Vortex Tube /Ranque-Hilsch VortexTube
The vortex tube, also known as the Ranque-Hilsch Vortex Tube, is a mechanical device that separates a compressed gas into hot and cold streams. It has no moving parts.
Pressurized gas is injected tangentially into a swirl chamber and accelerates to a high rate of rotation. Due to the conical nozzle at the end of the tube, only the outer shell of the compressed gas is allowed to escape at that end. The remainder of the gas is forced to return in an inner vortex of reduced diameter within the outer vortex.
Recent US Patents
9/7/2010
7,789,649
Device for extruding hollow strands
Diekhaus and Schmuhl of Inoex, Germany has developed a device for extruding hollow structures while cooling with a Ranque vortex chamber. This allows for effective interior cooling is in calibrating devices designed for making a dimensional change while operation is in progress. (RDC 11/27/2010)