The effect of convergent-divergent tube on the cooling capacity of vortex tube: An experimental and numerical study
Lizan Mahmood Khorsheed Zangana, Ramzi Raphael Ibraheem Barwari
Abstract
In this investigation, experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique is used to study a newly designed Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube (RHVT), such as a convergent-divergent one. The FLUENT code is used to solve the governing equations with three dimensional compressible and turbulent models using the standard k-ε turbulence model. In this study, based on obtained results by the CFD study, the investigation point of the minimum temperature of cold reversed flow is analyzed, and results show that the minimum cold temperature is not located exactly in the cold exit of the vortex tube. Finally, in order to attain more temperature separation in the vortex tube system, some suggestions and results are presented. Moreover, a comparison of a convergent-divergent vortex tube with the simple one and their influence on the maximum cooling point are some other results presented in this manuscript. There is an acceptable agreement between CFD and experimental results in the present paper. The obtained results show that reducing the throat diameter from 8 to 2.5 enhances the amount of cooling capacity in the vortex tube.