Pressure Drop Across a Double-Outlet Vortex Chamber

Abstract

The properties of the pressure drop in a medium-aspect-ratio vortex chamber with double outlets are examined both experimentally and theoretically. Dimensional analysis provides the functional relationships between the main dimensionless groups. Application of the integral equations of continuity and energy over the control volume, along with the minimum-pressure-drop principle, furnish the required formulas that relate the predominant nondimensionalparameters. In the vortex-dominatedregime, the theoretical results, given in terms of the pressure drop across the chamber, are found to agree with the experimental observations. The larger outlet has been shown to control the  ow. A considerable reduction in static pressure drop across the chamber can be gained by adding an extra outlet at the opposite end-plate.