Experimental and Simulation Study on Liquid Entrainment in the Gas Cyclone–Liquid Jet Absorption Separator

Liquid entrainment presents a significant challenge in wet flue gas desulfurization systems, leading to downstream corrosion and secondary pollution. This study systematically investigates the characteristics of liquid entrainment and pressure drop in a gas cyclone–liquid jet absorption separator (GLAS) through both experimental and simulation methods. The effects of inlet gas flow rate (QG), absorbent flow rate (QL), overflow pipe insertion depth, and the presence of a liquid-guiding cover (LGC) were evaluated. The results revealed that liquid entrainment initially increased and then decreased with rising QG, QL, and insertion depth of overflow pipe, given the competing effects of turbulent jet breakup and centrifugal separation. To mitigate liquid entrainment, a novel LGC was introduced at the overflow pipe outlet. This intervention resulted in a reduction in liquid entrainment by up to 23.9%, achieved through physical interception and inertial impaction, while maintaining the difference value of pressure drop of less than 302 Pa. The numerical simulations further analyzed the gas–liquid two-phase distributions in GLAS under various operating conditions, with results that align well with experimental observations. These findings offer valuable insights for mitigating liquid entrainment in GLAS and optimizing its industrial applications.