Cyclone technology. What is a cyclone vacuum cleaner? Design features and main advantages. Price for Cyclone vacuum cleaners

They allow you to remove unwanted or harmful suspended matter, remove sawmill or carpentry waste, and other small particles.

Transportation of solid particles is carried out by air flow. After delivery of the material to its destination it is necessary to remove them from the flow and stop moving, which is provided by special devices - cyclones. They perform the task of accumulating material; when a certain amount is reached, they are unloaded for further processing or disposal.

In some systems, cyclones are called dust collectors. They perform similar functions, only the fraction size of the transferred material is smaller, requiring greater density. Typically, in such systems only round channels are used, since rectangular ones create turbulence that contributes to the formation of dust accumulations.

Cyclones can serve both for the accumulation and removal of waste, and as product receivers. For example, at grain processing plants, elevators or similar departments, cyclones are receiving containers for products. At the same time, husks and other waste are also collected in cyclones installed on other lines. Such systems do not belong to general ventilation, being separate lines for transportation or dust removal. Combining such systems with ventilation is not practiced, since other equipment is required and the specifics of operation do not correspond to general ventilation technology.

There are areas where the use of cyclones is irrational. These include:

textile industry. Small fibers and fluff particles are light in weight and scatter under any impact, which requires the use of a different collection technology
steel production. The installations do not capture soot and allow many small particles to pass through.

READ ALSO: Dust fans - design and application in production

The main users of cyclones are concentrated in woodworking, manufacturing building materials, metallurgy, grain processing enterprises.

Application and principle of operation of cyclones

The use of cyclones makes it possible removal of small waste, industrial waste with a loose texture. The devices have many advantages over other transportation methods, the main of which is ease of installation and maintenance, and the ability to use the entire workshop volume. Air ducts can be located at any point, the only requirement is that there are no sharp bends that contribute to the formation of congestion.

A cyclone is a closed container in the form of a cone with the top facing down. The upper part of the container is connected to the outlet of the transport air duct, the lower part has an unloading hatch or dispenser hopper. An air stream carrying bulk waste or other material enters the cyclone. Due to a sharp expansion of the volume, the energy of the flow drops; the transported material, under the influence of gravity, sinks to the bottom of the container. Excess pressure generated inside the cyclone is released into the atmosphere through leaks in the top cover of the device.

As the cyclone fills, it is unloaded through the lower hatch or dosing hopper. In installations that fill relatively slowly, hatches are usually installed, but for quickly filling cyclones, dosing hoppers are needed to quickly and mechanically unload the container.

To create an air flow that entrains bulk material, special dust fans are used. They are radial-type structures with a small (usually 5-6) number of blades. This is a mandatory condition, otherwise debris particles will constantly get stuck between the blades of the impeller, which will make the operation of the fan significantly more difficult or stop altogether. A jammed impeller will cause motor failure, so only specialized equipment should be used.

Bag filters

One type of cyclone is bag filters. They are used in highly dusty production areas. The difference in the operation of bag filters and conventional cyclones lies in the specifics of the material being transferred. Dust particles have very low weight, which does not allow them to settle inside the container. Therefore, the flow from the workshops is supplied in the lower part of the housing, and not in the upper, as is done in cyclones. The dusty stream enters the housing, inside of which there are fabric bags with an open bottom. The air passing through them is cleaned and discharged through a pipe at the top of the device.

Bag filters have two operating modes, used sequentially. In the filtration mode, dust is extracted from the air flow, and in the purge mode, the fabric filters are cleaned. Dust, accumulating, falls into the lower part of the filter and is removed from the container in the blowing mode. During purging, the channel with purified air is closed, and the air enters through its own pipe located in the upper part of the device.

Dust emissions

Enterprises that are not equipped with sufficient dust collection equipment often produce dust emissions. These are constant or periodic releases of polluted air into the atmosphere, creating an extremely negative impact on environment, harmfully affecting the health and well-being of people and animals. Particles released into the atmosphere are picked up by wind currents and spread around the surrounding area of the enterprise, ending up in populated areas and causing harmful effects for all living organisms. The composition of the emitted air is strictly regulated by Sanitary Rules and Norms (SanPiN), non-compliance with which is fraught with fines and other sanctions, including the suspension of the enterprise's activities.

