{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,6]],"date-time":"2026-04-06T11:09:26Z","timestamp":1775473766484,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]],"date-time":"2025-09-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758067200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["12172152"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["12172152"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["FMZ202305"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FMZ202305"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology","award":["12172152"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["12172152"]}]},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology","award":["FMZ202305"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FMZ202305"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Symmetry"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In this study, we analyzed the migration and removal of microplastics (MPs) using a dual-cone mini-hydrocyclone, thereby addressing the research gaps in flow mechanisms and separation efficiency for low-density MPs. We constructed and experimentally verified a numerical model. We discussed the velocity distribution of the flow field and the effects of the feed flow rate, feed MP volume fraction, and density on the distribution of MPs. The flow field analysis demonstrated maximum axial velocity at the cylindrical axis and peak tangential\/radial velocities in the large cone section, promoting MP enrichment along the axis. The separation efficiency was improved with higher feed flow rates (e.g., 78.56% at 10 m\/s for 50 \u03bcm MPs) but decreased with an increase in the MP volume fraction due to particle collisions. The MPs with densities below water demonstrated near-complete separation (98.51%), whereas those larger than water density exhibited minimal efficiency. The MPs are concentrated in the large and small cone axes, with density differences that significantly affect the migration patterns.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/sym17091559","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]],"date-time":"2025-09-17T14:10:19Z","timestamp":1758118219000},"page":"1559","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Migration and Removal of Microplastics in a Dual-Cone Mini-Hydrocyclone"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Yiwei","family":"Dai","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"},{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xinjun","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"},{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jiyun","family":"Du","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"},{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wei","family":"Yu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"},{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dongxiang","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"},{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fangyang","family":"Yuan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"},{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China"},{"name":"Wuxi Zhouxiang Complete Welding Equipment Co. Ltd., Wuxi 214028, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"838","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1094559","article-title":"Lost at sea: Where is all the plastic?","volume":"304","author":"Thompson","year":"2004","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135601","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2019.135601","article-title":"Distribution of microplastics in surface water of the lower Yellow River near estuary","volume":"707","author":"Han","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137692","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2022.137692","article-title":"Is it possible to efficiently and sustainably remove microplastics from sediments using froth flotation?","volume":"448","author":"Jiang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. 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