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Research Papers: Fundamental Issues and Canonical Flows

# Performance Characteristics of a Microscale Ranque–Hilsch Vortex Tube

[+] Author and Article Information
A. F. Hamoudi

Hatch Energy, 1235 North Service Road West, Oakville, ON, L6M 2W2, Canada

A. Fartaj

Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada

G. W. Rankin1

Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canadarankin@uwindsor.ca

1

Corresponding author.

J. Fluids Eng 130(10), 101206 (Sep 08, 2008) (8 pages) doi:10.1115/1.2969442 History: Received June 28, 2007; Revised May 18, 2008; Published September 08, 2008

## Abstract

The results of an experimental investigation of the energy separation performance of a microscale Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube are presented. The supply channel Reynolds number of a microscale Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube is varied over a considerable range, which extends into the laminar flow regime in order to determine the minimum conditions for cooling. Experiments are conducted for a fixed geometry and control valve setting. At low Reynolds numbers based on the inlet tube hydraulic diameter and average velocity, the results exhibit an increase in dimensionless temperature in both the hot and cold outlets as the Reynolds number is increased from zero, reaching maximum values below 500 and 1000, respectively. The hot outlet dimensionless temperature decreases after reaching its maximum and achieves a minimum value at a Reynolds number below 1500. It then increases steadily with further increases in Reynolds number. The cold outlet dimensionless temperature decreases steadily after the maximum to become negative at a Reynolds number of approximately 1800. This implies that the cooling effect occurs at Reynolds numbers consistent with turbulent flow. The performance characteristics of the microscale vortex tube operating at higher inlet pressures of $200kPa$, $300kPa$, and $400kPa$ with an average inlet temperature of $293.6K$ are also presented for cold air mass ratio values over the range of 0.05–0.95. An increase in the inlet pressure causes the values of the dimensionless cold temperature difference to increase over the whole range of the cold air mass fraction. An unstable operation is observed at a length to diameter ratio of approximately 10, causing radial mixing between the cold and hot flow streams and a dramatic change in the cold mass flow fraction plot.

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## Figures

Figure 1

Vortex tube schematic drawing

Figure 2

Expanded view of the microscale vortex tube

Figure 3

Nozzle section of the vortex tube. (Left) Front view of the inlet nozzle section. (Right) Perspective view showing the details of the inlet nozzles.

Figure 4

Experimental test facility

Figure 5

Temperature separation at low Reynolds numbers for L∕D=10 and 50

Figure 6

Variation in the cold air mass ratio with Reynolds number for L∕D=10 and 50

Figure 7

Inlet pressure as a function of Reynolds number

Figure 8

Vortex tube performance for L∕D=10, 30, and 50; dc∕D=0.25 and 0.55 for different inlet pressures

Figure 9

Optimum conditions versus the dimensionless orifice diameter for L∕D=10 and 50

Figure 10

Optimum conditions versus the dimensionless tube length for dc∕D=0.25 and 0.55

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