Flow characteristics in a vortex chamber

In this article we examine confined swirling flows using the integral equations of continuity and energy, along with the minimum pressure criterion. The pressure drop and the core size have been studied in the swirling confined vortex chamber. Both the n = 2 vortex model, with reverse and non-reverse flow, and the free vortex model have been used at the vortex chamber exit plane. The influence of vortex chamber geometry, such as contraction ratio, inlet angle, area ratio, aspect ratio, and Reynolds number, on the flow field has been analyzed and compared with the present experimental data. The pressure drop across the vortex chamber differs from that in pipe flow, due to the mechanism of swirl flow that depends mainly on the intensity of tangential velocity. If the chamber length is increased, the vortex decays producing a weaker tangential velocity (less centrifugal force) that leads to less pressure drop, Based on the present theory, a new approach to determine the tangential velocity and radial pressure profiles inside the vortex chamber is developed and compared with the available experimental data. It shown that the n = 2 vortex model with reverse flow gives better results for strongly swirling flow.