Numerical Investigation of the Secondary Swirling in Supersonic Flows of Various Nature Gases

Vyacheslav Volov, Nikolay Elisov and Anton Lyaskin
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Vyacheslav Volov: Natural Science Department, Samara State Transport University, 443066 Samara, Russia
Nikolay Elisov: Independent Researcher, 443086 Samara, Russia
Anton Lyaskin: Department of Expertise, “ERA” Military Innovative Technopolis, 353456 Anapa, Russia

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-25

Abstract: Despite the application of vortex tubes for cooling, separating gas mixtures, vacuuming, etc., the mechanism of energy separation in vortex tubes remains an object of discussion. This paper studies the effect of secondary swirling in supersonic flows on the energy separation of monatomic and diatomic gases. The approach used is a numerical solution of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, closed by the Reynolds Stress Model turbulence model. The modelling provided is for a self-vacuuming vortex tube with air, helium, argon, and carbon dioxide. According to the results of the calculations, the effect of secondary swirling is inherent only in viscous gases. A comparison was made between obtained total temperature difference, the level of secondary swirling and power losses on expansion from the nozzle, compression shocks, friction, turbulence, and energy costs to develop cascaded swirl structures. Our results indicate that helium and argon have the highest swirling degree and, consequently, the highest energy separation. Moreover, it can be concluded that the power costs on the development of cascaded vortex structures have a significant role in the efficiency of energy separation.

Keywords: Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube; energy separation; tangential nozzle; computational fluid dynamics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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