STUDY & TRIAL ON NON CONVENTIONAL REFRIGERATION

SYSTEM (VORTEX TUBE)

AIM: To study & conduct trial on counter flow type vortex tube.

TYPES OF VORTEX TUBE

Generally Vortex tube can be classified into two types.
1) Counter flow type (referred as standard)
2) Parallel or uni-flow type.

1) Counter flow type :-

The flow of hot and cold air direction opposite to each other so it is called counter flow vortex tube. The
counter flow vortex tube consist an entrance block of nozzle connection with a cold orifice, a vortex tube
and a cone shape valve. Compressed air is introduced into a tube open at both ends through tangential flow
inlets positioned about a quarter of the tube's length away from one end. A strongly swirling flow, vortex
flow, results and the gas proceeds along the tube. The outer regions of the flow are found to be warmer than
the inlet gas, while gas towards the center of the experiences cooling.

2) Parallel or uni-flow 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.
WORKING PRINCIPLE
Vortex Tube is a simple device for producing refrigeration. It is a simple circular tube open at both
ends. One end of the tube is referred to as the hot end and the other as the Cold end. A nozzle (orifice) and a
diaphragm are held in the tube in a plane perpendicular to the tube axis. The hot end has a control valve
which regulates the air flow and in turns the temperatures.
Compressed air is supplied to the vortex tube and passes through nozzle that is tangent to an internal
counter-bore. This nozzle sets the air in a vortex motion. This spinning stream of air turns 90° and passes
down the hot tube in the form of a spinning shell, similar to a tornado (vortex). A valve at one end of the
tube allows some of the warmed air to escape. What does not escape, heads back down the tube as a second
vortex inside the low-pressure area of the larger vortex. This inner vortex loses heat and exhausts through
the other end as cold air. The cold air is used to produce the refrigerating effect.

Figure 1 Working of the Vortex Tube

While one air-stream moves up the tube and the other down it, both rotate in the same direction at the same
angular velocity. That is, a particle in the inner stream completes one rotation in the same amount of time as
a particle in the outer stream. However, because of the principle of conservation of angular momentum, the
rotational speed of the smaller vortex might be expected to increase. But in the vortex Tube, the speed of the
inner vortex remains the same. Angular momentum has been lost from the inner vortex. The energy that is
lost shows up as heat in the outer vortex. This would constitute an isentropic conversion of pressure energy
to coherent velocity accompanied by a drop in absolute temperature. Thus the outer Vortex became warm
and the inner vortex cooled momentum, the rotational speed of the smaller vortex might be expected to
increase. But in the outer vortex becomes warm, and the inner vortex is cooled.
OBSERVATIONS

The experiments on the designed and fabricated vortex tube are carried out to study the performance
of the vortex tube .The vortex tube is designed as per the standard ratios. The tables below show the results
obtained.
The input pressure of the compressed air is varied. The initial value of the inlet pressure is 1 kg/cm2
and the readings are taken up to 2.5 (kg/cm2). Pressure cannot be varied further due to limitations of the
compressor.

SR Pi Tc Th t
ᶱ ᶱ
NO (kg/cm2) ( C) ( C) (sec)

1) 1.5 14.1 38.6 51

2) 2 11.8 42.6 48
3) 2.5 9.9 46.8 34
4) 3 8.4 50.6 28

Pi = Inlet pressure to Vortex Tube

Tc = Cold end temperature
Th = Hot end temperature
t = Time required for flow of 10 m3 air at cold end
CALCULATIONS

Heat absorbed (Q)

Coefficient of performance (C.O.P) = ----------------------
Work done (W)

Assuming the isentropic efficiency of compressor to be iso = 80 % and Set up operates on perfect gas with
constant pressure heat capacity Cp = 1.01 kJ/kg-k, the work input to the system is

mCp Ti Pi γ−1/γ
W= (( ) − 1)
ηiso Patm

Refrigerating effect i.e the heat absorbed by the setup is

Q= µc m Cp (Ti-Tc)

where, µc = Cold mass fraction

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑇ℎ − 𝑇𝑖
µ𝑐 = =
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑇ℎ − 𝑇𝑐
m = Mass flow rate of fluid
Ta = ambient temperature
Ti = inlet temperature at vortex tube
 = 1.4 (for air)
∆Tc = Ti - Tc (Difference between inlet and cold end temperature)

Coefficient Of Performance (COP)

µC (Ta − Tc)
𝐂𝐎𝐏 =
𝑇𝑖 𝑃𝑖 𝛾−1/𝛾
(( ) − 1)
𝜂𝑖𝑠𝑜 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚
Specimen Calculation

For Pressure, Pi =
Patm =
Ta =
Ti =
Tc =
Th =

∆Tc = Ti - Tc

m=Vρ kg/sec

ρ = 1.225 kg/m3 (density of air)

𝑇ℎ − 𝑇𝑖
µ𝑐 =
𝑇ℎ − 𝑇𝑐

iso = 80 % (assumed value)

µC (Ti − Tc)
𝐂𝐎𝐏 =
𝑇𝑖 𝑃𝑖 𝛾−1/𝛾
(( ) − 1)
𝜂𝑖𝑠𝑜 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚
RESULT

Pi ∆Tc Refrigerating
SR NO µ𝑐 COP
(kg/cm2) (ᶱC) Effect (kW)
1) 1.5 10.9 0.55 1.47 0.145
2) 2 13.2 0.57 1.95 0.098
3) 2.5 15.1 0.59 3.24 0.085
4) 3 16.6 0.61 4.50 0.08
ADVANTAGES
 No moving parts, reliable, Maintenance free.
 Instant cold air in environmental chamber.
 Adjustable temperature
 No electricity or chemicals
 Compact, light in weight.
 Low cost application.
 No coolant required.
 No spark or explosion hazard.
 Maintenance free unit.

LIMITATIONS
 Very low COP
 Operation is noisy
 Not suitable for high capacity applications
 High running cost

APPLICATIONS

 Cold air for environment chambers, cooling bearings, tools, gas turbine blade cooling, portable
refrigerators water and beverage cooling.
 Cooling of electronic components.
 Cryogenics.

CONCLUSION