Simulation of the effect of geometric parameters on tangentially injected swirling pipe airflow

Abstract

A realizable k– ε turbulence model is employed to study compressible tangentially injected swirling flow in the nozzle of air–jet spinning. The effects of the nozzle geometric parameters (the injection angle, the diameter, number and position of the injector, nozzle length and chamber diameter) on both the flow and yarn properties are investigated. The simulation results show that some factors, such as velocity distribution, reverse flow in the upstream of the injector and vortex breakdown in the downstream caused by the nozzle geometric variation, are significantly related to fluid flow, and consequently to yarn properties. With increase in the injection angle or injector diameter or injector number, in the downstream of the injector, velocities will increase somewhat, and the locations of vortex breakdown move downward. As injector number increase with the total injection area being kept constant, the strength of vortex breakdown in the downstream of the injector will slightly increase. A larger reverse flow will be not helpful to draw the fibers into nozzle, as the injector position is closer to the nozzle inlet. The flow is more turbulent for a larger chamber diameter.