volumetric flow rate in a smaller cyclone the centrifugal force is much greater, forcing the particles to the walls more - where speed is slowing down by friction and when touching the wall =0 then gravity doing the rest.
  • When particles flow into the cyclone we need them to be as far from the centre and as tangential to the lateral surface as possible at the time they are levelled with the bottom of the outlet tube to avoid them of being sucked in. (This is done better by side inlet)
  • The speed can be increased but without compression of the air (if to great) because it disturbs the flow in the cyclone. At high flows this condition is done by increasing amount of cyclones.
  • this is works with any kind of flow and can be used to separate particles from any liquid as well as any gas.

As your friend mentioned on the one of YouTube videos - a cyclone doesn't need to be done so perfect and it will still works - YES it will, if you are planning to use with shopvac, but what if you don't?. if the bucket can fit 20kg of the dust (for concrete, plastering) means every 0.01% get sucked to the filter = 20g of the dust more which doesn't seems to be a lot, but it can block the filter very quickly. (The worst is plaster dust.)


Construction photos:



This perforated bowl screens out large particles before the six cyclones above.




A bleed valve assembly was added so that the motor still receives cooling air even if the filters or air intake become blocked.


Let me do the short list of what I've used:

  • some MDF (plywood will be better)
  • aluminium tubes (eBay)
  • football plastic cones (best to use hot glue, strong enough, easy to use)
  • scrap pieces of laminated plywood (for construction, weatherproof)
  • 12" polycarbonate food plate cover (do not recommend use other plastics - it will cracked)
  • yacht varnish - 3 cotes for MDF
  • 2 door handles
  • Dyson vacuum cleaner filter
  • Dyson bleed valve assembly (or any similar - this is to prevent the motor to get burned - it will after few sec. when the tube get blocked, I've burn one brand new before)
  • aluminium casserole pot (eBay) - I've used stainless steel bowl before but didn't work well.
  • Dyson 1,6KW motor (eBay - or any similar. It can be connected to any main dust collector or vac, so no need to use it)
  • Soft start and speed controller from old hoover (option)
  • screws
  • epoxy glue
  • epoxy putty
  • some external paint purely for looks
  • Ikea small stainless steel bowl (to cover the motor - it blows down and rain can't get to the motor.)
  • 40mm solvent weld waste pipe (the black one - previously I cut them to short so I needed to extend it)
Maciej


See also:

Ryszard's dust collector
with cyclone
Alois's wood briquette
press
Two-bucket cyclone
Hector Acevedo's
shopvac Thien-baffle

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