CFD analysis and experimental investigations towards optimizing the parameters of Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube

• Published in: International journal of heat and mass transfer Vol. 48; no. 10; pp. 1961 - 1973
• Main Authors: Behera, Upendra, Paul, P.J., Kasthurirengan, S., Karunanithi, R., Ram, S.N., Dinesh, K., Jacob, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; CFD simulation; Computational methods in fluid dynamics; Design parameters; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental validation; Fluid dynamics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Physics; Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube; Refrigerating engineering; Refrigerating engineering. Cryogenics. Food conservation; Techniques. Materials; Thermal performance; CFD simulation; Experimental validation; Design parameters; Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube; Thermal performance; Computational fluid dynamics; Numerical simulation; Thermoacoustic effect; Velocity distribution; Secondary flow; Performance; Refrigeration; Heat transfer; Ranque tube
• ISSN: 0017-9310; 1879-2189
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2004.12.046

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental studies are conducted towards the optimization of the Ranque–Hilsch vortex tubes. Different types of nozzle profiles and number of nozzles are evaluated by CFD analysis. The swirl velocity, axial velocity and radial velocity components as well as the flow patterns including secondary circulation flow have been evaluated. The optimum cold end diameter ( d c) and the length to diameter ( L/ D) ratios and optimum parameters for obtaining the maximum hot gas temperature and minimum cold gas temperature are obtained through CFD analysis and validated through experiments. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the vortex tube as a heat engine and as a refrigerator has been calculated.