DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF

VORTEX TUBE REFRIGERATION

SYSTEM
PRESENTED BY

Mohammad Sayad Hossen

ID no. 1303014

SUPERVISED BY
DR.MD.TAZUL ISLAM
Professor, Dept. of ME, CUET

Department of EEE, CUET

INTRODUCTION:

 The Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube is a mechanical device operating as a

refrigerating machine without any moving parts, by separating a
compressed gas stream into a low total temperature region and a high
one. Such a separation of the flow into regions of low and high total
temperature is referred to as the temperature (or energy) separation
effect. The air emerging from the "hot end" can reach temperatures of
200 °C, and the air emerging from the "cold end" can reach -50 °C. It
has no moving parts.

Figure 1 : Vortex Tube [1]

Another theory postulated by Ahlborn and Gordon (2000) is that the
secondary flow in the RHVT acts as a classic refrigeration cycle
complete with refrigerant and coolant loops, expansion and
compression, heat exchangers and significant temperature splitting
(see Figure). Referring to Figure, the four different branches of the
refrigeration loop (that can be compared to the four branches of
conventional mechanical coolers) can be explained as follows:

Figure : The RHVT as a

classic refrigeration cycle: 4-
1 Heat rejection, 1-2-3
Adiabatic expansion, 3-c
Energy absorption, c-4
Adiabatic compression. [4]
OBJECTIVES:

•To simulate a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) vortex tube in ANSIS.

•To create two air streams, hot and cold, using only compressed air.
•To find out the maximum temperature difference of vortex tube.
•To find out the C.O.P of the vortex tube
COMPONENTS OF VORTEX TUBE:

1. NOZZLE
2. HOT AIR SIDE
3. CONTROLVALVE
4. ORIFICE
5. COLD AIR SIDE
6. CHAMBER
VORTEX TUBE TECHNOLOGY:
•Compressed air is passed through the
nozzle.
•Vortex flow is created in the chamber
and air travels in spiral like motion
along the periphery of the hot side.
• Air stream through the core gets
cooled below the inlet temperature of
the air in the vortex tube, while air
stream in forward direction get’s heated
up.
•The cold stream is escaped through the
diaphragm hole into the cold side, while
hot stream is passed through the
opening of the valve.
•By controlling the opening of the valve,
the quantity of the cold air and its
temperature can be varied.
ADVANTAGES OF VORTEX TUBE:

•No moving parts, maintenance free,

high reliability.
•Output easily controlled.
•No electricity or RF interference.
•Intrinsically safe.
•No refrigerant or chemicals.
•Effective spot cooling.
•Low cost.
•Compact, lightweight.
FLOW CHART:

CAD Design (Solid works 3D model)

Simulation of PVC Vortex Tube

Experimental Setup

Experimental Analysis

Result
ASSUMPTIONS:

• No heat transfer towards and from the surrounding. The process is

adiabatic.
• Flow is assumed to be turbulent.
• The outlet and atmospheric pressure are equal.
• No friction and losses take place.
• Mass flow rate is constant.
 ANALYSIS
After conducting the experiment we noted the tabulated results
and following graphs are plotted.

Figure : Variation of cold effect with inlet Figure : Variation of cold mass fraction with
pressure inlet pressure
Figure : Variation of COP with inlet pressure Figure : Variation of hot and cold air
temperature difference and isentropic
efficiency with inlet pressure
 RESULTS:
• The temperature difference increases rapidly from 3.39℃ to
6℃ as inlet pressure from increases from 2 to 2.5 bar.
• The highest C.O.P is obtained at 2.5 bar for the PVC vortex
tube and the value is 0.03
• The lowest cold temperature for the vortex tube is 14.6℃.
CONCLUSION:

• With the increase in inlet pressure, COP of the tube decreases.

• With the increase in inlet pressure, cold mass fraction increases.
• With the increase in inlet pressure, isentropic efficiency and cold
effect of the tube decreases.
• With the increase in inlet pressure, cold air temperature difference
decreases but hot air temperature difference increases.
Thank You!!!