Cyclonated local suction

Local dust removal systems have many advantages in front of centralized aspiration complexes. The main one is considered mobility, ease of repair or operation, relative cheapness. Cyclonic local suction can be used to remove dust or small particles from equipment, machines or production line components. They are a type of conventional suction, equipped with a special receiving container (bag) for dust or small particles. The exhaust air flow releases solids directly on site, after which the purified air is transported through exhaust ducts and removed from the room.

All vacuum cleaners in the world serve only one purpose - cleanliness, and it does not matter which vacuum cleaner we are talking about. Some vacuum cleaners do it well and are reasonably priced, while some do it well and are much more expensive.

Cyclone vacuum cleaners appeared relatively recently, but have already earned the respect and trust of millions of people. In stores, probably everyone paid attention to the display cases with cyclone vacuum cleaners. Store sellers cannot clearly explain what a cyclone vacuum cleaner is and the principle of its operation. Therefore, it was decided to independently understand all the intricacies of cyclone vacuum cleaner technologies.

Who created the cyclone vacuum cleaner?

The very principle of cyclonic vacuum cleaners was invented by the English inventor James Dyson. The very first vacuum cleaner that was produced using its technology was a vacuum cleaner from G-Force in 1986. After some time, the English inventor sold a patent on the technology of cyclone vacuum cleaners and in the 1990s organized his own research center, and in 1993 he released his first vacuum cleaner, the world-famous Dayson DC01.

Currently, cyclone-type vacuum cleaners are produced by every self-respecting company, which includes Bosh, Samsung, Dayson, Philips, Panasonic and so on.

How do cyclone vacuum cleaners work?

Apparently, the creator of cyclone vacuum cleaners was a very good physicist, since the entire dust collection technology is based on the physical laws of centrifugal force. The operating principle of a cyclone vacuum cleaner can be seen more clearly in the picture:

Red arrows indicate incoming air (with dust), and blue arrows indicate outgoing air (clean, without dust).

The entire dust collector consists of 2 chambers: external and internal. The air entering the dust collector moves in a spiral at high speed, rising to the top of the inner chamber. Under the influence of centrifugal force, large dust enters the outer chamber, and fine dust remains on the walls of the inner chamber. After that, the purified air leaves the dust collector through a series of filters.

This is a schematic description, since in reality the technology of cyclone vacuum cleaners is complex and has many nuances.

The dust collectors themselves are made of plastic, which is not afraid of water and does not require any replaceable elements for its use.

Advantages and disadvantages of cyclone vacuum cleaners

Now let's try to understand what is good about this technology and how suitable it is for the ideal vacuum cleaner that we need.

Advantages of a cyclone vacuum cleaner:

All cyclone-type vacuum cleaners are light in weight and fairly compact in size. By buying such a vacuum cleaner, you save space and save the strength and nerves of the person who will use it.
There is no need for constantly running out.
The power of the vacuum cleaner is not lost when the vacuum cleaner is filled with dust.
The dust container can be washed with water and dried.

Disadvantages of cyclone vacuum cleaners:

After each cleaning, dust must be removed from the dust container. There is no place for human laziness here.
Increased noise. As they say: everything is relative, so the noise from a cyclone vacuum cleaner is a little more than from a regular one.
Energy consumption is also higher since the vacuum cleaner creates a miniature tornado.

Whether or not to buy a cyclone vacuum cleaner is up to you to decide. From all that has been written above, you can understand that there is no ideal vacuum cleaner; you always need to sacrifice something.

To summarize, the technology of cyclone vacuum cleaners is quite interesting and for me personally, all the disadvantages are more than offset by its advantages. Therefore, a cyclonic vacuum cleaner is an interesting find, which is undoubtedly worth the money they ask for it.

Comments

The post does not stand up to the slightest criticism.
“Store sellers cannot clearly explain what a cyclone vacuum cleaner is and the principle of its operation.”
You failed to clearly imagine what a cyclone vacuum cleaner is.
Using Samsung as an example, talking about the design of all cyclone vacuum cleaners is the same as telling about all cars using Lada cars as an example. All cyclone vacuum cleaners are completely different; we can distinguish 3-5 main types, and they differ approximately as much as an Oka from a Mercedes.
And I read the list of advantages and disadvantages and neighed like a horse.

