Numerical analysis on performance of two-phase vortex-tube

R41 gas and R1234yf droplets are used in the study as working fluids. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics is utilized to investigate the behavior of fluids in single-phase and two-phase vortex tubes, as well as the influence of cold flow fraction on the performance of them. The results show that small addition of droplets does not change the special working mechanism of the vortex tube. Two-phase vortex tubes are effective devices that can separate high pressure flow into cold flow and hot flow. But temperature difference at both cold and hot ends in the case of two-phase vortex tube is less than that of single-phase vortex tube at the same cold flow fraction. The maximum cold temperature differences of the single-phase and two-phase vortex tubes are 11.97 K and 10.54 K respectively when mu = 0.3. A maximum hot temperature difference of 29.54 K is achieved in the single-phase vortex tube when mu = 0.9. In contrast, a two-phase vortex tube exhibits a maximum hot temperature difference of 17.11 K at mu = 0.8. Additionally, the peak refrigerating capacity of the single-phase and two-phase vortex tube are 40.47 W and 38.51 W at mu = 0.7.