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ABSTRACT
A vortex tube is a device, which uses pressurised inlet gas to split into hot and cold separate streams. This phenomenon is referred to as energy separation. The literature behind the energy separation in vortex tube is huge as the device was invented in 1933. The improvement in the performance of the device and the working principle behind the energy separation has been the topic of interest to many researchers around the globe. However, the ability to produce hot/cold gases without mechanical device finds promising applications in literature. This review article recommends the usage of vortex tube to many diverse fields of applications. The operational parameters involved in every application are tabulated and studied. The collection of articles on counter-flow vortex tube oriented towards the application provide the reader a fascinating choice in recovering energy from pressurised gas and ability to meet certain applications required in a particular industry.
Nomenclature
| Symbols | = | |
| µ, α | = | cold gas fraction |
| ε | = | gas separation effect, oxygen content difference between hot stream and cold stream |
| Ɵ | = | Cone angle |
| ε | = | Turbulence dissipation rate (m2 s−3) |
| ρ | = | Density (kg m–3) |
| σ | = | Stress (N m–2) |
| μ | = | Dynamic viscosity (kg m−1 s−1) |
| μ t | = | Turbulent viscosity (kg m−1 s−1) |
| τ | = | Shear stress (N m−2) |
| τ ij | = | Stress tensor components |
| Definitions | = | |
| COP | = | coefficient of performance |
| CFD | = | Computational Fluid Dynamics |
| d,D | = | Diameter of vortex tube (m) |
| k | = | Turbulence kinetic energy (m2 s−2) |
| L | = | Length of vortex tube (m) |
| ṁ | = | Mass flow rate (kg s−1) |
| PIV | = | Particle image velocimetry |
| r | = | Radial distance from the centerline (m) |
| R | = | radius of vortex-chamber |
| RHVT | = | Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube |
| r | = | Cone base radius (m) |
| Th-Tc | = | Temperature separation |
| T | = | Temperature (K) |
| Ti | = | Inlet gas temperature (K) |
| V | = | Velocity of flow (m s−1) |
| VT | = | Vortex tube |
| Z | = | Axial length from nozzle cross section (m) |
| Suffixes | = | |
| in | = | Inlet |
| c | = | Cold end, orifice |
| h | = | Hot end |
| t | = | Total |
Acknowledgments
This work is acknowledged with the support of project grant (ECR/2018/000133) received by author from Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), DST, Govt. of India.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
R. Manimaran
Manimaran Renganathan is working as an Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at the Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai. He is interested in the experimental and computational areas of fluid mechanics and thermal engineering. Primary interests include vortex flows in vortex tubes, renewable fuels for combustion in diesel engines using hydrogen, wave energy converters and flow sensors. He has delivered seminars and workshops on computational fluid dynamics using OpenFOAM software for FOSSEE.