“All cyclone-type vacuum cleaners are light in weight and quite compact in size. By buying such a vacuum cleaner, you save space and save the strength and nerves of the person who will use it.”
especially ErgoFit from Hilips and about half of the models from all manufacturers.
The power of the vacuum cleaner is not lost when the vacuum cleaner is filled with dust.
It’s only that it doesn’t fall with multicyclones, but with cyclones it can fall even more than with bags, because the filters become clogged.
The dust container can be washed with water and dried. – this is not an advantage, but an obvious thing that cannot be classified as either an advantage or a disadvantage.
Energy consumption is also higher since the vacuum cleaner creates a miniature tornado.
but this is complete nonsense, bag ones are always more powerful and consume more energy, to create a mini tornado you need a competent design of the pole, not power.

I am very glad that the article provoked such a long comment from you. I'm not a very big specialist, but a simple user. I explained it as I understood it myself. And I think it turned out pretty good.

I would like to express a few thoughts about cyclone vacuum cleaners.
The cyclone vacuum cleaner was invented by Dyson and patented. Therefore, other manufacturers cannot use this particular design. So-called cyclone vacuum cleaners from other companies have a different design and, most importantly, a different quality of cleaning, lower dust filtration.
One of the differences you can notice is that the filters on a Dyson vacuum cleaner do not need to be replaced for at least 5 - 7 years, and sometimes more. The filters in other vacuum cleaners get clogged, you can wash them a couple of times, but you still have to change them later, since the suction power drops sharply.
This is probably one of the reasons that regular canister vacuum cleaners have a 1-year warranty (some 2 years, it seems), and a Dyson vacuum cleaner has a 5-year warranty.
Agree that this figure says a lot about the quality of the vacuum cleaner.

Dust can be removed from dust collectors every time, and that’s what I do. But if you’re really lazy, then you don’t have to clean it, it doesn’t affect the quality of cleaning, it’s just not aesthetically good.
I agree about the increased noise. This is truly a feature of cyclones. But recently Dyson has introduced models with reduced noise.

If you have experience, I would like them to comment more specifically on the different manufacturers. Dyson is an expensive vacuum cleaner. But there are also Chinese ones (yesterday on Taobao and Alibaba I saw a dozen inexpensive and different power vacuum cleaners)

I would say that Dyson is not a cheap vacuum cleaner. After all, there are much more expensive vacuum cleaners (I don’t want to point out, but everyone knows them).
Dyson is manufactured in Malaysia in factories that are owned and controlled by company personnel.
There are many other vacuum cleaners on the market of different brands, at different prices.
If you mean vacuum cleaners that call themselves Dyson, but are cheaper and have different parameters, then I would not recommend it. Dyson is known for its quality and the fact that it stands behind its quality with at least a 5-year warranty. But, naturally, the company will not be responsible for other people’s vacuum cleaners or counterfeits.

Cyclone-type filters have been used for dust removal in industry since the 19th century. Dyson is not an inventor, but a patent holder of the design of a household vacuum cleaner. May 29, 2015

I'll give it a 5 I liked it

I read articles about cyclones and they all contradict each other in some data. For example, as the container is filled, the power does not change here, in other sources it is the other way around.
The container must be emptied after each cleaning. For what? Everything is sealed there and there is no water.

Today we will tell you about a cyclone filter for a vacuum cleaner in the workshop, because one of the problems that we have to deal with when working with wood is dust removal. Industrial equipment is quite expensive, so we will make a cyclone with our own hands - it’s not difficult at all.

What is a cyclone and why is it needed?

In a workshop there is almost always a need to remove fairly large debris. Sawdust, small trimmings, metal shavings - all this, in principle, can be caught by a regular vacuum cleaner filter, but it is highly likely to quickly become unusable. In addition, it will not be superfluous to be able to remove liquid waste.

The cyclone filter uses aerodynamic vortex to bind debris different sizes. Spinning in a circle, the debris manages to stick together to such a consistency that it can no longer be carried away by the air flow and settles at the bottom. This effect almost always occurs if the air flow passes through a cylindrical container at sufficient speed.

