This article is cited in 8 papers

Experimental study of the turbulent field behind a perforated vortex generator

Ch. Habchi^a, T. Lemenand^b, D. Della Valle^cd, A. Al Shaer^e, H. Peerhossaini<sup>f

a</sup> Notre Dame University, Louaize, Lebanon
^b Université Angers, France
^c Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
^d ONIRIS, Food Processing Dept., GEPEA, Nantes, France
^e Lebanese International University LIU, Beirut, Lebanon
^f Universite Paris Diderot, Paris, France

Abstract: The influence of the wake vortex arising behind a perforated tab on the mixing process in heat exchangers and chemical reactors is analyzed. The preliminary step of this study, i.e., investigation of the turbulent field generated by a single perforated tab, is presented here. For this aim, laser Doppler velocimetry measurements are conducted downstream from a perforated trapezoidal vortex generator placed in a wind tunnel. It is shown that two shear layers are generated by the tab. The first shear layer is located at the upper edge of the tab, and the other is ejected from the perforation edges. These shear layers are characterized by high turbulent kinetic energy levels, which are profitable for meso-mixing enhancement. Finally, a spectral study shows that the turbulent macro-scale is nearly the same for typical locations in the shear layers shed from the tab and perforation edges.

Keywords: vorticity, turbulent kinetic energy, turbulence power spectra, laser Doppler velocimetry.

UDC: 532.517:629.7

Received: 10.10.2013

DOI: 10.15372/PMTF20150404

 English version: Journal of Applied Mechanics and Technical Physics, 2015, 56:4, 569–579

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