CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION OF VORTEX TUBE
The vortex tube is a device which generates separated flows of cold and hot
gases from a single compressed gas source and cause energy separation. It consists
of nozzle, vortex chamber, separating cold plate, hot valve, hot and cold end tube
without any moving parts. In the vortex tube the compressed gaseous fluid expands
in the nozzle, and then enters vortex tube tangentially with high speed, by means of
whirl, the inlet gas splits in low pressure hot and cold temperature streams in which
the peripheral gas has a higher temperature than the initial gas. While the other, the
central flow has a lower temperature. Vortex tube is commercial refrigeration device
as it is simple, no moving parts and temperature adjustable. On the other hand, its
low thermal efficiency is a main limiting factor for its application. Also the noise
and availability of compressed gas may limit its application. Therefore, the vortex
tube becomes a perfect device for heating gas, cooling gas, cleaning gas, drying gas,
and separating gas mixtures, reliability and lower equipment cost are the main
factors and the operating efficiency becomes less important. Although the vortex
tube effect was known for decades and intensive experiments and correlative
investigation had been carried out, the mechanism producing the temperature
separation phenomenon as a gas or vapour passes through a vortex tube is not fully
understood yet.
This approach is based on first-principles physics and is not limited to vortex
tubes only, but applies to moving gas in general. It shows that temperature
separation in a moving gas is due to enthalpy conservation in a moving frame of
reference. The main physical phenomenon of the vortex tube is the temperature
separation between the cold vortex core and the warm vortex periphery. The "vortex
tube effect" is fully explained with the work equation of Euler also known as Euler's
turbine equation, which can be written in its general vector form as

.

=

When the fluid tangentially swirls to the center of the vortex tube it is expanded
and cooled. After occurrence of the energy separation in the vortex tube

the

pressured inlet fluid stream was divided into two different fluid streams
including hot and cold exhaust fluids. The cold exit or cold orifice is located at
near the inlet nozzles and at the other side of the working tube there is a changeable
stream restriction part namely the control or throttle valve which determines the mass
flow rate of hot exit. As seen in Fig. 1, a percent of the compressed gas escapes
through the valve at the end of the working tube as hot stream and the remaining gas
returns in an inner swirl flow and leaves through the cold exit orifice. Opening the
throttle valve reduces the cold airflow and closing the valve increases the cold Mass
flow ratio.

Fig. 1.1 vortex tube sectional view

The inlet pressures of the counter flow vortex tube have been measured by use
of a pressure gauge (0.5 %) as shown in Fig. 2. The mass flow rates at the cold and hot
exhausts of the counter flow vortex tube have been determined by use of rotameters.
The temperatures of the pressurized air at the inlet, and the cold and hot exits were
determined by employing of a digital thermometer with 0.2 C precision tolerances,
and the measured temperature magnitudes have been changed into Kelvin (K) unit. The
throttle valve has been placed on the hot outlet of the main tube in order to adjust the
mass flow rate of the hot air. Before starting the experimental tests, the control valve on
the hot outlet was set in fully open situation. And then the air tank was worked and by
2

use of the valve that was applied on the vortex tube inlet position, the beginning
pressure value of 0.4 MPa was gained. And during this procedure, the mass flow rates
and pressures of the air at the cold exhaust and hot exit were determined by using
rotameters and pressure gauges, respectively. The experimental tests were performed
several times for the entire working tubes used in this investigation. The schematic
diagram of the experimental setup is shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1.2 controlling temperature and flow in vortex tube

Cold airflow and temperature are easily controlled by adjusting the slotted valve
in the hot air outlet. Opening the valve reduces the cold airflow and the cold air
temperature. Closing the valve increases the cold airflow and the cold air temperature.
The percentage of air directed to the cold outlet of the vortex tube is called the "cold
fraction". In most applications, a cold fraction of 80% produces a combination of cold
flow rate and temperature drop that maximizes refrigeration, or Btu/hr. (Kcal/hr.) output
of a vortex tube. While low cold fractions (less than 50%) produce lowest temperatures,
cold airflow rate is sacrificed to achieve them. Most industrial applications, i.e., process
cooling, part cooling, chamber cooling, require maximum refrigeration and utilize the
3200 series Vortex Tube. Certain "cryogenic" applications, i.e., cooling lab samples,
circuit testing, are best served by the 3400 series Vortex Tube. Setting a vortex tube is
easy. Simply insert a thermometer in the cold air exhaust and set the temperature by
adjusting the valve at the hot end. Maximum refrigeration (80% cold fraction) is
achieved when cold air temperature is 50F (28C) below compressed air temperature.

The Vortex Tube Creates two types of vortices: free and forced. In a free
vortex (like a whirlpool) the angular velocity of a fluid particle increases as it moves
toward the Center of the vortex-that is, the closer a particle of fluid is to the center of a
vortex, the faster it rotates. In a forced vortex, the velocity is directly, proportional to
the radius of the vortex-the closer the center, the slower the velocity. In a vortex tube,
the outer (hot) air stream is a free vortex. The inner (cold) air stream is a forced vortex.
The rotational movement of the forced vortex is controlled by the free vortex (hot air
stream). The turbulence of both the hot and cold air streams causes the layers to be
locked together in a single, rotational mass. The inner air stream flows through the
hollow core of the outer air stream at a slower velocity than the outer air stream. Since
the energy is proportional to the square of the velocity, the cold air stream loses its
energy by heat transfer. This allows energy to flow from the inner air stream to the outer
air stream as heat creating a cold inner air stream.
The relative inefficiency of the vortex tube as a stand-alone cooling device has
thus far limited its use. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the vortex tube as a
refrigerator, cooling provided per work required to compress the fluid, is very low (less
than 0.1 near room temperature) relative to a domestic refrigeration cycle. However, its
simplicity makes it an extremely compact, reliable, affordable, and flexible alternative
in some special applications. A more exciting and potentially much broader use for the
vortex tube exists if it can be integrated into a refrigeration system as an alternative to
the conventional throttling valve in order to accomplish the required expansion process
in a less irreversible manner. The vortex tube model developed in the previous section
will be employed to evaluate the utility of the vortex tube within vapor compression and
Joule-Thomson refrigeration systems. The results of these analyses must be qualified
by the statement that the vortex tube model has been developed for and verified against
data taken at room temperature under single-phase operating conditions.

