Numerical research on vortex tube separator for special vehicle engine inlet air filter

Abstract

A two-stage inlet air filtration system used in the special vehicle combustion engine is presented. A comparative analysis of the filtration properties of return and vortex tube separators (VTS) was carried out. Factors determining the efficiency of vortex tube separators are presented. The aerosol filtration process in the cyclone was discussed. The decisive influence of the inertia force, and the drag force of the medium on cyclone efficiency was demonstrated. The impact of design factors and flowing aerosol on the separation efficiency, and pressure drop of cyclone flow was assessed using commercial Ansys Fluent engineering software. A Discrete Phase Model was used, which characterizes in that the particle trajectory is determined using Lagrange’a formulations. Real vortex tube separator geometry was used to build the cyclone model (VTS), which was acquired as a result of reverse-digital 3D scanning engineering. The developed numerical model verification was carried out on the results basis of numerical, and experimental tests of the vortex tube separator. Numerical and experimental separation efficiency tests and vortex tube separator pressure drop were carried out for different vortex tube separator inlet speeds in the range of 2.5 ÷ 15 m/s. A domestic substitute for AC fine polydisperse dust (PTC-D test dust) was used. In the numerical calculations the particle size distribution of PTC-D was taken into account using the Rosin-Rammler model. As a result of numerical tests, the characteristics of vortex tube separator separation efficiency are similar to those resulting from experimental tests.