This kind of filters are included in the kit of many industrial vacuum cleaners, but their cost is by no means affordable for the average person. At the same time, the range of problems solved using homemade devices is not at all narrower. A homemade cyclone can be used both in conjunction with planes, hammer drills or jigsaws, and for removing sawdust or shavings from various types of machine tools. In the end, even simple cleaning with such a device is much easier, because the bulk of dust and debris settles in a container, from where it can be easily removed.

Difference between wet and dry cyclone

To create a swirling flow, the main requirement is that the air entering the container does not follow the shortest path to the exhaust hole. To do this, the inlet pipe must have a special shape and be directed either to the bottom of the container or tangentially to the walls. Using a similar principle, it is recommended to make the exhaust duct rotary, optimally if it is directed towards the cover of the device. The increase in aerodynamic drag due to pipe bends can be neglected.

As already mentioned, a cyclone filter has the potential to remove liquid waste as well. With liquid, everything is somewhat more complicated: the air in the pipe and cyclone is partially rarefied, which promotes the evaporation of moisture and its breaking into very small droplets. Therefore, the inlet pipe must be located as close as possible to the surface of the water or even lowered under it.

Most washing vacuum cleaners introduce air into the water through a diffuser, so any moisture contained in it is effectively dissolved. However, for greater versatility with a minimum number of alterations, it is not recommended to use such a scheme.

Made from scrap materials

The simplest and most affordable option for a cyclone container would be a bucket of paint or other building mixtures. The volume should be comparable to the power of the vacuum cleaner used, approximately one liter for every 80-100 W.

The bucket lid must be intact and fit tightly onto the body of the future cyclone. It will have to be modified by making a couple of holes. Regardless of the material of the bucket, the easiest way to make holes of the required diameter is to use a homemade compass. You need to screw two self-tapping screws into a wooden strip so that their points are 27 mm apart from each other, no more, no less.

The centers of the holes should be marked 40 mm from the edge of the cover, preferably so that they are as far apart as possible. Both metal and plastic are excellently scratched with such a homemade tool, forming smooth edges with virtually no burrs.

The second element of the cyclone will be a set of sewer elbows at 90º and 45º. Let us draw your attention in advance that the position of the corners must correspond to the direction of air flow. Their fastening in the housing cover is carried out according to the following scheme:

The elbow is inserted all the way into the side of the socket. Silicone sealant is first applied under the side.
On the reverse side, a rubber sealing ring is pulled tightly onto the socket. To be sure, you can additionally compress it with a screw clamp.

The inlet pipe is located with a narrow rotating part inside the bucket, the socket is located on the outside almost flush with the lid. The knee needs to be given another 45º turn and directed obliquely downwards and tangentially to the wall of the bucket. If the cyclone is made with wet cleaning in mind, you should extend the outer elbow with a piece of pipe, reducing the distance from the bottom to 10-15 cm.

The exhaust pipe is located in the reverse position and its socket is located under the bucket lid. You also need to insert one elbow into it so that air is taken from the wall or make two turns for suction from under the center of the lid. The latter is preferable. Don’t forget about the O-rings; for a more reliable fixation and to prevent the knees from turning, you can wrap them with plumber’s tape.

How to adapt the device for machines and tools

To be able to draw in waste when using hand-held and stationary tools, you will need a system of adapters. Typically, a vacuum cleaner hose ends in a curved tube, the diameter of which is comparable to the fittings for dust bags of power tools. As a last resort, you can seal the joint with several layers of double-sided mirror tape wrapped in vinyl tape to eliminate stickiness.

With stationary equipment everything is more complicated. Dust extraction systems have very different configurations, especially for homemade machines, so we can only give a few useful recommendations:

If the machine's dust extractor is designed for a 110 mm or larger hose, use plumbing adapters with a 50 mm diameter to connect the corrugated hose of the vacuum cleaner.
To connect homemade machines to a dust catcher, it is convenient to use press fittings for 50 mm HDPE pipes.
When designing the dust collector housing and outlet, take advantage of the convection flow created by the tool's moving parts for greater efficiency. For example: a pipe for removing sawdust from circular saw must be directed tangentially to the saw blade.
Sometimes it is necessary to provide dust suction from different sides of the workpiece, for example, for a band saw or router. Use 50 mm sewer tees and corrugated drain hoses.

