Optimized Hydrodynamic Profiling of a Vortex Chamber Configuration

Abstract

In modern industrial processes, particularly in the oil and gas, mining, and chemical sectors that handle complex multiphase flows (gas–liquid–solid), enhancing vortex separators is a critical engineering task to ensure the efficient separation of raw materials. The hydrodynamic characteristics and energy losses of such devices are directly dependent on their geometric configuration. Given that the direct simulation of three-phase systems is highly computationally intensive, this study conducts an essential foundational step: the comparative numerical simulation of single-phase hydrodynamic behavior across nine configurations of vortex chambers with tangential inlets. This research aims to evaluate the impact of geometric modifications on vortex formation, velocity and pressure fields, pressure drop, and hydraulic resistance within the investigated range of inlet velocities from 1 to 10 m/s. Based on the numerical results, Model 8, featuring a bi-conical expansion section, exhibits the most favorable hydrodynamic performance in terms of the ratio of flow swirl intensity to energy losses. It ensures stabilization of the vortex core, high rotational velocity, and an optimal pressure drop, thereby generating the hydrodynamic potential necessary for subsequent phase separation. Limiting the inlet velocity to 10 m/s prevents chaotic turbulence and local flow separation within the expansion zone. The derived geometry and the established hydrodynamic patterns provide a robust foundation for future numerical simulations of two- and three-phase media.