An Analytical Model for the Incompressible Flow in Short Vortex Chambers

Abstract

A momentum integral analysis is presented for the incompressible, steady, axisymmetric flow in a short vortex chamber of the type commonly used in vortex valves. The analysis is developed with the aid of flow visualization photographs and considers the interaction which occurs between the main vortex core flow and the viscous chamber end wall boundary layers. The radial pressure distributions predicted by the analysis compare favorably with measured end wall static pressure distributions.