The precessing vortex core (PVC) in a cyclone separator plays an important role in the separation performance and in further understanding of the general law of periodic unsteady flow therein. In this paper, the unsteady flow field is investigated with particle image velocimetry (PIV), and the instantaneous velocity, vorticity,tangential velocity, and radial velocity are acquired by analyzing the images of instantaneous flow. It is for the first time reported that there is a centrifugal flow region close to the dust discharge zone and its maximum value is higher than the mean radial velocity. This discovery is very important for understanding the principle of separation of particles in the area of dust discharge. Determination of the frequency and amplitude of PVC was conducted in the region where the phenomenon of PVC is remarkable. Results agree well with those obtained by hot wire anemometry. The observations of the center of 'cortex core and the bimodal distribution of the amplitude of the PVC indicate the vortex core precesses around the geometric axis of the cvclone in its own way.