The

performance of a vortex tube may be substantially different in the two-phase and nonideal conditions encountered within a refrigeration system but the data available for
these operating conditions are scarce and often conflicting. The analysis remains a
valuable tool provided that the underlying physical model is accurate and it clearly
points out those situations where the potential exists for significant improvements in
cycle performance

1.2 TYPES OF VORTEX TUBE

The vortex tube is generally classified into two types. They are uniflow type or
parallel type and counter flow type.
1.2.1 Uniflow type
This type of vortex tube has both the cold and hot exit at the far end of nozzle in
the same side. In this type the vortex tube consist of a nozzle, vortex tube and the cold
exit present concentrically with the annular hot exit. The main applications of the vortex
tube are in those areas where compactness, reliability, and low equipment costs are the
major factors and the operating efficiency is of no consequence. Some typical
applications are cooling devices for airplanes, space suits and mines; instrument
cooling; and industrial process coolers

Fig. 1.3 uniflow vortex tube

1.2.2 Counter-flow vortex tube

The counter flow vortex tube consists of a nozzle, vortex tube, and hot outlet
with a cone shaped valve which controls the output. The cold exit is present centrally
near the nozzle end. A source of compressed gas (e.g. air) at high pressure enters the
vortex tube tangentially through one or more inlet nozzles at a high velocity. The
expanding air inside the tube then creates a rapidly spinning vortex. The length of the
tube is typically between 30 and 50 tube diameters. As the air expands down the tube,

the pressure drops sharply to a value slightly above atmospheric pressure,. Centrifugal
action will keep this constrained vortex close to the inner surface of the tube. The air
that escapes at the other end of the tube can be varied by a flow-control valve, usually
shaped as a cone. The amount of air released is between 30% and 70% of the total
airflow in the tube. The remainder of the air is returned through the centre of the tube,
along its axis as a counter-flowing stream. Once a vortex is set up in the tube, the air
near the axis cools down while the air at periphery heats up in comparison with the inlet
temperature. This phenomenon is known as temperature separation effect.

Fig. 1.4 Counter flow vortex tube

CHAPTER-2

LITERATURE REVIEW
The vortex tube was first mentioned in a French patent applied by G.J.
Ranque on 21st December 1931, The invention was called "an apparatus for obtaining
from a fluid under pressure two currents of fluids at different temperatures" and the
patent was assigned to the company of "La Giration Des Fllides", Ranque was a metal
argist at steel works in Montliocon, Central France and it is thought that he may have
observed the vortex cooling effect in connection with cyclone separators. The patent
indicates that considerable research must have been done on the vortex tube and it
mentions both the helical inlet chamber and multi-nozzle inlets, A similar patent applied
for in the United States on 6th December 1932.
Hilsh firstly studied the mechanism of vortex tube and claimed that internal
friction lead to the energy separation of vortex tube and Knoernschild proposed that the
conversion of an initially free vortex into a forced vortex result in a radial redistribution
of energy. The theory was supported by the study of some researchers. Stephan and Lin
proposed Goertler vortices produced by tangential velocity as a main driving force for
the energy separation in the vortex tube. Linderstrom-Lang assumed turbulent transfer
of the thermal energy lead to the energy separation of vortex tube. A different theory
was developed by Michener and Bespalov. They explained the energy separation mainly
caused by entropy generation in vortex tube. Amitani et al. traced it to the
compressibility of the working fluid. But Balmer concluded that the temperature
separation phenomenon was not limited to compressible gases and vapours. While each
of these explanations may capture certain aspects of vortex tube, none of these
mechanisms altogether explained the vortex tube effect. Now, the efficiency of vortex
tube is still very low, and the reason is that the design about the parts of vortex tube is
not reasonable enough. Experiments are carried out a lot of work to research how the
parts of vortex tube affect its performance by the measure of experiment.
E.M. Knoemschild and Morgensen of the Equipment Laboratory, Wright
Patterson, wrote a paper in June 1948 entitled "Application of Hilsch Tube to Aircraft
and Missiles", This was the first report to be concerned with the application of the
7