Which vacuum cleaner and connection system to use

Usually, you don’t choose a vacuum cleaner for a homemade cyclone yourself, but use the one that is available. However, there are a number of limitations beyond the power mentioned above. If you want to continue using the vacuum cleaner for domestic purposes, then at a minimum you will need to find an additional hose.

The beauty of the sewer elbows used in the design is that they ideally match the diameter of the most common hoses. Therefore, the spare hose can be safely cut into 2/3 and 1/3, the shorter section should be connected to the vacuum cleaner. The other, longer section, as is, is tucked into the socket of the cyclone inlet pipe. The maximum that is required in this place is to seal the connection with silicone sealant or plumbing tape, but usually the fit density is quite high. Especially if there is an o-ring.

The video shows another example of making a cyclone for dust removal in a workshop

To pull a short piece of hose onto the exhaust pipe, the outermost part of the corrugated pipe will have to be leveled. Depending on the diameter of the hose, it may be more convenient to tuck it inside. If the straightened edge does not fit slightly onto the pipe, it is recommended to warm it a little with a hairdryer or an indirect flame of a gas burner. The latter is considered excellent option, because this way the connection will be positioned optimally in relation to the direction of the moving flow.

Recently, bagless cyclones have become increasingly popular. This technique works on the principle of cyclonic air flow filtration. The vacuum cleaner deservedly received its name. The device has a special system that creates a certain air vortex. Thanks to the vortex, dust accumulates in. The vacuum cleaner has a fairly powerful motor that allows it to suck up even large pieces of debris. The vacuum cleaner creates centrifugal force, with the help of which the dust settles in an even layer on the walls of the container. Next, all dust from the walls is sent to the dust collector. After cleaning is completed, the entire contents of the dust container are shaken out into the trash bin.

To ensure high-quality cleaning of an apartment or house, you need to select a cleaning device depending on the parameters of your home. The quality of cleaning will depend on the power. The higher the power, the higher the suction power. A cyclone-type vacuum cleaner has high power levels, which allows you to clean even heavily soiled rooms. The average power of this equipment is about 350 W. There are some models with increased power, they are used for cleaning carpets..jpg" alt="cyclone" width="300" height="250">!}

Do not confuse suction power with power consumption. These are completely different indicators. In the documentation you can find numbers of 2000-3000 W. This is power general level consumption electrical energy. These are quite large power figures. Part of the electricity is spent on operating the engine, and part on overcoming friction and other work processes. If the quality of the wiring in your home leaves much to be desired, then it is not recommended to buy a multicyclone vacuum cleaner with high energy consumption. This can lead to burnt out wiring and other disastrous consequences.

Since the vacuum cleaner is used frequently, it should be convenient enough so that cleaning does not cause difficulties. An additional advantage will be the presence of control buttons on the handle of the vacuum cleaner. This will save you from unnecessary movements; you will no longer have to bend over every time you need to turn the device on or off. Cyclonic vacuum cleaners make much less noise than their standard bagged models.

The principle of operation is that at first only large particles enter through the main filtration system. Next, the air passes through additional ones and is cleaned of small contaminants. Thanks to this, the cleaning result will delight the owners. Some models also have a fine filter installed, which allows you to remove almost all types of contaminants.

It is worth choosing models that are equipped with a telescopic suction tube. This tube will allow you to adjust its position, which will greatly facilitate the cleaning process. The tube must be made of aluminum or other durable material. It is not recommended to purchase models with plastic tubes. Because Dirt particles may scratch internal surfaces when suctioned. Pay attention to the quantity for various types cleaning products that come with the cyclone vacuum cleaner.

Operating principle of a cyclone filter

Data-lazy-type="image" data-src="http://chistyjdom.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/servis1.jpg" alt="cyclone" width="192" height="192">!} Most models of modern vacuum cleaners have garbage blocks that are made of transparent plastic. Therefore, you can examine the principle of operation of the filter with your own eyes. A cyclone filter is an element of a vacuum cleaner that is used to clean the air from. The operation of the filter is based on centrifugal force, which is formed as a result of air turbulence. Centrifugal force presses debris against the walls, so it remains in the filter. Modern models can be equipped with two cyclone filters.

