Theoretical and experimental studies of confined vortex flow

Abstract

AbstractA study of the air flow characteristics is reported for a vortex chamber 122 cm in diameter consisting of an upper cylindrical section 61 cm high and of a lower conical section 108 cm high. Measurements were made with a five‐channel pressure probe of the radial profiles of tangential and axial velocities, with varying inlet air velocity and axial distance from the top of the chamber. Measurements of the static pressure profiles were made simultaneously. Finally, the angle of flow of the air entering through the single tangential inlet could be adjusted, and its effects on the flow recorded.From these results and from a theoretical analysis, generalized expressions for the tangential velocity profiles were obtained for the two regions of flow, forced‐vortex and quasi‐free vortex, which prevail in a confined vortex chamber, as a function of the entrance air velocity and of the radius at the point considered only. The angle of entering air was found to have no effect on the tangential velocity and only a minor effect on the static pressure distribution. The outlet diameter of the chamber was found to have a large effect on the profile of the axial velocities, reflecting the influence of the chamber static pressure on the latter.