Abstract

In conventional vacuum cleaners, filter media or filter bags are used to physically separate dust and debris from flowing air streams. However, in such systems, the vacuum cleaner's efficiency diminishes over time as more debris is accumulated on the filter surface. In this study, a two-stage cyclone dust collector system was proposed, which can be attached to existing vacuum cleaners. The system was designed and developed using the integrated Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and Classical Cyclone Design (CCD) method. The TRIZ method was implemented during the idea generation stage, where specific design solution strategies were reviewed. Theoretical analysis of the selected design was carried out using Classical Cyclone Design (CCD) method. Finally, a full-scale working prototype of the cyclone dust collector was fabricated for evaluation. Based on results, the cyclone dust collector system provides more than 99% fractional efficiency and 96% overall collection efficiency for particles with an average diameter of over 50 μm. The pressure drops and airflow inside the cyclone dust collector were also analysed. The results suggest that the proposed cyclone dust collector system would provide better filtration efficiency and less maintenance compared to the conventional system.