Cyclone separator and methods of using same

A method of separating a fluid stream in a cyclone separator, the fluid stream comprising entrained solid particles, the cyclone separator comprising an incoming fluid inlet, an outer body that comprises an inner surface and an outer body fluid exit, an inner body positioned at least partially within the outer body, wherein the inner body comprises an outer surface, an internal flow path within the inner body, the internal flow path comprising a fluid entrance and a fluid outlet, and wherein the cyclone separator comprises a first fluid flow channel between the inner surface of the outer body and an outer surface of the inner body and wherein the outer body fluid exit is positioned downstream relative to the fluid entrance to the internal flow path in the inner body, the method comprising:

• flowing the fluid stream through the incoming fluid inlet, the first fluid flow channel and out of the outer body fluid exit;
• and re-introducing a portion of the fluid exiting the outer body fluid exit into the fluid stream at a location that is upstream of the fluid entrance to the internal flow path in the inner body, wherein re-introducing the portion of the fluid exiting the outer body fluid exit into the fluid stream at the location that is upstream of the fluid entrance to the internal flow path in the inner body comprises re-introducing the portion of the fluid exiting the outer body fluid exit into the first fluid flow channel, and wherein the cyclone separator further comprises a plurality of vanes positioned in the first fluid flow channel between the inner body and the outer body, wherein each vane comprises an outer surface that engages the inner surface of the outer body, wherein at least one of the plurality of vanes comprises a re-entrant fluid flow channel formed in the at least one of the plurality of vanes, wherein a re-entrant fluid opening is in fluid communication with the re-entrant fluid flow channel and the re-entrant fluid flow channel is in fluid communication with the first fluid flow channel, wherein the method comprises re-introducing the portion of the fluid exiting the outer body fluid exit into the first fluid flow channel exit via the re-entrant fluid opening and the re-entrant fluid flow channel.