vortex tube. It discussed the cooling of high speed aircraft or missiles and compared the
merits of the vortex tube with those of the expansion turbine. For an expansion turbine
with very low "specific speed" it was shown that the vortex tube might have superior
efficiency and it was therefore concluded that, for small requirements of cooling air, the
vortex tube would be the most practical means of cooling. With higher mass flow
requirements the vortex tube would have lower efficiency and performance.
One of the best theoretical contributions on the vortex tube was given by J.J
Van Deemter of the Royal Dutch Shell Laboratory in 1952; the paper combined the
conceptions of Hilsch and Prins. Van Deemter pursued an approach similar to that used
by Pulton, in which the temperature distribution in the vortex was determined by the
ratio of work flux to heat flux, but he pointed out that the heat flux in turbulent circular
flow is not proportional to the temperature gradient but included a term proportional to
the radial acceleration.
The vortex tube effects were rst observed by Ranque, a French metallurgist
and physicist about 1930. He formed a small company to exploit the item but it soon
failed. He presented a paper on the vortex tube to a scientic society in France in 1933,
but it was met with disbelief and disinterest. Thereafter, the vortex tube disappeared for
several years, until Rudolph Hilsch studied it and published his ndings in the mid1940s. In 1947, Hilsch systematically examined the effect of the inlet pressure and the
geometrical parameters of the vortex tube on its performance and presented a possible
explanation of the energy separation process. In 1954, Westley published a
comprehensive survey entitled A bibliography and survey of the vortex tube, which
included over 100 references. In 1951 Curley and McGree, 1956 Kalvinskas, in 1964
Dobratz, in 1972 Nash, in 1979 Hellyar made important contribution to the RHVT
literature by their extensive reviews on the vortex tube and applications. It is important
to note that the investigations by Gao, Fulton, Hartnett and Eckert, Martynovskii and
Alekseev, Lay, Deissler and Perlmutter, Takahama and, Sibulkin, Linderstrom-Lan,
Borisenko, Bruun, Raiskii and Tunkel, Soni, and Thompson, Marshall, Kurosaka,etc
made important contribution on the vortex tube knowledge. Since its discovery by
Ranque the RHVT has been the subject of considerable interest both from the
theoretical and practical application standpoints. The effect of energy separation

(temperature stratication) and other effects arising in vortex tubes allow them to be
widely used for different purposes. That vortex tubes have many advantages makes
them very attractive for industrial applications. Vortex tubes have widely been used in
various applications where compactness, safety, and low equipment cost are basic
factors: heating and cooling applications, gas liquecation, separation of gas mixtures,
drying of gases, using in chemical industry, electric production, snow making etc.
Nowadays, RHVTs are produced by different commercial companies with a wide range
of applications. Despite the interest created by these applications, the underlying
mechanics lying on the temperature separation are not clearly understood. The
mechanism underlying the energy transfer from the cold to the hot ow remains elusive,
however. There is debate even as to the basic physics of the phenomenon. According to
Cockerill one obstacle to investigations of the RanqueHilsch tube is the lack of any
substantial published literature review since Westley in 1954. He emphasises that an
important task early in any study of the vortex tube must be to draw together the mass
of literature. Eiamsa-ard and Promvonge presents an overview of the phenomena
occurring inside the vortex tube during the temperature/energy separation on both the
counter ow and parallel ow types. The review includes important denitions,
classication and parametric study of the vortex tube, experimental and qualitative,
analytical and numerical work. A short observation is also presented in the paper.
However, it is difficult to design a vortex tube with denite integral characteristics for a
concrete application because the available experimental data are not clearly understood
and there are no entirely correct generalizations. This is because available experimental
data cannot be completely understood and it is not possible to generalize all of these
data. This reveals the important of a review on vortex tube and design criteria including
the last and present-day investigations. The purpose of this project is to overview of the
past and present-day investigations of the design criteria of vortex tubes and to provide
collectively detailed information on the design of vortex tubes.
Work on the vortex tube was revived at the General Electric Company's
Research Laboratory under "Project Cirrus", In a report, dated September 1949, B.
Vonnegut described a novel application in which the vortex tube was used to eliminate
the aerodynamic heating errors of free air temperature thermometers on aircraft, The
vortex tube was placed in the airstream, perpendicular to the direction of flight, and ram

air was fed into the inlet, the hot end of the tube was exposed to suction by cutting the
hot tube diagonally to its axis on the downstream side. The overall pressure difference
between inlet and hot exit was about twice the dynamic head and its magnitude was
controlled by a valve at the inlet. A thermometer bulb, to measure true air temperature,
was placed inside along the vortex tube and the inlet valve was experimentally adjusted
so that the thermometer read the true air temperature for a given altitude and aircraft
speed. It was then found that this valve setting was satisfactory over a large range of
speeds and altitudes, i.e. the error in true air temperature measurements was less than
0.5 C for speeds up to 260 m.p.h. in the range of altitudes, 0-25,000 feet. The success of
this device suggested that it could be modified to indicate true air speed. The principle
was based on the determination of the difference between the stagnation temperature
and the free air temperature along the axis of the vortex. The true air speed of the
aircraft was then proportional to the square root of this temperature difference,
Additional references to the General Electric Company free air thermometer and
parallel work at the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory was reported in April 1950 by S.
Chapnan

10

CHAPTER-3

DESIGN OF VORTEX TUBE

Many variables inuence the ow and performance of RHVTs: geometrical
parameters, mass ows, reservoir conditions, gas properties, internal ow parameters,
and other factors:
Geometrical parameters: hot and cold tube length, internal diameter of tube,
effective diameter of inlet nozzles, number of inlet nozzles, orientation of inlet
nozzles, cold orice diameter, shape and length of hot end valve, effective
diameter of hot ow exit restriction, vortex chamber etc.
Mass ows: cold mass fraction, overall mass ow rate.
Reservoir conditions: inlet (reservoir) pressure, inlet (reservoir) temperature, gas
density at tube inlet etc.
Gas properties: gas viscosity, gas thermal conductivity, heat capacity of gas at
constant pressure, gas isentropic exponent, gas coefficient of thermal
expansivity, mole fraction of gas component i in any mixture, at the inlet etc.
Internal ow parameters: static pressure at cold exit, static pressure at hot exit,
swirl velocity at tube inlet etc.
Other factors: material of tube, internal roughness, gas molecular mass etc.
In general, there are two design features associated with a vortex tube, namely,
maximum temperature drop vortex tube design for producing small quantity of air with
very low temperatures and maximum cooling effect vortex tube design for producing
large quantity of air with moderate temperatures. These two design considerations have
been used in study for increasing the heat transfer rate during forward motion for swirl
air and reversed flow of axial air. The parameters investigated in the study, to
understand their inter-relationships and their effect on the performance of the vortex
tube are:
Nozzle diameter
Cold orifice diameter
Length of the tube

