Abstract:
The project deals with the improvement of the cooling capacity of a simple vortex
tube to have a cooling device available with a good efficiency and cooling capacity.
Three Ranque-Hilsch Vortex tubes, with different diameters and lengths, were
developed and manufactured . The vortex tube is an unique device with no working
parts and has the ability to deliver hot and cold air simultaneously. The vortex tube is
a simple, low cost device, which is easy to manufacture. Different sizes of orifices
were manufactured and different configurations of nozzles were designed and
manufactured to investigate the performance of the three vortex tubes.
The smaller diameter vortex tube gave better efficiencies and temperature drops in
the cold air than the bigger diameter vortex tube with all the different nozzles and
against the different inlet pressures. The bigger diameter orifice gave better
efficiencies and temperature drops in the cold air than the smaller diameter. The
smaller diameter nozzles gave better efficiencies and temperature drops in the cold
air than the bigger diameter nozzles against the different inlet pressures. In general,
the convergent nozzle gave better efficiencies and temperature drops in the cold air
than the other nozzle shapes. The maximum efficiency of the 22 mm diameter vortex tube is improved from 8,9%
against a cold fraction of 0,630 (with the <!> 6 mm x 2 tangential nozzle block) to
J 8,92% against a cold fraction of 0,644 (with the <!> 3 mm x 4 tangential nozzle
block) against an inlet pressure of 500 kPa. The maximum drop in temperature of the cold air is improved from 27,0°C against a cold fraction of 0, 120 (with the <!> 6 mm
x 2 tangential nozzle block) to 42,3°C against a cold fraction of 0,284 (with the
<!> 4 mm x 2 tangential nozzle block) against an inlet pressure of 600 kPa.