Pros of cyclone vacuum cleaners

A durable plastic filter is installed, which is quite difficult to damage. Vacuum cleaners with dust bags are often damaged. However, this does not mean that you can remove glass, small nails, metal shavings and other sharp-edged objects that will damage the filter;
Emptying the dust bin is very easy. You simply detach the container and empty the collected waste;
The cyclone filter in the vacuum cleaner does not require careful maintenance. It is enough to rinse it with plain water without adding chemicals;
The device is quite economical, since there is no need to constantly change filter bags and other consumables;
The suction power is stable throughout the entire operation. It will not decrease as debris accumulates. Only if the dust container is full of debris, the suction power may decrease;
If a small part gets into the vacuum cleaner, it will not be difficult to find it.

Disadvantages of cyclone vacuum cleaners

The principle of centrifugal force does not effectively remove light debris from the air (fluff and fur of pets, hair). If you need to clean your house from just such contaminants, then it is better to choose a different type of vacuum cleaner that will better cope with these functions;
Excessive rotation of air flow can cause static electricity. As it accumulates, it will be transferred to the body. When you touch the body you can feel it;
Cyclone vacuum cleaners depend on the strength of the air flow. When you clean curtains or upholstered furniture, then the strength of the incoming air flow decreases, which leads to rapid clogging of the cyclone filter;
If large solid particles get into the vacuum cleaner, then under the influence of the air vortex they will beat and create an unpleasant noise. Such impacts can lead to the appearance of microcracks, which will subsequently lead to container failure.

Philips

Philips vacuum cleaners have a high reputation in the household appliances market. The Philips fc 8474 model has a cyclone filter for a vacuum cleaner and is very popular among citizens of our country. This bagless device has a built-in Power Cyclone system, which provides reliable suction and high-quality removal of dust and various contaminants. The vacuum cleaner comes with a set of different attachments that can be used to clean various types of floor coverings. The device has a built-in special filter that removes not only dust, but also allergens. The handle has special control buttons. With their help, you can turn the device on and off, and also adjust the power. You can purchase Philips cyclone vacuum cleaners in specialized stores or on the official website of the manufacturer of household appliances.

Construction of a household cyclone

The most versatile vacuum cleaners for household use will be vacuum cleaners with a cyclone filter. They are capable of cleaning various surfaces from dust and debris.

A household cyclone consists of the following elements:

Frame. Consists of two parts: cylindrical and conical. The quality of cleaning will be influenced by the shape of the conical part of the body;
Pipe branch. With its help, air is sucked in;
Exhaust pipe. As a result of cleaning, air remains, which leaves the system through a special exhaust pipe;
Electric motor with a special fan;
Cyclone type filter;
Container for collecting dust and debris.

Manufacturing of cyclone elements

On the Internet (on forums and technical sites) you can find detailed drawings of all the main elements. Vacuum cleaners with a cyclone filter can be made with your own hands, using available materials. Here's what you'll need:

Special hoses made of corrugated material; rubber hoses can be used to remove coarse chips;
It is necessary to prepare a soundproof housing. The housing will reduce the noise level during operation and perform a protective function. The body can be made of plywood and sheathed inside with soundproofing material;
The required cyclone filter in the vacuum cleaner can be replaced with a filter from a truck, which is installed on the inlet pipe;
The dust collector container can be made from a regular bucket.

Let's start with the myth that the dust collector performs primary air purification. Perhaps this is what happens in a parallel universe, but in our reality the container remains a container.

Bags and containers are needed as storage for collected waste. None of them are designed to purify the air. For example, a plastic container-dust collector can be installed with a cyclone system, an aquafilter, or a separator filtration system for vacuum cleaners.

The only dust collector that is more or less similar to a filter is a bag. Fabric and paper trap dust particles, preventing them from passing to the next levels of filtration. The only problem is the effectiveness of this method.

The material is not able to retain microparticles of dust, wool, pollen. It is these microscopic elements that provoke the symptoms of allergies and asthma. Therefore, the bag cannot be called a filter that purifies the air, but only a kind of obstacle for large debris.

