Journal article
Numerical Simulations of Cryogenic Hydrogen Cooling in Vortex Tubes with Smooth Transitions
ENERGIES, Vol.14(5)
2021
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/104540
Abstract
Improving efficiency of hydrogen cooling in cryogenic conditions is important for the wider applications of hydrogen energy systems. The approach investigated in this study is based on a Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube (RHVT) that generates temperature separation in a working fluid. The simplicity of RHVT is also a valuable characteristic for cryogenic systems. In the present work, novel shapes of RHVT are computationally investigated with the goal to raise efficiency of the cooling process. Specifically, a smooth transition is arranged between a vortex chamber, where compressed gas is injected, and the main tube with two exit ports at the tube ends. Flow simulations have been carried out using STAR-CCM+ software with the real-gas Redlich-Kwong model for hydrogen at temperatures near 70 K. It is determined that a vortex tube with a smooth transition of moderate size manifests about 7% improvement of the cooling efficiency when compared vortex tubes that use traditional vortex chambers with stepped transitions and a no-chamber setup with direct gas injection.
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Details
- Title
- Numerical Simulations of Cryogenic Hydrogen Cooling in Vortex Tubes with Smooth Transitions
- Creators
- KI MatveevJ Leachman
- Publication Details
- ENERGIES, Vol.14(5)
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical and Materials Engineering, School of
- Identifiers
- 99900564299801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article