涡流管内流动与传热数值模拟

引言 涡流管具有结构简单、无运动部件、运行可靠、系统体积超小等特点,在有特殊要求冷却或制热需求的领域,有着极为广泛的应用前景1].尽管涡流管结构极为简单,但是发生在涡流管内部的能量分离现象则极为复杂,至今仍没有一种精确的理论能够解释其能量分离机制.

Numerical simulation of flow field and heat transfer within a vortex tube

Despite the simplicity of the vortex tube’s geometry，the fundamental mechanism underlying the energy separation effect is still elusive due in part to the complexity of flow behavior inside the tube.In order to investigate its fundamental mechanism，a three-dimensional simulation was performed to predict the flow field and temperature distribution within a vortex tube.The results demonstrated that the large pressure gradient in the radial and axial directions was the main reason for the separation of hot and cool flow.Radial centrifugal force led to different static pressures at different positions along the axis.Inner flow experienced an adiabatic expansion process while peripheral flow experienced an adiabatic compression process.Due to gradient distribution of static temperature from axial center to periphery at different positions along the axis and re-circulating flow，heat trasfer and mass transfer occurred between inner and peripheral flow.Meanwhile，the numerical data and experimental results were compared and good agreement was obtained.