Characterizing the dynamic property of the vortex tail in a gas cyclone by wall pressure measurements

Abstract

To explore a determination method for cyclone vortex tail, the wall pressures at different axial and radial positions of a cylinder-on-cone cyclone were measured and analyzed by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and probability density analyses in this paper. The cyclone vortex tail was also visualized by a red ink tracer. The results show that the cyclone wall pressure does not change in the cylindrical section and gradually decreases in the conical section. The magnitudes of wall pressure at different azimuths are almost identical, indicating an axisymmetrical wall pressure radial profile in these parts of the cyclone. Whereas in the lower part of the cone and/or the upper part of dipleg, there is a sudden fall of wall pressure and non-axisymmetrical pressure radial profile. The minimum wall pressure occurs at about 270° azimuth in this region. Underneath in the next part of the dipleg, the wall pressure rapidly rises and returns to axisymmetry. These characteristics indicate that the vortex tail is bended to wall, turns around in this region, and can be used as evidences of the vortex tail. The position determined by the pressure measurement is close to the position of the rotating ring observed in the tracing experiment. It is also found that the frequency of the inner vortex is different from that of the outer vortex. The inner vortex flow fluctuates stronger and faster than its outer partner. At the vortex tail zone, the vortex breaks and the inner vortex fluctuation is involved in the wall pressure signal. Therefore, the position and dynamic property of the vortex tail can be well identified from the wall pressure measurement. The pressure measurement could provide some solid experimental basis for assessing relations of natural vortex length.