11

 Area at the hot end

3.1 WORKING PRINCIPLE
Compressed air, normally 80-100 PSIG (5.5 - 6.9 BAR), is ejected tangentially
through a generator into the vortex spin chamber. At up to 1,000,000 RPM, this air
stream revolves toward the hot end where some escapes through the control valve. The
remaining air, still spinning, is forced back through the center of this outer vortex. The
inner stream gives off kinetic energy in the form of heat to the outer stream and exits the
vortex tube as cold air. The outer stream exits the opposite end as hot air.
Vortex Tubes behave in a very predictable and controllable way. When
compressed air is released into the tube through the vortex generator, you get hot air out
of one end of the tube and cold air out the other. A small valve in the hot end, adjustable
with the handy control knob, lets you adjust the volume and temperature of air released
from the cold end. The vortex generatoran interchangeable, stationary partregulates
the volume of compressed air, allowing you to alter the air flows and temperature
ranges you can produce with the tube.

Fig. 3.1 working principle of vortex tube

12

3.1.1 Reducing coupling

R educing coupl ing i s defined as t he coupli ng j oi ni ng a pi pe to
another of sm all er di am et er .

Fig.3.2 Design of reducing coupling

A coupling or coupler is used in piping or plumbing a very short length

of pipe or a tube with a socket at one or both ends that allows two pipes or tubes to be
joined together or a devi ce t hat connects t wo parts or thi ngs .
When the two ends use the same connection method but are of a different size is termed
as Reducing coupling.
A reducer can be used either as nozzle or as diffuser depending on the mach
number of the flow. It is the component in a pipeline that reduces the pipe size from a
larger to a smaller bore (inner diameter).The length of the reduction is usually equal to
the average of the larger and smaller pipe diameters.

13

Fig.

3.3 Reducing coupling model

3.1.2 Pressure Chamber

Fig. 3.4 Design of pressure chamber

14

A chamber in which an artificial environment is established at low or high press

ure is to test equipment under simulated conditions of operation
The pressure chamber is designed to hold material under pressure, or inside
which pressure can be applied. These pressure chambers are widely used in research and
for calibrating aviation, meteorological and other instruments containing elements that
measure pressure. The pressure chamber is equipped with special apparatus for
changing the pressure and maintaining it at a prescribed level. There are different types
of pressure chambers, some using a tank of high pressure gas, some using a hand-pump,
but all work on the same basic principle and in most cases the operation and use of the
different types of pressure chambers is identical.

Fig. 3.5 Pressure chamber

3.1.3 Cone stopper

The cone stopper or conical nozzle at the end of the tube is used when the outer
shell of the compressed gas is allowed to escape at that end. The remainder of the gas is
forced to return in an inner vortex of reduced diameter within the outer vortex.

15

Fig. 3.6 Design of Cone stopper

Fig. 3.7 Cone stopper model

16

Fig. 3.8 model of Cold end pipe

Fig. 3.9 model of Hot end pipe

17

Fig. 3.10 Orifice

3.1.4 Vortex chamber

When compressed air is released into the tube through the vortex generator, you
get hot air out of one end of the tube and cold air out the other

Fig. 3.11 Vortex chamber

18

3.1.5 Design of cold and hot end orifice

Fig. 3.12 Design of cold end orifice

Fig. 3.13 Design of hot end orifice

19

3.2 AIR COMPRESSER

SPECIFICATIONS OF THE AIR COMPRESSOR
Compressor H.P

3HP

No of cylinders
Diameter L.P cylinder

2
0.07m

Diameter H.P cylinder

0.05m

Stroke length

0.085 m

Number of stages

Coefficient of discharge

0.62

Orifice diameter

0.022 m
Table.1 Specifications of Air compressor

Fig.3.14 Air Compressor

20

CHAPTER-4

FABRICATION
4.1 PROCEDURE STEPS
Vortex cooling tube was built by using PVC pipe that has an inner diameter of
about 27 mm. From the formulae for the design of a "real vortex cooling tube", that
usually want the length of the hot end of the tube, to be about 45 times the diameter or
in this case about 1215 mm. So this was the length in the drawing below from the inlet
nozzles to the cone block valve.

Fig. 4.1 Sectional View of vortex tube

In keeping with that thought, here are some other dimensions that are followed in
making the tube:
Tube Inner Diameter = 27 mm
Hot End Length = 45 x 27 = 1215 mm
Cold End Length = 10 x 27 = 270 mm
Orifice Size = 1/2 Tube Inner diameter or about 13.5 mm
Inlet Nozzles = 5 mm

21

Fig. 4.2 Vortex Chamber with PVC pipes

In above figure "vortex chamber" is shown, this was where the Inlet nozzles and
the orifice were. To make this part of it, a piece of PVC tube cut to make the hot end
length and the cold end length to the dimensions above. Then a thin piece of plastic was
cut into a circle to the same diameter as the outside of the 27 mm I.D. PVC tube. The
outside diameter is about 33mm. A hole was drilled into the plastic about 13.5 mm
diameter to make the orifice. A 33 mm PVC pipe tube coupling filed and sanded inside
so that the PVC pipes will slide all the way through. Then slide the hot and cold tubes
into this coupling capturing the cold orifice plate in between - no glue at this point.

