1. Thermodynamic Analysis of Vortex Tube using User-Friendly VBA Model
Jeju Spring Meet
Alam Nawaz, Muhammad Abdul Qyyum, Wahid Ali, Moonyong Lee*
Process Systems Design And Control (PSDC) Laboratory School Of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University Dae-dong, Gyeongsan , South Korea
*corresponding author
Since 1994
World leading research group in pse
ABSTRACT
A vortex tube with no moving parts is a heating apparatus that divides a high-pressure fluid flow into two separate flows (cold and hot) at lower pressures. This behavior of vortex tube is applied to the simulation case of commercial aspen plus package to optimized the base case in which the thermodynamic and operational parameters (mass flow, temperature, pressure, enthalpy, and entropy) is coded in the visual basic environment. So, Vortex Tube is used and an examination of the system at steady state to separate natural gas flow into two flows (cold and hot) in the liquefaction process flow. By which overall energy of liquefaction process is also examined.
Acknowledgements: “This work was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2015R1D1A3A ) and by Priority Research Centers Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2014R1A6A ).”
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
A vortex tube with no moving parts might make it especially attractive for applications where simplicity, robustness, reliability, low cost and general safety are desired, either supply of hot or, most likely, cold gas.
In the existing literature on the vortex tubes, most of researchers have commonly used the term “ENERGY SEPARATION” when they are explaining inside configuration.
On the basis of adiabatic expansion of a part of gas from a high to a lower pressure splitting of gas possible.
The pressurized gas enter enters the tube through one/more tangential nozzles.
Cold gas can be withdrawn axially from the region near the center of the tube and hot gas from the annular region. The conical valve is positioned to allow regulation of the relative quantities of hot and cold gases.
Firstly, gathering all thermodynamics equation of vortex tube is coded in visual basic language in the aspen custom modeler because of some compatibilities with Aspen Plus.
Then, successfully implemented in the SMR (single mixed refrigerant) process as shown in figure.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that vortex tube is a best alternative of joule Thomson expansion valve and flash column due to simplicity, low operating and maintenance cost. When the cold gas mass fraction is equal to unity, the cycle is equivalent to a JT cycle – all of the gas passes through the vortex tube, undergoes an isenthalpic process, passes through the refrigeration load, and returns through the recuperative heat exchanger.
In suggested optimization cycle using vortex tube, power is reduced. The mass flow rate of SMR is also lower as compared to base case which further helps in cost reduction.
REFERENCE
Hilsch, Rudolf (1947). "The use of the expansion of gases in a centrifugal field as cooling process". The Review of Scientific Instruments. 18 (2): 108– 113. doi: /  Translated from the original German article: Rudolf Hilsch (1946) "Die Expansion von Gasen im Zentrifugalfeld als Kälteprozeß" (The expansion of gases in a centrifugal field as a cooling process), Zeitschrift für Naturforschung, 1 : 208–214. Available on-line at: Zeitschrift für Naturforschung
Chengming Gao, Experimental Study on the Ranque-Hilsch Vortex Tube, (2005) page 2
Vortex tubes are constructed of stainless steel and use a generator and valve made of brass and sealed with viton o-rings to allow their use in the widest range of environments.
R.T. Balmer. Pressure-driven Ranque-Hilsch temperature separation in liquids. Trans. ASME, J. Fluids Engineering, 110:161–164, June 1988.
Polihronov, J.; et al. "The maximum coefficient of performance (COP) of vortex tubes". Canadian Journal of Physics. 93: 1279–1282. doi: /cjp