A Vortex Tube is a device that separates compressed air into two streams of air, one hot and one cold. The two air flows can then be used for a variety of industrial applications.
Vortex Tubes work when compressed air enters the Vortex Tube tangentially, creating a spinning vortex. This results in a hot stream from one end and a cold stream as low as 50°C below the inlet compressed air temperature. Vortex Tubes are compact and used in various applications, such as cooling electronic controls, machining operations, and environmental chambers. The Vortex Tube is at the very centre of all our cooling range.
A Cabinet Cooler is designed for installation to a wall of a cabinet/panel. It includes a bulkhead fitting, pressure relief valve and silencer. These are all typically required with a Cabinet Cooler.
Although a Cabinet Cooler has a Vortex Tube at its heart, the Vortex is a more basic piece of equipment, that will not be suitable for installation onto a cabinet.
The Vortex Tube will work optimally when 60 – 100 PSI (4.1 – 6.8 bar) of compressed air is supplied to the unit. However, a Vortex Tube will work, to an extent, with as little as 20psi (1.4 Bar) of pressure.
To select the correct vortex cooler, you must consider your requirements; space restrictions cooling capacity needed, application, inlet temperature and environment. Vortex Tubes are sold with one generator, so picking the correct model will depend on volume and the temperature of air required. For more information, please contact your local Meech distributor or Meech directly.
Vortex Tubes come in two sizes, small with dimensions of (L) 174.9mm x (H) 34.9mm, and medium with dimensions of (L) 212.3mm x (H) 44.5mm.
All of our Vortex Tubes are constructed of stainless steel, which is hard wearing and hygienic. Suitable for most industrial applications.
The Meech Vortex Tube has no moving parts, resulting in minimal maintenance.
The Meech Vortex Tube come with a single generator. Ranging from 8 to 35cfm air consumption. In total there are ten different vortex tubes, eight Medium Vortex Tubes and two small Vortex Tubes. For more information on generators please see other F&Qs on generators.
The hot air on the Vortex Tube is released into the atmosphere through the opposite end to the cold end.
Yes, you can adjust you Meech Vortex Tube by twisting the control knob at the end of the Vortex Tube, this will control the cold fraction. Alternatively, you can purchase additional generators that will allow you to change the air flow and in turn the output temperature.
The Meech Vortex Tube has no moving parts and therefore it is very safe to operate. However, please be aware of the following safety guidelines specific to the Vortex Tube:
- The Vortex Tube creates both hot and cold air so part of the unit will become hot.
- Compressed air temperature must not exceed 55⁰C
- Ambient operating temperature must not exceed 66⁰C or drop lower than -10⁰C
The Meech Vortex Tube can achieve temperatures as much as 50⁰C below the inlet air temperature, when set at 70% cold fraction with 5.5bar of compressed air pressure. For more information on the Vortex Tube performance please refer to the Vortex Tube product brochure.
NEEDS UPDATING
Problems with air temperature can be caused by:
- Incorrect generator fitted – check and replace generator.
- Compressed air line temperature too high – check airline temperature.
- Loose/missing parts – check all Vortex Tube parts are screwed tightly and there are no missing parts.
- Water vapour in the compressed air supply – check compressed air supply.
- Air pressure is too low – increase air pressure at the relevant regulator.
The ‘control knob’ or ‘control valve’ at the rear of the vortex tube is for adjusting the cold fraction of the vortex tube. The cold fraction is the percentage of cold air exiting the cold end of the Vortex Tube.
As standard the control valve will be set at 70%, meaning 70% of the input air will exit as cold air, the remaining 30% will exit as hot air. To set the Vortex to 70% cold fraction from fully closed, twist the control knob 2.5 turns. Further adjustment can be made to suit your application.