Numerical analysis in ranque-hilsch vortex tube

Abstract

The vortex tube, also known as the Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube, is a mechanical device that separates a gas into hot and cold streams. It has no moving parts.
The gas is injected tangentially into a chamber with high degree of swirl. At the other end because of the nozzle only the outer periphery part is allowed to escape where as the inner part is forced into the inner vortex with a small diameter within the outer vortex.
A two dimensional computational model was used to determine the energy separation and flow phenomenon. An axisymmetric model for a counter flow vortex tube was used. The model on simulation explains the temperature separation phenomena within the vortex tube. The fluid in the vortex tube has three regions. One is the fluid entering at a particular temperature and pressure which leads into two outlets, the cold exit and the hot exit where the temperature is less or more from the inlet temperature respectively. The swirl flow results in the temperature drop at the cold exit. The temperature separation occurs because of the heat transfer from the central flow to the peripheral flow. The simulation is done with fluent using the k-model.
FLUENT is software used to simulate fluid flow problems. FLUENT is generally used for computational Fluid Dynamics problems. It uses the finite-volume method to solve the governing equations for a fluid. It provides a wide field to solve problems. Geometry and grid generation is done using GAMBIT.