Investigations of Energy Separation Effect in Vortex Tube for Real Gases

This paper aims to investigate real gases energy separation effect such as real natural gas, CH4 and C2H4 in vortex tube. Energy separation phenomena of real natural gas (RNG) were investigated by means of three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. Flow fields of ideal natural gas (ING), or RNG in low and high pressure were simulated. The results main factors were found that affect the separation effect. At the same time, this paper has illustrated the effect and tendency of energy separation with real gas in the tube under the same cold mass fraction and pressure ratio. The results show low pressure ideal gas and real gas energy separation effect difference about 3-4 degrees C, the real gas effect is not obvious; High pressure real natural gas (HPRNG) and ideal gas (HPING) effect difference is 13-14 degrees C, the real gas effect is obvious; CH4 (LRCH4)and C2H4 (HRC2H4)energy separation effect is obvious and effect of real gas is generated.