Is running two cyclones in series an acceptable practice?

[Ted Wong]

Our shop has an Oneida 15 hp two stage system that has about two dozen machines hooked into it. Over the years equipment expansion has brought the system past its rated capacity. We acquired a used 2hp Oneida system recently and I am in the process of installing it. When I was thinking about placement and ducting I wondered if it would be acceptable to skip the filter on the 2hp system and dump the exhaust straight into the ductwork of the 15 hp system. Would this idea cause any
adverse effects to the way my existing system works? What happens when both systems are running? Would I be overloading the 15 hp blower?
Thanks for your help.

[Prashun Patel]

IMHO, you'd be wasting the 2nd cyclone, and not nearly as efficient as splitting the system into 2 smaller 'networks'.

[Jeremy Derr]

At our shop we have a 75hp dc but we have booster fans at both widebelts and have no issues. It seems like if any thing you would be taken some of the load off of the bigger DC. I would call Oneida just to be sure but I would think it would be fine.

[Thomas Bank]

I'd opt for setting them up in parallel before I'd consider putting them in series.

[Dan Hintz]

This question has been discussed ad infinitum in previous threads... search for it, sometime within this year.

[Stephen Cherry]

This question has been discussed ad infinitum

I'm not sayin nothin.

[David Kumm]

I'm not sayin nothin.

Wimp-me too.

[Dick Thomas]

Mounting air moving equipment (or liquid pumps) in series OR parallel is a very tricky process, and usually works ONLY after detailed engineering design. Occasionally someone gets lucky, but don't bet on it.

As a general rule, IDENTICAL devices may be mounted in parallel to approximately double system volumn capactiy at design static pressure, OR in series to approximately double system static at design volumn. For non-IDENTICAL units, only an expert engineering analysis of the entire system can come close to guessing at the final flow characteristics. Unless you are an engineer with experience in this area, your only real option is to split your system into portions run by each unit separately. Consider how machines are selected for attachment to each unit to allow reduction of your usual utility load by only using one at a time, unless both 'branches' are needed at the same time.

Dick Thomas
Retired Engineer (Been there on occasion, and failed miserably until I learned the rules!!!!)

[Dan Hintz]

Mounting air moving equipment (or liquid pumps) in series OR parallel is a very tricky process, and usually works ONLY after detailed engineering design. Occasionally someone gets lucky, but don't bet on it.
Couldn't have said it better myself...