The effect of vortex generator materials and L/D ratios on performance of stainless vortex tube

Abstract

The effect of vortex generator materials and the length to diameter ratios (L/D) on the performance of a vortex tube was investigated experimentally. The vortex tube was constructed from stainless material while the vortex generator materials are stainless and brass. The ratio of length to diameter of the vortex tube is 17.5 and 20. The test was carried out at an inlet air pressure of 1.5 bar and the cold mass fraction vary from 0.4 to 1. The results showed that the cold air temperature difference, hot air temperature difference and isentropic efficiency of the stainless vortex tube with stainless vortex generator were higher than the stainless vortex tube with brass vortex generator at 22%, 5% and 13.5% respectively. In term of L/D ratio, the result shows that the cold air temperature difference of the vortex tube with the ratio of 17.5 was 4% higher than the vortex tube with the ratio of 20. It is also found that the stainless vortex generator and the L/D ratio of 17.5 achieve the highest performance.