Effect of Inlet Nozzle and Hot end Conical Valve on the Performance of Vortex Tube

Vortex tube is a simple device injected with pressurized gas through tangential nozzles, creates a strong swirl flow field. This vortex in the inlet causes the pressure distribution of the flow in radial direction. As a result a free vortex is produced as the peripheral warm stream escapes through opening of conical valve and a forced vortex as the inner cold stream escapes through orifice. The performance of vortex tube mainly depends on the flow pattern. The inlet at the nozzle and exit at the hot end are key parameters that affect the flow pattern. So the main intention of this work is to investigate the effect of inlet nozzle number and conical angle of control valve at hot end. The results revealed that temperature drop increases with increase of nozzle number whereas the same is increasing with increasing conical angle up to 45° and decreasing thereafter.