Cyclones are used to separate material or dust from an air stream. They do this by slowly transitioning the air and its associated material into a centrifugal motion around/down the cyclone where the airs velocity is reduced. The slower air velocities together with gravity causes the materials to fall to the bottom of the cyclone while the air escapes up through the eye/vortices.

Cyclones need to be carefully selected suit the material to be captured and to avoid unnecessary energy losses, reduced efficiency and additional power requirements.