Droplet Separation Efficiency of Vortex Chamber for Circulating Water Cooling

Cooling water in circulation water systems is used to remove excess heat generated by an industrial process. Due to the importance of conserving water resources, proper energy management, and reducing the environmental impact of classic cooling systems, a vortex chamber was developed. A structural feature of the vortex chamber is the stages in which a two-phase swirling flow is observed. The separation efficiency of the contact stage is studied during the operation of the vortex chamber by changing the structural configurations and the different diameters of the water droplets. According to the simulation results, an increase in the deposition efficiency of liquid droplets on the vortex contact stage is observed with the increase in the width and height of the slots. For small droplets with a diameter of 0.1 mm in the separation zone of the vortex contact stage, an entrainment of the liquid phase by the gas flow is possible.