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The experimental investigation and thermodynamic analysis of vortex tubes

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Abstract

In the present study, it was aimed to produce a fundamental i nformation and to investigate the effects of various design parameters on tube performance characteristics by setting up vortex tube experimental system in order to study the parameters predetermined for the design of vortex tubes and by conducting thermodynamic analysis. According to the findings of experiments, as the mass flow rate of cold flow increases (yc) temperature of cold flow also increases, while the temperature of warm flow increases approximately to yc = 0.6 and then decreases. Increases in inlet pressure, inlet nozzle surface and diameter of the cold outlet orifice increased temperature differences between cold and warm flows. Tube with L/D = 10 showed better performance than with L/D = 20. The finding that irreversibility parameter is very close to critical threshold of irreversibility proved that process in vortex tube is considerably irreversible. Coefficient of performance (COP) values in vortex tube were much lower than other heating and cooling systems. This situation may show that vortex tubes are convenient in the processes where productivity is at the second rate compared to other factors.

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Abbreviations

A:

Inlet nozzle area (m2)

CFD:

Computational fluid dynamics

CNC:

Computer numerical control

COP:

Coefficient of performance

d:

Diameter (mm)

D:

Diameter (mm)

k:

Specific heat ratio

L:

Length (mm)

ṁ :

Mass flow rate (kg s−1)

N:

Number

P:

Pressure (Pa)

R:

Specific gas constant (kJ kg−1 K−1)

RHVT:

Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube

S:

Entropy (W K−1)

T:

Temperature (K)

T* :

Dimensionless temperature

X:

Normalised pressure drop

yc :

Cold mass ratio

∆T:

Temperature difference

∆T/Tin :

Normalised temperature drop/rise

Γ:

(k − 1)/k

Θ:

Irreversibility parameter

a:

Ambient

c:

Cold

h:

Hot

in:

Inlet

ir:

Irreversible

m:

Mean

N:

Nozzle

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge that this study was supported with a grant from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, TUBITAK (Project No: 105M028, Project Title: Use of Vortex Tubes in Refrigeration Technique), and Atatürk University Scientific Research Foundation (Project No: BAP 2005/20, Project Title: Use of Vortex Tubes in Refrigeration Technique).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Erzincan University, Erzincan, Turkey

    Mehmet Kaya

  2. VIIIth Regional Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, Erzurum, Turkey

    Adem Celik

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Atattürk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Mehmet Yilmaz & Sendogan Karagoz

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  1. Adem Celik
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  2. Mehmet Yilmaz
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  3. Mehmet Kaya
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  4. Sendogan Karagoz
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Correspondence to Mehmet Kaya.

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Celik, A., Yilmaz, M., Kaya, M. et al. The experimental investigation and thermodynamic analysis of vortex tubes. Heat Mass Transfer 53, 395–405 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-016-1825-2

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