Fig. 4.3 Orifice Plate

22

The above picture shows the cold end of the tube at the orifice plate. This was
the 13.5 mm diameter hole. Marking of hot and cold tubes as well as the coupling is
done, so it could take apart and put it back together in the same orientation. Then it was
taken apart and glued in the hot tube. 3 holes were drilled through the coupling and into
the tube at an angle (tangential), close to the end of the hot tube.

Fig. 4.4 Tangential Holes

So now the two 6 mm cut pieces (blue in color as shown in fig 4.1) form the ends
of a chamber labeled. The Inlet air area with 60mm diameter pipe coupling makes the
outer part. All this is to have one inlet fitting for the air to go into the Inlet air area and
from there it can make it into the 3 Inlet Nozzles. It is possible to have just one inlet
nozzle or have five air lines into each hole but the above method works better.
Now onto the other end of the vortex cooling tube a cone block is turned down
on lathe. A notch is designed in the tube to let the hot air out and drew graduations on
the cone to get an idea of adjustment.

Fig. 4.5 Notch in Hot End Side

23

4.2 VORTEX TUBE SET UP

The main body was taken and from one end the cold tube is fitted. Through
the other side the diaphragm is placed upon which nozzle is placed. The nozzle opening
was made to set perfectly so that the opening comes in line with the drilled hole, which
is made, on top surface of the main body. Then the hot tube was fitted on the other side
such that there was no leakage of air. Through the drilled hole the inlet tube is fitted
which is connected to air compressor. The other side of the hot tube is fitted with a
control valve with control end and hot end.

24

CHAPTER-5

EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS
To study the effect of various parameters such as inlet pressure, orifice
diameter and L/D ratio on the performance of the vortex tube, an experimental set up
was prepared as per design described earlier. The vortex tube components were made in
a manner such that the geometry of the tube could be changed from maximum
temperature drop tube design to maximum cooling effect tube design. The line diagram
of the experimental set up is shown below.

Fig. 5.1 Line diagram of Experimental setup

The temperature of air at cold and hot ends was measured with digital as well
as analog thermometers to avoid errors. The air velocities were measured made by an
anemometer. The pressures were measured by the Bourdon tube pressure gauges. All
the instruments were calibrated before the measurements were actually recorded. The
operating parameters noted during the experiment for each vortex tube design were:
Air pressure near inlet to vortex tube (bar)
Compressed air temperature (C)
Hot air temperature, Th ( C)

25

 Cold air temperature, Tc (C)

The aim of the experiment is to study the variation of temperature at hot end
and cold end with respect to various working and geometrical parameters.
The parts i.e., inlet tube, main body (flange), cold tube, hot tube, nozzle,
diaphragm, control value are fitted one by one. The compressor is studied and the
pressures are maintained. The settled vortex tube is placed on the table and the outlet of
the compressor is attached to the inlet of the apparatus. First the compressor is
maintained at a pressure of 4bar and the air is allowed to pass through the inlet and then
we have to wait for 5 minutes. After this the thermometers are placed at both the ends
and the readings are noted as Th and Tc. The temperature of inlet air is also noted down
using a digital thermometer.
Then the compressor pressure is increased to 4bar and the readings are taken in
a similar manner. The procedure is followed up to 7bar. The readings are tabulated as
shown.

5.1 ANALYSIS OF VORTEX TUBE

5.1.1 Thermodynamic analysis of vortex tube
Vortex tube gets high pressure air from an air compressor through a tangential
nozzle. Assume suffixes i, h, c stands for inlet to the nozzle, hot end and cold end,
respectively then the mass and energy conservation of control volume given by
Mass balance = + ...... (i)
Steady flow energy balance = + ....... (ii)
Assuming the kinetic energies is negligible.
The cold gas temperature difference or the temperature drop of the cold air tube is
defined as
=

26

The hot gas temperature difference or the temperature raise of the hot air tube is defined
as
=
If the system is isentropic then the heat lost by the cold stream is equal to heat gained by
hot stream
( ) = ( ) = ( ) ( )....... (iii)
= [

1
1] ( ) = ( 1) ( )

Where is the ratio of cold air to the air supplied, called as cold mass fraction.
From equation (iii) we get,
( ) = (1 ) ( )

[( ) + ( )] = ( )

( )

=
[( ) + ( )] ( + )

......... (iv)

if the process had undergone an isentropic

expansion from inlet pressure Pi to

atmospheric pressure Pa at the cold end then the static temperature drop due to
expansion is given by

= = [1 ( ) (

)]

...... (v)

The temperature drop occurred in vortex tube is Tc . The ratio of Tcto TC is called
Relative Temperature drop

27

....... (vi)

The product of and Trel represents the adiabatic efficiency of the Vortex tube because
it is defined as

= ( )/( ) = = . ( / )

= [

...... (vii)

](
)
( + )

The C.O.P of the vortex tube is defined as the ratio of the cooling effect to the work
input to the air compressor.
Cooling effect =
Work input to air compressor = ( )[( )( 1) 1]/
Where is the adiabatic efficiency of the compressor,

C.O.P =

= [( ) ]/( )[( )( 1 ) 1]

C.O.P = ( )/ [( )( 1 ) 1]

....... (viii)

Substituting the value of from equation (v), in equation (viii), we get

C.O.P = {(

{( )}

/[1( )(1 )1])}

28

C.O.P =

{( ) }{[( )(1)(( )(1 ))]}

{[( )(1)( )(1) ]( )(1)}

C.O.P = ( ) [( ) ( 1) ]

....... (ix)

Substituting the value of ( ), from equation (vii), we get

C.O.P = [( ) ( 1) ]

It has been observed that the value of is always considerably small,

therefore the C.O.P of the vortex tube will also be very small of the order of 0.15 to
0.25 under normal operating conditions.

