Journal article
Simulation of gas species and temperature separation in the counter-flow Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube using the large eddy simulation technique
International journal of heat and mass transfer, v 52(13), pp 3320-3333
2009
Abstract
A computational fluid dynamic model is used to predict the species and temperature separation within a counter flow Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube. The large eddy simulation (LES) technique was employed for predicting the gas flow and temperature fields and the species mass fractions (nitrogen and helium) in the vortex tube. A vortex tube with a circumferential inlet stream of nitrogen–helium mixture and an axial (cold) outlet stream and a circumferential (hot) outlet stream was considered. The temporal evolutions of the axial, radial and azimuthal components of the velocity along with the temperature, pressure and mass density and species concentration fields within the vortex tube are simulated. Even though a large temperature separation was observed, only a very minimal gas separation occurred due to diffusion effects. Correlations between the fluctuating components of velocity, temperature and species mass fraction were calculated to understand the separation mechanism. The inner core flow was found to have large values of eddy heat flux and Reynold’s stresses. Simulations were carried out for varying amounts of cold outlet mass flow rates. Performance curves (temperature separation/gas separation versus cold outlet mass fraction) were obtained for a specific vortex tube with a given inlet mass flow rate.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Simulation of gas species and temperature separation in the counter-flow Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube using the large eddy simulation technique
- Creators
- Tanvir Farouk - Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USABakhtier Farouk - Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAAlexander Gutsol - Chevron Energy Technology Company, Richmond, CA 94802, USA
- Publication Details
- International journal of heat and mass transfer, v 52(13), pp 3320-3333
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000266216700047
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-64749113372
- Other Identifier
- 991014878453004721
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Industry collaboration
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Mechanical
- Mechanics
- Thermodynamics