Vortex Characteristics and Wear Analysis of a Y-Type Screen Filter with Three Different Filter Screens and Cylinder Arc Angles

Abstract

Y-type screen filters are crucial as hydraulic equipment in microirrigation systems. This study employed the computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD-DEM) approach to determine the optimal mesh shape and cylinder arc angle for these filters. Numerical simulations were conducted for three different filter screen shapes (diamond, square, and circular) and three cylinder arc angles (0°, 15°, and 30°) in screen filters to analyze the variations in their internal vortex fields and wear characteristics. The effects of different models on three-dimensional vortex structures and energy loss mechanisms were analyzed, and the reliability of simulation results was experimentally verified. A significant difference in vortex magnitudes at the filter mesh location of diamond, square, and circular filters was revealed, with the circular mesh experiencing 19.8% and 34.1% increases in vortex magnitude compared with the square and diamond meshes, respectively. As the cylinder arc angle increased from 0° to 30°, the filter’s weak and medium vortex regions areas grew by 8.6% and 30.4%, respectively. According to the Q-criterion vortex identification method, high-intensity vortices were mainly distributed at the mesh openings and the junctions of the outlet and filter pipes. The areas with the highest wear were the plugs, their closures, and the outlet side of the filter mesh, with wear decreasing as the cylinder arc angle increased. The average wear in these three areas at a zero angle dropped by 43.9% and 58.4% compared with 15° and 30° angles, respectively. Among the different mesh filters, circular mesh filters experienced the greatest wear, followed by square mesh filters, whereas diamond mesh filters had the least wear. Therefore, in practical engineering applications, it is recommended to use diamond mesh filters with a cylinder arc angle of 30°. These filters exhibit smaller internal vortex scales and a smoother flow field, which helps reduce wear on the filter mesh and improve its service life.