5.2 VORTEX TRANSFORMATION AND ENERGY TRANSFER

The air enters the vortex tube tangentially and forms a free vortex. Due to the
centrifugal action, the vortex travels along the wall. As a result of the observation of the
valve, the air almost ceases to rotate in the region of the valve. As the pressure at the
valve is more than that outside the diaphragms at the other end a reversed axial flow
starts. This received flow comes in contact with the forward moving free vortex along
the internal surface of the vortex. As the vortex is rotating at a very high speed, it forces
the axial stream to rotate. Thus the axial stream forms a forced vortex. Therefore, there
is a flow of energy in the opposite direction as explained here after much exceeds this
inward flow.
The air in the transverse plane through the nozzle has the highest rotational
speed, which decreases gradually from the nozzle towards the valve, where it is almost
negligible. There is therefore a relative sliding between various transverse planes. A last
29

moving plane tries to speed up the adjoining plane by imparting to the lower plane some
of its momentum. In this way, there is a continuous flow of energy from the plane of the
nozzle to the valve.
As mentioned by Shultz-Gaunow and others, turbulent mixing in the
centrifugal fields results in pumping of energy from the lower pressure region at the
axis to the high pressure region at the periphery. The energy is then transferred towards
the valve in the form of momentum transfer mentioned above and also due to the mass
itself shifting towards the valve.
Thus, there is a net pumping of energy from the axial region near the
diaphragms to the region near the valve. The stream flowing past the valve carries this
energy with it. Both the and cold stream starts from the same point. The stagnation point
forms at the valve.
At this point both the streams have the same temperature; however the
reversed stream rejects some energy and is cooled while the other stream leaves at the
temperature of stagnation point, which is much higher than the inlet temperature. For an
insulated tube the extra energy carried away by the hot stream is equal to the energy
rejected by the cold stream.
5.3 ANALYSIS OF VORTEX TUBE BASED ON FIRST LAW
An examination of the system at steady state indicates that form the First Law
of Thermodynamics
H = Q
Where H is the system enthalpy change and Q is the heat exchanged between
the system and its surroundings. Lets assume that Q is approximately zero even though
the cold tube may have frost on it and the hot tube is very warm (remember that Q is the
total heat exchanged). If this is the case then
= + = 0
Where Hc is tghe enthalpy change of cold stream and Hh is the enthalpy change of
hot stream. Assuming the air as an ideal gas, the total enthalpy change can be written as

30

 = ( ) + ( ) = 0
The inlet and hot outlet mass flow rates are measured through a float type
meter (restriction of cold tube to measure flow will prevent device from operating
properly in most cases). The mass flow rate from the cold tube is obtained by applying
the conservation of mass principle to the whole system.
5.4 ANALYSIS OF VORTEX TUBE BASED ON SECOND LAW
An examination of the system at steady state indicates that from the second
law of thermodynamics. Assuming the process as reversible and adiabatic then
=

1
= 0

Where is total entropy change.q is heat transfer and T is the absolute temperature.
The actual entropy change of the control volume at steady state is
= +
Where and are the entropy change from entrance to exit of the portion of
entering air which leaves the cold tube, and the portion of entering air which leaves the
hot tube, respectively.
For an ideal gas with constant specific heat, the entropy change can be written as
=

( + ) +

( + ln )

Where the subscripts i, c and h are respectively inlet stream, cold stream and
hot stream and R is the ideal gas constant. Notice that in reality the vortex tube process
is irreversible so should be greater than zero.
Since the appearance of a cold (or hot) effect upon the pipe wall without
moving parts would tempt to consider this device as competition for a refrigerator (or
heat pump), it is instructive to estimate its coefficient of performance (COP). Focussing
on the cooling effect can be achieved by placing the cold pipe within an enclosure, the
COP can be calculated by

31

C. O. P =
Where is the obtained from
= ( )
is equal to the heat that is transferred to the cold stream through the cold pipe wall
(like a heat exchanger) from some source (like the cold box in a refrigerator) and W in
the present case is the work done to compress the air from atmosphere pressure and
temperature to the inlet conditions of the tube. Assuming reversible compression
(isentropic, minimum work), W then obtained from:
(2 1 )
1

Where 2 is the compressor exit temperature and 1 is the compressor inlet temperature
(reversible, polytrophic process; n=1.4). if we consider a complete system, 1 and 1 are
the atmospheric pressure and temperature, 2 and 1 are the compressor exit conditions,

()

.. (xi)

After the air is compressed, it is kept in the high pressure tank where then it cools down to the
atmosphere temperature T1, so the inlet temperature of the sonic nozzle, Ti is equal to T1. By
noting that

) =
1

(
Equation (x) can be simplified to

= (2 )
With T2 calculated from Eq. (xi). This is an ideal work valve so it is less than the actual
work needed to drive the compressor.
The comparison between vortex tube COP with the conventional refrigeration
COP will show that unless high pressure air is inexpensive or the vortex tube simplicity
is more important than the cost of operation, the conventional system is better.

32

The refrigeration effect of the vortex tube is simply equal to Hc,

= ( )

33

CHAPTER-6

APPLICATIONS OF VORTEX TUBE

6.1 APPLICATIONS

Vortex tubes are extremely small and as it produce hot as well as cold air. It may
be of use in industries where both are simultaneously required.

