Experimental Investigation and Design Basis for Vortex Amplifiers Operating in the Incompressible Flow Regime

摘要

The effects of Reynolds number and geometry, i.e. control, supply, and exit port areas, as well as chamber length and radius, on the valve characteristic were investigated. As a result of the investigation, it was found that the nondimensional valve characteristic was essentially independent of Reynolds number, chamber length, and supply port area if each of these parameters was within a specified broad range of values. The nondimensional valve characteristic was found to depend primarily upon two ratios -- the valve exit to chamber radius ratio and the ratio of the control port area to the exit port area. A procedure was developed for designing single exit valves which operate in the incompressible flow regime. The design procedure provides a systematic method of progressing from a set of input specifications which include the valve maximum control flow and pressure and maximum supply flow and pressure requirements to a specification of each of the critical dimensions in a prototype valve. As a part of the procedure, the prototype valve characteristic is checked to determine if multiple values of total flow exist at the cutoff value of control flow. (Author)