Effect of End Control Plugs on the Performance of Vortex Tube With Dual Forced Vortex Flow

Abstract

Vortex tube splits the compressed air into two parts: a free vortex as the peripheral warm stream at the conical valve end and a forced vortex as the inner cold stream through the orifice.In the present work the conical valve at the hot end in existing model is replaced with a hollow conical valve gives a provision for flow through the inner core. A conical valve is introduced at the orifice, directs the forced vortex yet again to hit back develops one more forced vortex flow, which escapes through the central core of the hollow conical valve. Thus the revised vortex tube with three outlets: one hot outlet and two cold outlets, is named as dual forced flow vortex tube (DFFVT). Tests were made to evaluate the effect of end control plugs at both the ends on the performance of the modified vortex tube with various cone angles. Results reveal that 45 0 hollow cone angle with 55 0 solid cone angle is the optimum for effective temperature separation.Also it is identified that moderate cold fraction of 0.34 through the cold end-II with 0.21 cold fraction-I gives optimum temperature drops together at both the cold ends.Also the temperature drop through both the ends-I & II increases with increase of pressure.