Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences & Technology.

April 4, 2021, Topi, Sawabi.

LAB PBL# 04
PBL Group# 07

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A VORTEX TUBE

Khizar Abbas, Liaqat Ali, M. Umar, M. Abdullah1

1
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. GIKI

LITERATURE REVIEW
Heat involves the motion of molecules. While working on
Maxwell equations, James Clark Maxwell postulated that, it
might be possible to separate hot and cold air in a device with
the help of a "friendly demon" who would separate the fast and
slow moving molecules of air. Based on the theoretical
observations of Maxwell, in 1931 a French physicist Georges J.
Ranque invented Vortex Tube. Vortex tube is a simple
mechanical device, which splits a compressed gas stream into a
cold and hot stream without any chemical reactions or external
energy supply.
pressure of the vortex tube. And the end of cold pipe which is
made up with vortex chamber which is fix with washer that has
half the diameter of pipe which is used. Also, the washers of
various sizes are preferred to manage the system. The outer
stream exits the opposite end as hot air. Cold airflow and
temperature are smoothly managed by adjusting the slotted valve
in the hot section air outlet. Opening the valve decreases the cold
airflow, also decrease the temperature of cold air. [2]If we shut
down the valve increases the cold airflow, also the cold air
temperature. The percentage of air directed to the cold outlet of
the vortex tube is called the "cold fraction
The working is further elaborated in following diagram:

A vortex tube is an element which can generate flow without

moving any mechanical component. It converts gas flow, which
is initially homogeneous in temperature, into separate flow of
different temperatures. It separates the compressed glass stream
into a low temperature section and a high section. Such
separation of flow in two regions of low side and high side
temperature is considered as, the temperature or energy
separation effect.

The vortex tube consists of one or more inlet nozzles, a

vortex chamber, a cold side orifice, a hot control valve and tube.

The working principal of vortex is described in the
following section;[1] Initially the Compressed air from
compressor at very large pressure is enters in vortex tube by
passing from tangential nozzle. Due to this supply the air has
very large velocity and it circulates at very large speed. Due this
reason the air is swirling by vortex rotation in vortex chamber.
The focal core of the air is reserved by the implantation of
conical valve which is preferably applied to maintain the internal
Figure 1: Working principle of Vortex Tube
For a long time, extensive research work was carried on
alternate refrigeration system.[3] A vortex tube is found to be an
excellent solution or alternate solution for refrigeration system.
Given its due importance, following is a mention of works by
eminent scientists on vortex tube:

1
2018177, 2018183, 2018185, 2018215 respectively

1
 [4]H.M.Skye and colleagues in their paper “Comparison of REFERENCES
CFD analysis to empirical data in a commercial vortex
tube”discuss the difference between CFD analysis and 1. Chang, K., et al., Experimental investigation of vortex
experimental data. For this comparison temperature at inlet and tube refrigerator with a divergent hot tube.
exit was measured and compared to CFD model. The objective International Journal of Refrigeration, 2011. 34(1): p.
of this research paper was to design a predictive model using 322-327.
CFD that can be used with high accuracy over a range of 2. Upendra, S., et al., "A review on vortex tube
operating conditions and geometries, which can be used in refrigeration and Applications". 2020.
context of new application. The researchers were successful in 3. Nimbalkar, S.U. and M.R. Muller, An experimental
creating good predictive results between CFD analysis and investigation of the optimum geometry for the cold end
experimental data. orifice of a vortex tube. Applied Thermal Engineering,
2009. 29(2): p. 509-514.
[5]Xue in the paper “A critical review of temperature 4. Skye, H.M., G.F. Nellis, and S.A. Klein, Comparison of
separation in a vortex tube” Defined a problem of different CFD analysis to empirical data in a commercial vortex
explanation provided existing for working of vortex tube. The tube. International Journal of Refrigeration, 2006.
paper proposed to a critical and explanatory review of the 29(1): p. 71-80.
proposed working principle of vortex tube. Energy separation in 5. Xue, Y., M. Arjomandi, and R. Kelso, A critical review
a vortex tube is observed due to multiple factors but expansion of temperature separation in a vortex tube.
and friction between the flow layers could be considered as the Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 2010. 34(8):
most important. The research paper further pushed the research p. 1367-1374.
to be done on flow structures inside the vortex tube, especially 6. Secchiaroli, A., et al., Numerical simulation of
regions near entrance and exit. turbulent flow in a Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube.
International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2009.
[6]A. Secchiaroli in his paper “Numerical simulation of 52(23): p. 5496-5511.
turbulent flow in a Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube”. Simulation of 7. Bruno, T.J., Laboratory applications of the vortex tube.
different types of flow was performed by RANS and LES. Journal of Chemical Education, 1987. 64(11): p. 987.
Altogether the reenactments performed, consistency with the
8. Fulton, Charles D. "Vortex tube." U.S. Patent No.
real commercial vortex tube model in-stream impingement
3,208,229 A. 28 Sep. 1965
activity has been trailed by subbing an axial hot computational
exit to the standard radial one. RANS RSM simulation results for 9. Mr. Nitin V Galwade, Prof. Tushar Koli, Prof. Sayyad
different sections of the tube shows high data deviation from L.B. Design and Fabrication of Vortex Tube
original result in velocity profiles, temperature profiles and 10. Shubham Chhajed, Pankaj Moralwar, Omkar Patil,
secondary vortex structures, varying turbulence model. Rohit Patil, Subhash Kumar. Analysis & Testing of
Vortex Tube by Optimization of Material
The application of vortex tube was discussed in the paper
“Laboratory Applications of the Vortex Tube” by Thomas J. 11. Vortex Tube: definition, history and applications
Bruno published in 1987. One of the applications was heating or
cooling of small area required. The range for cooling was
observed to be from -40 to 0°C.for heating the temperature could
be increased to 110°C.This particular way of heating or cooling
is applicable when used for irregular shaped objects. [7]The
vortex tube is also applicable in explosive proof labs where there
is danger of spark as the vortex tube uses no electricity. The
major use of this technique by the author was done in cooling of
HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) injection
systems is done very simply by directing the cold stream outlet
into a specially fabricated cabinet enclosing the injection valve.
The vortex Tube is also applicable in providing temperature
control to liquid baths. The disadvantage of using a vortex tube
is discussed to be the noise levels of leaving air, the leaving air
was of 78 dB and two maxima in 2-8kHz range and 12-16 kHz
frequency range. The author concludes the paper on vortex tube
to be an inexpensive solution to heating or cooling for many
small-scale laboratory applications.