Theoretical Analysis of Compressible Flows in Ranque-Hilsch Vortex Tube

Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube has been well known as a fluidic device to separate gas stream into low and high temperature, and has been employed in a variety of engineering applications. Although it is composed of the simple structure such as a vortex chamber, a long vortex tube, a hot exit and cold exit, the flow field involved is quite complicate, being subject to unsteady, 3-dimensional, viscous, compressible behaviors. Till now, many flow models have been developed to analyze the flow characteristics inside the vortex chamber and vortex tube, which are specified by a forced vortex flow and a viscous swirling flow, respectively. However, these flow models have never been proven by reliable experimental data and elaborate computational fluid dynamics predictions. Thus, the optimal design of the vortex tube has relied largely on trial and error and empirical data. In the present study, an integrated theoretical model has been developed for the whole flow field through the vortex tube system and the results of the theoretical predictions were well validated with existing experimental data. Thus, the present flow model can be used for the purpose of convenient design of the vortex tube with a specific application.