Cooling electronic controls

Cooling machining operations
Setting hot melts
Cooling soldered parts
Cooling gas samples
Electronic component cooling
Cooling heat seals
Cooling environmental chambers

6.2 ADVANTAGES
Easy maintenance (No moving parts)
Reliable, compact and lightweight
Low cost application
Durable - Stainless Steel
Adjustable temperature
Instant cold air

6.3 DISADVANTAGES
Limited capacity
Low coefficient of performance

34

CHAPTER-7

RESULTS

7.1 ADIABATIC EFFICIENCY

Delivery

Speed,

pressure

N(rpm)

(bar)

Time

Theoretical Energy

for 10

volume

rev

flow rate

(Sec)

input

Adiabatic

Adiabatic

Work (J)

efficiency

(kW)

V1
(m3/sec)

882

86

9.6x10-3

5.23

0.025x105

0.4811

884

87

9.6x10-3

5.21

0.029x105

0.4342

886

87

9.6x10-3

5.12

0.019x105

0.3837

894

88

9.6x10-3

5.01

0.016x105

0.2492

Table.2 Adiabatic Efficiency

7.2 CALCULATIONS
Atmosphere pressure P1 = 1.013bar

Delivery pressure P2 = 6bar

Energy input

3600.
1000.8

Theoretical volume V1 =

2 2
460

= 9.655x10-3 m3/sec

35

= 5.21661kW

Adiabatic Work Done = 1 1 1 [(2)

1
)

= 0.02265x105 J

Adiabatic Efficiency = (Adiabatic Work Done)/ (Energy Input)

= 0.4342

FOR VORTEX TUBE

For different length to diameter (L/D) of hot pipe with Orifice of different diameter (d)
at different input pressure.
READINGS FOR 27mm VORTEX TUBE:
Orifice diameter = 13.5mm

Length = 1215mm
L/D ratio = 45
Hot tube hole diameter = 27mm,
Inlet Temperature of Air = 300C
Press
ure
Pi(bar)

Cold
Temp
Tc(0C)

Hot
Temp
Th(0C)

Differen Cold
Hot
ce
Temperat Temperat
T= Th- ure Drop ure Drop
Tc
Tc(0C) Th(0C)
(0C)
50.05
30.02
20.3

Cold
mass
Fracti
on

0.403

Adiabat
ic
Efficien
cy

C.O.P

-0.02

50.3

0.93

0.22

2.3

44.6

42.3

27.7

14.6

0.345

0.79

0.20

4.1

40.8

36.7

26

10.1

0.293

0.681

0.16

6.4

35.5

29.1

23.6

5.5

0.189

0.450

0.15

Table.3 COP of 27mm Vortex tube

Specimen calculations for the inlet pressure of air, Pi = 6 bar

36

1. Cold drop temperature = = 30 2.3

= 27.7
2. Hot raise temperature = = 44.6 30
= 14.6
3. Temperature drop at the two ends = = 44.6 2.3
= 42.3

4. Cold mass fraction =

= 0.3451

5. Static temperature drop due to expansion

= = [1 ( )(1) ]
= 11.952

6. Relative temperature drop ( ) = = 2.317

7. Adiabatic efficiency ( ) =
( ) =
= 0.3451 2.317
= 0.79

8. Coefficient of performance ( C.O.P) of Vortex Tube

C.O.P = . [( )

= 0.201

The highest COP is obtained at 7 bar for 27mm vortex tube and the value is
0.22.

37

The lowest cold temperature for 27mm vortex tube is 0.02 at 7 bar and for
13.5mm vortex tube is 6.5 at 7 bar.

The highest hot temperature for 27mm vortex tube is 50.3 at 7 bar and for
13.5mm vortex tube is 41.6 at 7 bar.

Cold mass fraction obtained is better for the 27mm vortex tube than the 13.5mm
vortex tube.

The maximum of 50.05 difference between hot and cold ends temperature for
27mm vortex tube and maximum of 35.1 difference between hot and cold
ends temperature for 13.5mm vortex tube.

7.3 OBSERVATIONS
1. Atmospheric pressure, Pa = 1.013bar
2. Inlet pressure of air, Pi = 6bar
3. Inlet temperature of air, Ti = 30C
4. Cold air exit temperature, Tc= 2.3C
5. Hot air exit temperature, Th= 44.6C

7.4 Temperature raise and drop

1. Cold drop temperature Tc= Ti - Tc= 30-2.3

T
c
=

2
7
.
7

38

2. Hot raise temperature Th= Th Ti = 44.6-30

Th= 14.60C
3. Temperature Drop at the two ends T = Th- Tc= 44.6-2.3
T = 42.30C
4. Cold mass fraction =0.3451

5. Static Temperature Drop Due To Expansion

Tc= Ti Tc= Ti[1-(Pa/Pi)(-1)/] = 11.9520C
6. Relative Temperature Drop ( Trel) = Tc/( Tc)= 2.317
7. Adiabatic Efficiency ( ab) =ab= F x Trel= 0.3451x2.317= 0.79

