Three-dimensional computational prediction of vortex separation phenomenon inside the Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube

Abstract

The air separators are used to provide safe, clean and appropriate air to the helicopter’s engine. In this operational study, the separation process inside a Ranque-Hilsch air separator cleaning system has been investigated to analyze the impact of choosing the appropriate turbulence model for predicting the separation process inside the air separator. This research is directed towards presenting a computational fluid dynamic explanation performed on a counter-flow air separator using air at different magnitudes of air flow fraction and applying different turbulence models. In a numerical investigation of counter-flow air separator, air has been chosen and its vortex separation phe- nomenon has been analyzed as a function of flow fraction. Furthermore, a numerical analysis to compare the outputs of a seven equation RSM turbulence model applied for the study of vortex separation of a counter-flow air separator with some two-equation turbulence methods, namely, k-ε and k-ω model as well as LES has been presented. All of the turbulence numerical methods are seen to present and predict the same flow pattern inside an air separator, but, with various details. The results show that among the tested methods the RSM creates the most accurate separation pattern. The numerical results are validated by some available experimental data with good agreement.

Keyword : vortex tube, air separator, separation process, turbulence model, numerical simulation