Filters perform a cleaning function at different stages of air passing through them. The expected result is getting rid of the smallest specks.

An easy way to tell the difference between a filtration system and a dust collector is to stick with one. In the absence of filters, the air will simply be distilled through the hose, then into the body of the vacuum cleaner, and blown out. This way you can blow all the debris around the room and burn out the motor.

If you leave the filters and remove the container, large debris will get stuck at all filtration levels. After a couple of seconds, the suction force will decrease and the load on the engine will reach a critical level.

Air purification from large debris

Regardless of the control system of the vacuum cleaner, the systems for cleaning large debris are the first to be hit by dirt. There are only a few first stage air filtration systems.

Cyclone system

It works on the principle of air swirl. Dust adheres to the walls of the conical intermediate collection. At the same time, relatively clean air remains in the center of the vortex, which flows to the next filters in line.

A similar cleaning system has been used for a long time, but they have not yet figured out how to increase the percentage of efficiency. Currently, the maximum performance of the cyclone system in vacuum cleaners is
– 97% and then only in accordance with the statements of the manufacturers themselves. The rest, including coarse dust, falls on the fine filters, clogging them.

As the container fills, the suction power of the vacuum cleaner weakens. This leads to a decrease in the quality of filtration, and, accordingly, to a deterioration in the cleaning result.

Aquafilter

An aquafilter is a reservoir of water. The sucked air passes through the water, “washing away” dust and debris. As the device operates, you can observe the process of water pollution, controlling it. As soon as it stops being transparent, change it. This way, the quality of cleaning will not decrease, and every centimeter of the floor or carpet will be cleaned down to a speck of dust.

When first used in a room that was cleaned with a conventional vacuum cleaner, the water in the aquafilter will have to be changed several times. It's not so much about the quality of the vacuum cleaner's cyclone system, but about the clarity of what is happening. Hidden filters become dirty gradually and make less of an impression, and they are expensive to change. The water system does not hide anything, so the filtration material is changed immediately, without delay.

The quality of air filtration is approximately the same as in the case of a cyclone. Unfortunately, as in the first case, the indicator drops if the vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter on which droplets of water fall. In this case, dust adheres to the filter and remains there. In darkness and warmth, microorganisms actively multiply. The next time you turn it on, they are carried throughout the premises along with the no longer purified air.

Separator system

Performs cleaning due to the presence of a turbine and a high-speed motor. The separator, which is the turbine, spins up to 20, in rare models, up to 26 thousand revolutions per minute. This part of the vacuum cleaner is immersed in the water dust collector. During rotation, pressure is created that drowns the dust in the water.

Microscopic dust can become trapped in air bubbles that appear when the turbine rotates. In the case of an aquafilter, these dust particles are returned to the room. The separator system prevents this by breaking up the bubbles.

A true separator purification system no longer requires any filters to operate successfully. The most advanced technology today of the German Pro-Aqua separator vacuum cleaner allows you not to spend money on additional purchases of filters, since it itself copes with 99.9997% of contaminants.

An expensive built-in vacuum cleaner system also shows good environmental results, however, such devices lack most of the exclusive functions that a separator vacuum cleaner can boast of. We are talking about deep cleaning and air purification. At the same time, a device with air separator filtration is significantly lower in price. Plus, no additional room is required to dispose of debris and dust.

At the outlet, the air is humidified, which is important in winter. Unpleasant odor There is no burnt-out dust because it does not reach the engine compartment.

Additional options include air ionization and aromatization.

Fine and coarse filters

Similar filtration systems of vacuum cleaners are located in front of the engine compartment and at the outlet. In the first case, they prevent dust from entering the engine, in the second, final air purification occurs.

Contamination of engine compartment cleaners, that is, coarse filters, can be easily determined by the smell of “fried” dust. When the microscopic channels become clogged, the contamination ends up on the hot motor. This provokes the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

Microfilter

It has a flat shape that matches the cassette into which it is inserted. Material: foam rubber or pressed microfiber.

Light color works as a kind of indicator of contamination. The gray color is similar to yellow at a traffic light - it’s time to get ready to change the microfilter. Dark gray means you need to stop using it immediately. On average, a microfilter requires replacement every 3-4 months, but sometimes more often.

