Experimental investigation of vortex tube for reduction air inlet of a reciprocating air compressor

• Published in: Case studies in thermal engineering Vol. 19; p. 100617
• Main Authors: Tempiam, Anan, Kachapongkun, Pongsakorn, Rattanadecho, Phadungsak, Prommas, Ratthasak
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air compressor inlet; Compressed air production process; Energy efficiency; Energy savings; Reciprocating air compressor; Energy efficiency; Air compressor inlet; Compressed air production process; Reciprocating air compressor; Energy savings
• ISSN: 2214-157X; 2214-157X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2020.100617

A vortex tube that can be employed to lower the temperature of the inlet air of a 7.5 kW piston air compressor was designed and tested. The vortex tube reduces the air temperature by acting as a cold air generator that exchanges the temperature within the evaporator. The first step of the research method started with the design of nozzles of three sizes to be used for the vortex tubes in order to identify the most effective nozzle size, followed by the conducting of experiments to determine the energy saving procedures that can be applied to and affect the compressed air. The results of the experiments showed that the most effective design of the nozzle was able to decrease the temperature of the inlet air of the compressor by 8.3 °C. The calculation of the highest energy saving settings was 2.3% with 6.0 bar for the vortex tube and 0.0 bar for the low-pressure air tank. This savings was a result of a decrease in the pressure in the vortex tube or an increase in the low-pressure air tank's pressure level. Therefore, it was found that the energy efficiency can be improved by increasing the pressure to the vortex tube.