In the Korean subway station, three types of pre-filters, which include auto filter, electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and auto cleaning demister, are widely used. However, these devices have some problems such as the difficulty of maintenance and high operating cost. In this study, axial-flow cyclone separator was employed as a pre-filter inside a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. 3-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed on a single unit axial-flow cyclone and coupled unit axial-flow cyclone. Calculated and measured pressure drop of the designed axial-flow cyclone were found be comparable to other types of pre-filters and the observed cut-off diameter was less than 10 micron. Considering lower operating and maintenance cost, axial-flow cyclone was proved to be a better solution as a pre-filter.