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Numerical simulation of secondary vortex chamber effect on the cooling capacity enhancement of vortex tube

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Abstract

A vortex tube with additional chamber is investigated by computational fluid mechanics techniques to realize the effects of additional chamber in Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube and to understand optimal length for placing the second chamber in order to have maximum cooling effect. Results show that by increasing the distance between two chambers, both minimum cold and maximum hot temperatures increase and maximum cooling effect occurs at Z/L = 0.047 (dimensionless distance).

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Abbreviations

D:

Diameter of vortex tube (mm)

k:

Turbulence kinetic energy (m2/s2)

L:

Length of vortex tube (mm)

r:

Radial distance measured from centerline of tube (mm)

R:

Radius of vortex tube (mm)

T:

Temperature (K)

Z:

Axial length from nozzle cross section (mm)

COP:

Coefficient of performance

RHVT:

Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube

ΔT i,c :

Temperature difference between inlet and cold end (K)

ΔT i,h :

Temperature difference between inlet and hot end (K)

\(\dot{m}_{in}\) :

Inlet mass flow rate (kg/s)

\(\dot{m}_{c}\) :

Cold mass flow rate (kg/s)

\(\dot{m}_{h}\) :

Hot mass flow rate (kg/s)

α:

Cold mass fraction

ε:

Turbulence dissipation rate (m2/s3)

ρ:

Density (kg/m3)

μ:

Dynamic viscosity [kg/(m s)]

μt :

Turbulent viscosity [kg/(m s)]

τij :

Stress tensor components

re:

Refrigerator

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

    Nader Pourmahmoud & Farid Sepehrian Azar

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Mahabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran

    Amir Hassanzadeh

Authors
  1. Nader Pourmahmoud
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  2. Farid Sepehrian Azar
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  3. Amir Hassanzadeh
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Correspondence to Nader Pourmahmoud.

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Pourmahmoud, N., Azar, F.S. & Hassanzadeh, A. Numerical simulation of secondary vortex chamber effect on the cooling capacity enhancement of vortex tube. Heat Mass Transfer 50, 1225–1236 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-014-1335-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-014-1335-z

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