The degree of air purification is low, because after the first use, small channels become clogged. In the future, less and less waste is retained. In addition, fungi and bacteria begin to actively multiply inside the material, which is not conducive to the health of the residents of the apartment or house.

More or less efficient operation of the microfilter is possible if it is constantly changed. The cost of the cartridge is low and it seems that this results in savings. However, if you take the price of a year’s set of filters, the amount turns out to be rather large.

HEPA

In accordance with tests in a completely new state, the level of dust collection is divided into:

H 10 – up to 85%;
N 11 – up to 95%;
H 12 – up to 99.5%;
H 13 – up to 99.995%.

The level of filtration is theoretically user-selectable, but in reality you have to buy what is available. The marking must be indicated in the documentation attached to the product. Moreover, after 2-3 uses, the degree of cleaning with such a filter decreases by more than 3 times.

Depending on the time of use, they are distinguished:

Disposable. Made from paper mixed with fiberglass. Capable of trapping particles up to 0.3 microns in size. The disadvantage is the combination of cost and the need for constant replacement. At the same time, disposable HEPA filters are quite difficult to find even in large stores.
Reusable. Made of fluoroplastic - a polymer material that can be washed with water. Bathing procedures should occur after each use, regardless of contamination. Manufacturers promise that such a filter will last from 3 to 6 months. But is this so? From the point of view of common sense, no, but if you are interested, you can try it for yourself.

Since disposable filters require a lot of attention and expense, reusable fluoroplastic analogs are often purchased. Permanent HEPAs require constant care in the form of washing, drying and vacuuming.

The ingress of dust particles larger than 0.3 microns causes micro-tears on the filter surface. These damages are not visible to the eye, but can be felt by the smell of dust after cleaning.

When using a reusable HEPA filter, all precautions must be followed exactly. First of all, you need to wash the filter after each use. Then allocate a separate place for drying and dry it completely, otherwise you risk learning first-hand what asthma is!

Wet HEPA becomes a breeding ground for many microorganisms and fungi. The first signal that the user is using an under-dried filter is the smell. A wonderful musty aroma quickly spreads through the rooms, signaling the death of HEPA. In such a situation, the filter must be urgently replaced so as not to provoke the occurrence of respiratory diseases in residents. Particular care should be taken when children and elderly people are in the room.

Washing the filter does not make it completely clean. Water removes only 80% of microparticles collected in the pores. Accordingly, both the level of air purification and the suction power of the vacuum cleaner decrease. At first it is not noticeable, but after a month the difference is noticeable.

Carbon filter

Outwardly it looks like a plastic cassette with honeycombs that are filled activated carbon. Designed exclusively to capture odors, but not dust. Quite effective, but can only be used as an addition to the main filters.

The carbon filter needs to be changed every 2-3 months. By this time, it loses its properties and becomes useless. When purchasing a new product, you should pay attention to the tightness of the packaging. It must be intact, otherwise the coal will already be saturated with odors, that is, unsuitable for use.

How to choose a vacuum cleaner based on its filtration system

First of all, it is worth calculating not the mythical benefits, but the real costs of additional materials. Perhaps, upon purchase, it will be possible to purchase an inexpensive vacuum cleaner with filters. This is where you should think about it. If a manufacturer produces devices and sells them at a low price, then how does he make money? Assess the chances that the owner of the company is an altruist and discard this thought. Most often, a cheap product requires expensive components. Or not expensive, but often. In terms of execution, it is more like a loan. The buyer buys a vacuum cleaner and pays interest to the company for many years in the form of endless purchases of filters.

Vacuum cleaners with an air separator system and a water dust collector do not require additional costs. The purchase price is real, and over time there are no additional costs that jump out like a jack-in-the-box.

The warranty period from the manufacturer of most separator vacuum cleaners exceeds 5 years, sometimes even 2 times. Therefore, the firm does not expect users to continue to seek help throughout these years. While there are no costs for filters or repairs, a separating vacuum cleaner based on a water dust collector saves money. Cleaning indicators protect the health of the owners. It turns out to be a double benefit when purchasing one vacuum cleaner.