Modeling of Temperature Separation Based on Ramming Effect and Heat Exchanger in a Ranque Hilsch Vortex Tube

Abstract

In the present article, a new analytical model of temperature separation in a Ranque Hilsch vortex tube based on ramming effect and heat exchanger is discussed. This new model closely conforms to the previous model of Ahlborn et al. and available experimental results. The major advantage of this new model is that it is sensitive to both thermodynamic and geometric parameters while Ahlborn et al.’s model does not take into account the geometry of the vortex tube. It is found that the percentage deviations of temperature difference between inlet and cold gas, and that of hot and inlet gas for the case of Air from available experimental results using new model at high input pressure (5 atm.), were about 0.5% to 31%, while with Ahlborn et al.’s model results were approximately 8% to 37%. For the case of CH4 and CO2 also the new model provides better results at higher input pressures and high values of cold mass fraction. The new model for CO2 shows a maximum 6.9% deviation from the available experimental results for temperature separation at 5 atm. input pressure.