8. Coefficient of Performance ( C.O.P ) of Vortex Tube

C.O.P = ab. ac. [(Pa/Pi)(-1)/]= 0.201

39

CONCLUSION
Literature review reveals that there is no theory so perfect, which gives the
satisfactory explanation of the vortex tube phenomenon as explained by various
researches. Therefore, it was thought to carryout experimental investigations to
understand the head transfer characteristics in a vortex tube.
The effect of the pressure on the cold temperature drop, hot temperature raise,
and COP of the vortex tube are analysed and the results obtained by this technique have
led to the following conclusions.
1. The cold drop temperature increases with increase in inlet air
pressure.
2. The hot temperature raise increases with increase in inlet air
pressure.
3. The COP of the vortex tube increases with increase in inlet pressure.
4. The optimum end gate valve opening gives the best performance.
5. The effect of nozzle design is more important than the cold orifice
design in getting higher temperature drops.
6. The surface finish of the nozzle and the hot tube plays a great role in
the performance of the vortex tube, good surface finish leads to the
better performance. So, care to be taken while fabrication of the parts
to obtain good surface finish.
7. The result with helical convergent nozzle is with divergent tube is
compared with literature available and it is found that results are in
good agreement with previous work.
8. With increase in inlet pressure, COP, cooling effect and isentropic
efficiency of the vortex tube increases. Maximum COP and Maximum
isentropic efficiency obtained is respectively.
9. the performance of a conventional vapor compression refrigeration
cycle cannot be augmented through the application of a vortex tube
because no temperature separation can occur beneath the vapor dome

40

10. The performance of a vapor compression cycle operating in the near

super-critical region, such as a carbon dioxide refrigeration cycle, is
negligibly increased by the application of a vortex tube
11. The performance of a Joule-Thomson refrigeration cycle operating
with a pure substance can be dramatically improved by application of a
vortex tube
12. The vortex tubes ability to separate 2-phase gas mixtures based on
density may enable high performance, multi-stage cryogenic
refrigeration systems.
Vortex tube is a device without moving mechanical parts, which converts a gas
ow initially homogeneous in temperature, into two separate ows of differing
temperatures. Since its discovery in 1930 by Ranque, the vortex tube has been the
subject of considerable interest both from the theoretical and practical application
standpoints. However, it is difficult to design a vortex tube with denite integral
characteristics for a concrete application because the available experimental data are not
clearly understood and there are no entirely correct generalizations. The purpose of this
project is to overview of the past investigations of the design criteria of vortex tubes, to
draw together the mass of literature, and to provide detailed information on the design
of vortex tubes. Thus it will be possible to access the results of available
experimental/theoretical investigations on vortex tubes.

41

FUTURE SCOPE
The simplicity of this apparatus has been alluring to many research workers. The
mechanism of this experiment is still obscure. If the size of the vortex tube is increased
then it will also be used in various industries for refrigeration process.
Vortex Tube Refrigeration System is giving cooling conditions but not humidity
conditions inside the cabin. For getting comfort conditions in the cabin both cooling as
well as humidity conditions are to be maintained. By installing humidifier along with
the Vortex Tube Refrigeration System, the required comfort conditions i.e. temperature
& humidity will be maintained in the vehicle cabin.

42

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. G J Ranque. Experiments on Expansion in a vortex with Simultaneous Exhaust
of Hot and Cold Air. Le Journal De Physique, et le Radium (Paris), vol 4, June
1933, pp 1125-1130.
2.

R Hilsch. The use of the Expansion of AIRES in a Centrifugal Field as a

Cooling Process. Review of Scientific Instruments, vol 13, February 1947, pp
108-113.

3.

S.C Arora and S. Domkundwar, A course in refrigeration and air conditioning,

Dhanapat Rai & Sons Publications, Seventh edition.

4. C D Fulton. Ranque Tube. Journal of the ASRE, Refrigeration Engineering, vol

58, May 1950, pp 473-479.
5. G W Scheper (Jr). The Vortex Tube Internal Flow Data and a Heat Transfer
Theory. Journal of the ASRE, Refrigeration Engineering, vol 59, October 1951,
pp 985-989.
6. J P Hartnett and E R G Eckert, Experimental Study of the Velocity and
Temperature Distribution in a High Velocity Vortex Tube Flow. Transactions of
ASME, vol 79, May 1957, pp 751-758.
7. B Parulekar. The Short Vortex Tube. Journal of Refrigeration, vol 4, 1961,
pp 74-80.
8. R B Aronson. The Vortex Tube: Cooling with Compressed Air. Journal of
Machine Design, December 1976, pp 140-143.
9. Kirmaci Volkan, Exergy analysis and performance of a counter flow Ranque
Hilsch vortex tube having various nozzle numbers at different inlet pressures of
oxygen and air, International Journal of refrigeration, 32, 2009, pp.1626-1633.
10. Dincer, K., Avci, A., Baskaya, S. Berber, A., Experimental investigation and
energy analysis of the Performance of a counter flow RanqueHilsch vortex tube
with regard to nozzle cross-section areas, International Journal of Refrigeration,
33, 2010, pp. 954 -962.
11. Upendra Behera, P.J. Paul, S. Kasthurirengan, CFD analysis and experimental
investigations towards optimizing the parameters of Ranque Hilsch vortex

43

tube, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 01/2005; DOI:

10.1016/[Link].2004.12.046.
12. Yunpeng Xue , Maziar Arjomandi., The effect of vortex angle on the efficiency
of the RanqueHilsch vortex tube, Experimental Therm. Fluid Sci., 33, 2008,
pp.54
13. Westley R (1954) A bibliography and survey of the vortex tube. College of
Aeronautics, Craneld note, UK
14. Ranque GJ (1934) Method and apparatus for obtaining from a uid under
pressure two outputs of uid at different temperatures. US patent 1:952,281
15. Fulton CD (1951) Comments on the vortex tube. J ASRE Refrig Eng 59:984
16. Kalvinskas L (1956) Vortex tubes (an extension of Wesleys bibliography). Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, California Inst of Technology Literature Search, 56,
Part2

44