Analytical Velocity Study in a Conical Diffuser with Screw Tape Inserts

Abstract

A study is made to enhance the rate of velocity distribution in a conical diffuser. In this work, a numerical analysis on screw tape inserts in a conical diffuser is presented. In the numerical simulations, the swirling flow was introduced by using rectangular screw tape placed inside the inner test wall of the conical diffuser. Screw tape with different aspect ratios (AS) 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 6.5 and 7.5 was analysed. The simulations were carried out with constant inlet condition considering the flow turbulent and incompressible with inlet Reynolds number 3.2 × 105. The simulations were performed using air as a working fluid. The results obtained from the conical diffuser with screw tape inserts are compared with those without screw tape (plain conical diffuser). On the basis of the same inlet boundary conditions for the screw tape in the conical diffuser and the plain conical diffuser, it was found that the velocity distribution performance of screw tape inserts with different AS is better than plain conical diffuser. It is also observed that the screw tape with AS 3.5 offered the best velocity distribution rate.